What is the best way to clean a HAAS CNC? We are currently in the process off cleaning our machines where we have been running copper parts, to switch to run steel. Of course get all the copper chips out so there is none mixed in, but what is your best tip to clean a CNC Machine?
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Cleaning a HAAS CNC
- Thread starter crb06
- Start date
- Replies 25
- Views 11,973
G
guest
Guest
Washdown hose plumbed into the coolant pump.
Matt@RFR
Titanium
- Joined
- May 26, 2004
- Location
- Paradise, Ca
Drag in to nearby body of water, roll down cliff to shake water off, put back in shop.
gustafson
Diamond
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2002
- Location
- People's Republic
fixed that fer ya
actually it would be easier to push it off the dock and pray for rain
plastikdreams
Diamond
- Joined
- May 31, 2011
- Location
- upstate nj
Cleaning a vmc is pretty straightforward...Are you having trouble with something?
1) grab hose, engage chip auger
2) spray the inside down thoroughly
3) watch chips come out of chute
4) repeat until clean
1) grab hose, engage chip auger
2) spray the inside down thoroughly
3) watch chips come out of chute
4) repeat until clean
Johnny SolidWorks
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2013
- Location
- Rochester
I'm shocked none of the Haas haters have said "trade it in for a real machine" yet.
ewlsey
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2009
- Location
- Peoria, IL
You can clean a CNC machine? This is the first I've heard of it.
plastikdreams
Diamond
- Joined
- May 31, 2011
- Location
- upstate nj
Don't feel silly, it's a fairly new concept...It's still in development end/basic implementation stage. I understand there is still some resistance from operators in getting this off the ground. There are talks of a separate governing body to further expand the concept...I hear iso has told them to clean up their act.
D Dubeau
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2007
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
One shop I know of that alternates between copper/steel throws a couple rags through the auger after running steel just to wipe that last of the steel out. I can't imagine a more, non productive pain in the ass task than cleaning a machine to prevent cross contamination of ships. I understand it kills the scrap value of some materials, and for some jobs the scrap cost is factored in the job, but It's probably my most hated job ever. I think I hate it even more that cleaning coolant tanks.
ewlsey
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2009
- Location
- Peoria, IL
That contamination thing is 100% BS anyway. It's just a tool to keep you from getting #1 price for your scrap. My local place always hassles me about aluminum and stainless being "contaminated" with steel. Then they take my chips and dump them out on the dirt yard with a Bobcat loader right next to the piles of steel. If they weren't contaminated before, they sure are now...
G00 Proto
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2013
- Location
- Dirkdirkistan, ID
Just a quick note. Obviously plumb in a washdown hose from the manifold on the coolant pump, if you haven't already.
We used to have the same problem when we switched from brass to aluminum. So we harped on the cleaning people to do it better. We had a lady that would help clean, so the next time she went to clean a machine, she decided that she could do a better job with a handheld dust broom. She slipped on some coolant and her hand went straight into the auger. Bound it up enough to stall the motor and reverse. Needless to say, her hand never was the same again.
We used to have the same problem when we switched from brass to aluminum. So we harped on the cleaning people to do it better. We had a lady that would help clean, so the next time she went to clean a machine, she decided that she could do a better job with a handheld dust broom. She slipped on some coolant and her hand went straight into the auger. Bound it up enough to stall the motor and reverse. Needless to say, her hand never was the same again.
DavidScott
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2012
- Location
- Washington
The recycler that took our chips years ago told me they were allowed 10% contamination before their buyer started cutting the price. We were mainly an aluminum shop so this may be different for other metals.
Matt@RFR
Titanium
- Joined
- May 26, 2004
- Location
- Paradise, Ca
There's a delicate balance here that a lot of people seem to get tunnel vision with. If it takes a $15/hr guy, for example, 30 minutes to perfectly clean out a machine, then all payroll bullshit included, that's somewhere around $9.00 to $9.50 you spent. Did he really clean out $9.00 worth of recycled chips? I seriously doubt it.
thesidetalker
Stainless
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2015
- Location
- Bay Area, CA
Don't forget the downtime on the machine, too!
I think people are more worried about contamination though. We do a good amount of copper and try to keep it clean. I think it's worth it to make sure you get the proper scrap rate for clean copper, than pennies for contaminated crap with steel and alum or stainless all mixed in.
We decided for copper jobs to just wash down the inside and leave the auger off. Then after the job's complete, just pick up as much copper with the hand brush and a dust pan. Works pretty good. Still get most of the chips out and it doesn't take too much time.
Schaeffer makes a great product that you can spray the inside of the machine down and run thru your pump to disinfect. It's called 611 machine kleen. Works great!
Schaeffer Oil | Metalworking Fluids and Metal Processing Oils
Schaeffer Oil | Metalworking Fluids and Metal Processing Oils
plastikdreams
Diamond
- Joined
- May 31, 2011
- Location
- upstate nj
I always made it a point to hose my machine down at the end of the day, it makes for a cleaner work environment and really only takes a few minutes. I've never had the "gotta keep it separate" type job tho.
plastikdreams
Diamond
- Joined
- May 31, 2011
- Location
- upstate nj
The op is the new guy lol...Ironic eh
D Dubeau
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2007
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
That's why I hated doing it. There is a point of diminishing returns, where you just gotta say fuck it, that's good enough. Apparently for some shops pure copper chips might as well be gold, and they'd rather pay a guy $30/hr and eat the downtime, just so they get that last little bit outta the machine.
Now renshape, red board, and any of the other pattern shit..... THAT sucks to clean out of a machine.
We switched scrap guys a couple years ago (they leave bins for us to fill) and the last load they apparently got pissy about the mixed chips. Complaining they didn't get top dollar for them like they thought, and want us to separate them better. F that. In a typical day I'll cut 2-3 aluminum blocks a couple steel details maybe some brass etc. It's all over the map. I'm not hosing the things out every couple of hours, I'd never get anything done. In a production setting, yeah it might pay off. In a one off shop, no way.
Thank you everyone! I took the coolant hose and sprayed the hole machine down, then I took a air hose and blew all the chips I could off the table, off the vice, and into the chip convayer, then took the rag idea and swept them all together and into the Copper chip barrel they go
-Almost took the idea of the dock and hope for rain!
-Almost took the idea of the dock and hope for rain!
