Haas Side mount tool changer max tool length?

[Waakzaamheid]

We are looking at picking up a used Haas as a second op machine that will need to use some pretty long tools. We are currently doing this in our VF2 with an umbrella tool changer. A lot of the used ones come with side mount changers and I'm not sure if my tooling will fit. I'm using a tool holder with an 8 inch projection plus the tool a couple more inches out of that. The only info I can seem to find is it might be a max of 11 inches from the gage line. And I'm not too clear as to what the gage line is. From what I can tell it's essentially where the taper seats into the spindle?

Any help is appreciated, thanks!

 

[Stirling]

guageline is where taper seats in spindle, unless your really squeezing it just use the flandge height. as you can see thetool length is limited by this sheet metal pocket

 

[Stirling]

i guess you could break out the angle grinder? im not to sure what weight the tool loader will retain/swing up 90degrees

 

[Waakzaamheid]

Appreciate the help. I think the tool may fit but looking at how it does the tool changes, the way it has to swing the tool forward to get to the spindle, I think it may still end up hitting my part. Looks like I probably need to go with an umbrella style.

 

[Stirling]

you can always position your table before commanding the tool change. i just set it in my CAM to position before the tool change command.
im actually curious if there are any advantages of the umbrella height wise, it swings tools in a circle just like the tool arm would, it hangs tools down.. is it overall higher than the tool arm or do the tools hang where the tool arm lowers too?

 

[Stirling]

I measure a 1" dif. from the swing arm to the umbrella. not a big diference, but could be the diference you need? up to you. pre staging tools is a really nice feature of the side mount.

 

[Stirling]

note, you can download the CAD of all the haas machines. makes this easy to do. i uploadd into fusion360 and run their cad modle for my machine simulation to check clearenced on 4th and 5th axis jobs. very handy for cheap

 

[Waakzaamheid]

The difference with the umbrella is I can position a tool in the changer so that when it does a tool change it stays behind the part. The umbrella only moves in the X direction on a tool change. With the side mount it swings the arm out like 9 inches in front of the spindle before it reaches it. I don't have enough Y travel to make up that 9 inches so no matter what on a tool change it will hit the part.

And I did find the models on Haas' site, I kinda laid the part on there and it might jusssst barely work but I don't want to take the chance on buying something with the side mount and finding it doesn't. I don't have a machine I can test it on.

 

[Stirling]

that makes sense, well look at it this way, its cheaper to go carosel so if you dont need the fancy changer why pay!