New SL-40

Hey guys......Got me a new turning center hooked up today!!!!!!!!!
I've programmed and ran many turning centers, but not anything with live tooling (c-axis).
I realize that you can't wham and cram with a Haas and it should do everything I need for the most part. Anybody with any tips on Haas live tooling turning centers out there?
thanks in advance.........Buffalo

Congrats!

Congrats on the new machine, I look forward to hearing about how you like it as you start putting it through its paces.

The live tooling sounds pretty awesome for expanded applications beyond straight turning.

Keep us posted.

Sl40

How long did you have to wait for the SL40 from order date? Any delays? What options?
Thanks,
Chazsani

Haas SL-40

It took em about 6 weeks from order to delivery.....Options included: intuititive programming, tool presetter, and chip auger package...it took us a day to unload it, a day for the tech to hook it up, a day for programming training and SHAZAM, I'm making chips!
The training was like getting a drink with a firehose, but it got us started.

Training

Hello forum new guy here with a question about training.

Was the programing training a jee whiz look at this or was it really a in depth machine specific class.(for the time allowed)

New machine

The training was almost all day(6 hours). It was not just the "gee whiz" dog and pony show I thought it was gonna be. The tech did a good job in the time allotted. Too much, too fast to absorb it all, but i got the basics. He explained them, (turning, facing, grooving, threading, etc.) and I had him do this on one of our parts we manufacture. I had him save it and, "voila", we had (after a little tweaking) the basic program for the first job. Intuitive and visual quick code understanding is a MUST. These take out all the work out of hand writing roughing cycles! Learn the operators pendant well enough to use it in your sleep! The Haas web site has a TON of usefull info too. Keep your trainers phone numer (the toll free one) as you will need to talk to him (her) a lot in the very near future...........My favorite buttons are the 5% rapid reduction, and single block.....Ha ha.. Haven't had to use E-stop .....yet.....WHEW... thats a relief...GOOD LUCK Tatanka (Mike)

Thanks for the reply Tatanka. The company I work for bought a VF-5, MDC 500, and a SL20 w/live tooling. Did you get the training as an option or did it come with the purchase? The reason I'm asking is I was told we would get 4hrs of training on each machine and they've all pretty much been a dog and pony show.Wish my job would've opted for the training.....argg . I have only been in the machine shop for about 1 going into my 2nd year and wanting to learn as much as I can. I do the programming on the floor with sum Gibbs thrown in. The good thing is I've got new machines to (crash) make chips on woot!

So how is the live toys on these?

Pics I have seen of older/smaller machines looked perdy cheezy.

Are the lives able to move metal?

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I am Ox and I approve this here post!

The most I've seen it do was make a hex shape on the end of sum round stock. Funny thing is we couldn't adjust the feed rate of the live axis. There was no way we could find to do it the the Haas rep/tech didn't know how or if it could be done.(don't quote me on that) Pretty cool looking thou.

reply

Fall Guy said:

Thanks for the reply Tatanka. The company I work for bought a VF-5, MDC 500, and a SL20 w/live tooling. Did you get the training as an option or did it come with the purchase? The reason I'm asking is I was told we would get 4hrs of training on each machine and they've all pretty much been a dog and pony show.Wish my job would've opted for the training.....argg . I have only been in the machine shop for about 1 going into my 2nd year and wanting to learn as much as I can. I do the programming on the floor with sum Gibbs thrown in. The good thing is I've got new machines to (crash) make chips on woot!

Click to expand...

The training came with the machine purchase(no extra cost). They didn't say just how long (in hours) the training would be, the tech just did his presentation and I asked more questions. The answers were there.(I took notes too) I'm not a newbie to cnc turning centers, but Tom (from TIMCO in Tulsa{there i gave him a plug}) adjusted his training to my level of knowledge. Ask a LOTTTT of questions, that's my advice! Also make yourself familiar with the control. Damn, I sould like i'm repping for Haas.....JEEZ......HA HA HA!Remember, what you don't know, don't be afraid to ASK! Keep in touch Fall Guy, I'll try to help you if i can.
As for the feedrates on the live tools just go to a G98 (feedrate in inches/ minute) that will adjust your rate of live tool milling or drilling. You can adjust the chuck feedrate (if you have C-axis) with an M154 and index with a feedrate in minutes. The live tooling is NOT a cat-50 milling machine, however, take light cuts, and you can do a lot of jobs in one setup and operation. My first job on the machine did 4 different operations at on time on a cast part that had a BUNCH of GD&T (concentricity, parallel, perpendicularity, etc.) of the bores to the face and a lot of drilling too. See the problem, unchuck the casting...........NEVER accurately locate it again for future ops.
Good luck on the chip makin........Tatanka (Mike)

