Brother BT30 basic machining parameters

[welderboyjk]

I've seen a few threads with some 30 taper cut info but was looking to have a little more if possible.
Just got a "new" 650 which will be primarily used in aluminum with just enough "steel" in the mix to say we do some.
We have a 450 which is dedicated to one part in steel so our experience from that isn't going to do us a lot of good. A neighboring shop told us they've had a couple of boo boos pushing their brother a little too hard. We would really like to avoid that if possible!
This machine is replacing a 40 taper, lower rpm mill so we are going to have to reprogram.
What we've got is a high torque, 10k RPM and a dual contact spindle.

Anyone here willing to share what cut parameters are working for them in aluminum? Mostly 6061 but some 2024 and 7075 would be beneficial too.
Ideas for what's out there for shop built sub plates would be appreciated too. What we've got now will not likely transfer over.

 

[Mtndew]

One of our main jobs for our 450X2 is 6061 and we run a 1/2" x 1-1/4" Destiny Diamonback end mill at 1960sfpm and .0089 ipt....so 15k rpm and 400ipm.
1.21" deep and a .085" stepover. This is in a stubby dual contact holder.
As for our sub plate, we just bought a slab of 7075 the size of the table and about 3" thick. I mount my chick double vises to it.

 

[Rick Finsta]

I liked to limit to 1/2" tools, no more than 1.5" length of cut. I tended to use 4-8% stepovers at much greater speeds than I would on a 40 taper.

I found on a 16k standard spindle that a 3/8" tool was really a sweet spot. For any real depth of cut I like gashed tools. They also help with bird nesting of chips in the drain/chip channels.

As long as I kept my stickouts as short as possible, I didn't have issues. Long stickouts caused problems. I would never, even run a 3/4" end mill on one again. Unless it is a high feed or face mill with low depth of cut, I would stay under that 1/2" ceiling. Others may have had better luck with bigger tools.

 

[eaglemike]

What he (they) said ^^^^^ I type slowly.
Hopefully you have software that can be used to create "adaptive roughing" tool paths. Using as much axial length as reasonable, and smaller radial depth of cut is the way to let these machines fly. You also get to use more of the end mill! There's some software out there that helps figure out how much your machine can take. HSM Advisor, it's super handy, and very fairly priced for the benefit you get. (no association)
I have a 450 high torque, and usually run 8K-10K for 1/2" end mills in 6061, and pretty much always 10K under 3/8" end mills. You might already know this, but using roughers helps keep the chip pan from filling and over flowing.
Good luck, you have a nice machine.
ETA: oh yeah, use side lock holders most all the time with your end mills. Reducing stick out, as noted above, is a very good thing.

 

[coffeetek]

Well...

 

[mhajicek]

Well...

A great example of why 5 axis machines are better than 3 axis machines for many "3 axis parts".

 

[gkoenig]

Well...

It is interesting to see Brother evolving their programming techniques. The older videos are very very Japanese Production - very conservative paths, no HSM, feeds/speeds for "reliability".

The new M200 video is how a West Coast shop would bang something like this out. Lots of HSM paths, no slow fuckery, aggressive on the tooling.

 

[Mtndew]

Well...

Boy am I glad he's wearing a mask in that video, I wouldn't want to catch the rona by watching it.

 

[Wsurfer]

A great example of why 5 axis machines are better than 3 axis machines for many "3 axis parts".

Not to mention the turning abilities as well. That sure was one nice looking piece of stock before he cut it all up

 

[coffeetek]

It is interesting to see Brother evolving their programming techniques. The older videos are very very Japanese Production - very conservative paths, no HSM, feeds/speeds for "reliability".

The new M200 video is how a West Coast shop would bang something like this out. Lots of HSM paths, no slow fuckery, aggressive on the tooling.

They are really going after it with feeds and speeds, not playing around.

 

[trochoidalpath]

Well...

Wow, they’re really going at it with that 12mm end mill….

 

[welderboyjk]

Well...

Well, now we'll just have to pause the vid and write down the metric standards and convert them while remembering that those are "optomized" for the video.
Seriously though, machine is in place and wired. Waiting for a couple field options to be installed and initial commissioning
Working on toolong and what we are going to do for a subplate.
Chip conveyor won't be in for a while so we can't go too crazy with it yet anyway.
None of the guys will want to shovel too much out of the stock pan.

 

[coffeetek]

Well, now we'll just have to pause the vid and write down the metric standards and convert them while remembering that those are "optomized" for the video.

You should be running your machine in metric, not in those godless imperial units. When Moses came from mount Sinai he came with 10 commandments, not with 3/8! Notice 10 commandments, the God commanded 10 based system, METRIC!

The parameters they use are to illustrate what is possible. I am 100% sure in production environment people run like that every day. Its a Speedio not Mini Mill!

 

[gkoenig]

You should be running your machine in metric, not in those godless imperial units. When Moses came from mount Sinai he came with 10 commandments, not with 3/8! Notice 10 commandments, the God commanded 10 based system, METRIC!

The parameters they use are to illustrate what is possible. I am 100% sure in production environment people run like that every day. Its a Speedio not Mini Mill!

I converted everything, because godless imperial units went to the fucking Moon!

So, they are doing an interesting trick of roughing down to almost no finishing stock. They have the 12mm going to town with adaptive paths, then bringing the 8mm and only kissing like 0.0015" off of the walls. Those numbers strike me as a bit suspect - IDK how you rough at those High Accuracy params, but only leave 0.0015" on the walls without cutting corners and the like.

Running the 16mm (5/8") end mill for the finishing is intriguing. They are running it almost 1.5" deep at 250ipm. One assumes this is a Big+ machine, so I'm going to give this a try and see how it feels in an S700.

Overall, it is a great demo. Kills the reputation the M140/M140X2 had for having shitty brakes that couldn't support off-COR drilling. I would be 100% happy with this level of milling performance.

 

[plastikdreams]

I really like how they clean the entire machine before they take the part out...really gives it that spic and span touch

 

[LOTT]

You should be running your machine in metric, not in those godless imperial units. When Moses came from mount Sinai he came with 10 commandments, not with 3/8! Notice 10 commandments, the God commanded 10 based system, METRIC!

BUT... Some Jews put emphasis on the "two tablets" more than ten comandments. The first five deal with our relationship towards God, the second five with interactions with other people. Half and half... so, fractional.

That said, anyone sends me a drawing in cubits and they're getting a no quote.

 

[mhajicek]

Is that why computers are binary? And that Japanese motorcycle should be a two stroke to cut the metric threads faster.