5th Axis Fixturing Question - Sanity Check

Hello,

I was hoping for a quick sanity check. I have a part that I would like to produce, and my goal is to determine if the fixturing I am proposing would be sufficient.

Quick facts:

* Haas VF4-SS
* 4th Axis Haas HRT-160 with 5th Axis Rock Lock system already installed
* Cutting 303 Stainless Steel
* Flood Coolant
* 1.8x.75x.75 parts oriented as shown below.

My plan is to use my 4th Axis (HRT-160) that already is set up for the 52mm 5th Axis RockLock system. I need to face each side of the part with a 2" Shell Mill 0.015 deep and drill a couple of 1/8", holes, and mill approx a .120" Chamfer, as well as a couple other little things. Nothing too heavy.

My question is will this vice be sufficient for reliably holding my workpiece? In the future I will most certainly want to mill similar items and would possibly taking much more aggressive cuts.

I would prefer to stay inside the 5th axis eco-system, since my rotary table is outfitted with the 52mm Rock Lock fixture, and all of my other fixtures just bolt right up.

Will this vice hold on to 303 stainless reliably? What is the most aggressive I could expect to mill with a setup like this?

R52-V75100X - 5th Axis

Thanks!

Alex

Put a dovetail on the bottom and go like hell
Don


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D Nelson said:

Put a dovetail on the bottom and go like hell
Don


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Click to expand...

what he said.
for a light cut as you described, you should be ok just using the serrated jaws to hold on to that piece, but any more aggressive than that, dovetail is much more appropriate.

Nice muzzle brake

unless you run a dovetal like said above.
it would run much better and more rigid not to mention using shorter tools with a 5c or 16c collet nose, for that matter you could even start with round stock cutting your internals 1st on a lathe or mill depending on what you have.

It seems like the dovetail is a popular suggestion! Not super keen on having to fixture twice to mill same surface, but might be unavoidable. Going to noodle this a bit longer. Would love to keep it down to 3 fixtures if at all possible.

crane550 said:

It seems like the dovetail is a popular suggestion! Not super keen on having to fixture twice to mill same surface, but might be unavoidable. Going to noodle this a bit longer. Would love to keep it down to 3 fixtures if at all possible.

Click to expand...

back in the late 80s we were making them on Acrolocks in 2 set-ups ie 2 fixtures on same machine .
collet fixture set on table for the internals (or we used a lathe) then the 4th axis with collet nose to do the side work
you can even use a vise for the internal work and do 1 2 or 3 parts at a time with jaws.

Not trying to crap on your set-up but its just not rigid

This might actually work better. Still not thrilled with one extra OP for cutting a dovetail, but it does overall simplify fixturing.

This does raise more questions.



This tool...would it be able to cut the profile I need it to in one pass in 303? Also wondering if this tool would be good for facing the part (.750x.750) before cutting the dovetail? Eliminating a tool change would be good if I'm doing a batch of these. Would be great if I could do it all with one tool.

crane550 said:

View attachment 303488

This might actually work better. Still not thrilled with one extra OP for cutting a dovetail, but it does overall simplify fixturing.

This does raise more questions.

View attachment 303489

This tool...would it be able to cut the profile I need it to in one pass in 303? Also wondering if this tool would be good for facing the part (.750x.750) before cutting the dovetail? Eliminating a tool change would be good if I'm doing a batch of these. Would be great if I could do it all with one tool.

View attachment 303490

Click to expand...

I think if the inerts stick below the cutting edge it *should* work, but very light cuts. I've used the 5th axis vise without pre-cutting dovetails, but only in aluminum. I think Lang makes a 'press' of sorts that crimps the dovetails in, no machining required, but not sure about doing it on stainless.

Slap a vise on the table and do both ops in 1 press of the cycle start button.

What size round bar would you need for it? I like their ER40 fixture for smaller stuff like this. If it fits.

For stainless I always dovetail for holding in my 5thaxis vises with the regular hard jaws. It might hold without, but in my opinion, for ferrous materials, it is a fine line between holding and stuff moving around. Those serrated teeth just don't bite in like they will on aluminum. It might work a few times, but you'll be disappointed when you get a part to move and it breaks tools or inserts.

Especially a part that long, with that much stickout and such little surface area for clamping. I'd put my money on it will definitely move.

Dovetail it. For clearance use the small dovetail fixture or ER40