Well you got a lot better service then we did. All I saw was this is the pedant this where the offset is etc etc guess I got my hopes up. But thanks for the g98 and the m154. I'll throw that at my stupidvisor monday lol. I've got the controls down pat. I still get lost in the settting's page thou. Oh yah does your sl40 take one g76 or two?

I went in to MDSI for a quick training meeting with the feller there [for a used machine] and I took the kid along to run the video camera. I HIGHLY recommend that! However - buy some new cassetts and not overtape "Christmas '93" or whatnot...

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The pump don't werk b/c the vandals took the handle!
Ox

Agreed

GREAT advice Ox......get ready to cross yer eyes on code writing...I don't use a CAM package on the lathe, however i use Smartcam on my milling programs good luck ....Tatanka(Mike) what happened to the "THink Snow" ox?

I don't know?

I think it's out there somewheres...

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A Cooper in '08!
A troubled man for troubled times!
Ox

Well the side show is over and done with I'm left to my own devices when it comes to figuring it out if I have a job to do on it. I've got a thick book and reasonable amount of common sense to carry me thru. Thanks for the help guys.

reply

Ain't nuthin but Z and X .......G and M and a &^*%load of numbers........you'll do fine......

well you asked for it......let me pick your brain G77 for live tooling we tried what u suggested but no go (well we never got to try the m154 job came up). Is there no way to adjust the feed rate in that can cycle? Basically the spindle is turning faster than my super is comfortable with the slowest we can get it is 7rpm(lol). Well theres my noob question for the day. Mission accomplished.

Fall Guy,
I program using Gibbscam...but the output for milling with live tooling is in inches per minute, just like a mill. You do have to change a setting to match the part diameter tho. The live tooling provided by Haas is Eppinger...very good quality! I'm at home but will look up the setting in the am.
Carl

Try setting 102 "C Axis Dia." The value entered here is the dia. on the part where milling is taking place.
Carl

the tech just left our shop an hour ago...he was here to try and figure why i am drilling .01 below center with my live tooling. (eppingers). I am doing a drilled hole from both sides of my round part(.400 od0 with a .250 is in plastic. If I pit a pin in my cross hole I have .02 difference of space in my ID above and below the pin...equals .01 off center.

I tried to indicate the bore of the live tooling hole in my VDI combo turret...the dammmm hole is monstorously out of round!!!!!..it might be that way on purpose though, so the tooling shank is easier to get in and out...

I put a 1/2' drill blank in my 90 degree live tool holder. i then mounted and indicator on the spindle and programed a small program to lock my spindle and move the indecator and then pull back off and rotate the spindle 180 and then lock again and move the indicator back...

I (WE..me and the tech)did all but one hole.....that is 5 tool holder holes... number one was .0039 off center, and the rest were from .019" to .024" TIR!!!!

we took the live tool and went to the granit plate and as far as we can tell the shank and the 1/2" drill blank are withine .001" of being on the same center...

we ran and indicator on the outside of the tool holder and found it was dead with the shank as it lay on the granite...so we figured once mounted if the side indicated true that the shank "got mounted in the turret square"...ie pulled up square...

and sure enough it was dead on.... the tools are all below center....

there is a dowel-coolant tube that the holder locates on , on the face of the turret to prevent me from "rotating" the live tool holder up slightly to over come this issue...

the dowel locates on a hole in the tool holder for this purpose!!

the 1/2" pin indicates parralel with the X axis...thus it is not out of rotation... it is just OFF center.

anyone else find this type of situation with their live tooling Sl-20?

bob