digital boring heads for profiling in a mill?

empower · Jul 8, 2020

not too long ago i saw a video somewhere of a digital boring head (maybe there's a different name for it?) that machined a profile like this on a mill. but i cant find it anywhere to save my life right now.

Essentially, what i'm looking for, is a tool that could bore out a shape/profile similar to below (highlighted blue) in a mill, but leave a turned finish.

these would come in different size and profile dimensions but essentially that shape. i'm already doing some of these in a lathe, but want to be able to do them in a mill.

i'm not looking for suggestions on how to mill this with 3d surfacing or anything like that. i'm already machining some in a mill using a button index cutter.
really just want to see if i can get a turned finish in a mill.

if anyone has seen the video i described, would appreciate the link!

Mud · Jul 8, 2020

Maybe D'Andrea? - D'ANDREA S.p.A. - Ta-Center | NC boring and facing heads for machines with automatic tool change.

empower · Jul 8, 2020

Mud said:
Maybe D'Andrea? - D'ANDREA S.p.A. - Ta-Center | NC boring and facing heads for machines with automatic tool change.

i think you hit the nail on the head sir!
thanks.

Milland · Jul 8, 2020

This shows what the OP wants: YouTube

empower · Jul 8, 2020

Milland said:
This shows what the OP wants: YouTube

exactly! just on a much larger scale than what i need, haha.
thanks fellas.

rblalexander · Jul 8, 2020

I'd be curious how you actually control that in program? Some kind of subroutine and bundle of macros?

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

PROBE · Jul 8, 2020

empwoer said:
not too long ago i saw a video somewhere of a digital boring head (maybe there's a different name for it?) that machined a profile like this on a mill. but i cant find it anywhere to save my life right now.
View attachment 293561

Essentially, what i'm looking for, is a tool that could bore out a shape/profile similar to below (highlighted blue) in a mill, but leave a turned finish.

View attachment 293562

these would come in different size and profile dimensions but essentially that shape. i'm already doing some of these in a lathe, but want to be able to do them in a mill.

i'm not looking for suggestions on how to mill this with 3d surfacing or anything like that. i'm already machining some in a mill using a button index cutter.
really just want to see if i can get a turned finish in a mill.

if anyone has seen the video i described, would appreciate the link!

This Cogsdill ZX Boring, Facing & Contouring Systems for HBMs gives the answer without adding extra CNC axis.

EmGo · Jul 8, 2020

iirc Giddings & Lewis had a programmable boring head that would do different sizes and radii and chamfers back in the previous century, but is there anything that will do what is in OP's first photo ? That would require coordinating the tool offset with radial position as the head rotated, not a simple process.

gregormarwick · Jul 8, 2020

EmanuelGoldstein said:
iirc Giddings & Lewis had a programmable boring head that would do different sizes and radii and chamfers back in the previous century, but is there anything that will do what is in OP's first photo ? That would require coordinating the tool offset with radial position as the head rotated, not a simple process.

The lofted surface in the first picture can be done by translating in X or Y while tapering with U/Z, no need to track the tool orientation.

empower · Jul 8, 2020

rblalexander said:
I'd be curious how you actually control that in program? Some kind of subroutine and bundle of macros?

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

thats my next question, as well as how do you program this? does any cam software have this or would it have to be done by hand?

EmGo · Jul 8, 2020

gregormarwick said:
The lofted surface in the first picture can be done by translating in X or Y while tapering with U/Z, no need to track the tool orientation.

You're right, I had to look at it full-size, for these feeble eyes the little photo looked like it was an oval at the big end, tapering to a circle at the small end.

Ja, just a straight taper while you drop the centerline of the move would do this one.

An oval to a round would be more interesting tho

boosted · Jul 8, 2020

empwoer said:
thats my next question, as well as how do you program this? does any cam software have this or would it have to be done by hand?

When I have seen them implemented, it is added as the U-axis and programmed like a turning operation. I think any CAM system that can program mill turns could have the post configured accordingly, though I doubt many (if any) will handle simulation 100% correctly.

Vancbiker · Jul 8, 2020

EmanuelGoldstein said:
......An oval to a round would be more interesting tho

Makino offers/offered a unit called a "Hale Machining" head that could do that without trouble. Some discussion happened here a while ago....

Be the first on your block to Hale machine !

DMF_TomB · Jul 9, 2020

i have seen 3D milling with ball end mills. or radius corner end mills. take a lot of time but mills many odd shapes
.
time based on finish. fewer passes quicker but rougher

gregormarwick · Jul 9, 2020

EmanuelGoldstein said:
You're right, I had to look at it full-size, for these feeble eyes the little photo looked like it was an oval at the big end, tapering to a circle at the small end.

Ja, just a straight taper while you drop the centerline of the move would do this one.

An oval to a round would be more interesting tho

There are machines that DO track the tool orientation and interpolate everything else around that, Toshiba pioneered that, Okuma duplicated it, Fanuc can do it too although I think I've only ever seen one Fanuc controlled machine actually doing it. Don't think I've ever seen any of those machines machine a non-circular profile using that though.

One member made a thread recently about cutting non-circular holes using LinuxCNC and he had impressive results considering the machine he was doing it on. Same principle. Retrofitted to a "real" machine, it would make for a genuinely useful tool.

thunderskunk · Jul 9, 2020

Why have I never seen this? It makes a ton of sense, and I could see tons of uses, akin to the benefits of probing and TSC.

This is why I stopped reading professional magazines like Modern Machine Shop; they’ve been stuck on “how AI is gonna change everything” and promptly ignore stuff like this. Makes me wonder what else I’m missing out on.

gregormarwick · Jul 9, 2020

thunderskunk said:
Why have I never seen this? It makes a ton of sense, and I could see tons of uses, akin to the benefits of probing and TSC.

This is why I stopped reading professional magazines like Modern Machine Shop; they’ve been stuck on “how AI is gonna change everything” and promptly ignore stuff like this. Makes me wonder what else I’m missing out on.

To be fair, none of this is breaking news.

Auxilliary U axis heads like the D'Andrea have been around for 40+ years, and the horizontals with orbital machining capability appeared in the '90s.

Vancbiker · Jul 9, 2020

thunderskunk said:
Why have I never seen this? .......

It's really only been widely applied in specialty machining operations. Large valve manufacturing is where I first saw programmable U axis on an HMC. At a GE engine plant I removed a boring mill from, all the boring mills had quill actuated U axis heads. Caterpillar used a U axis on 6 axis HMCs for cutting cylinder seal ring grooves on Diesel engines.

Large machine shows like IMTS usually have somebody with a U displayed. A knowledgeable machine tool salesperson will know if any of the lines they rep offer it. This type technology is a good example of how one might improve their manufacturing by opening up a bit to machinery salespeople. Instead of just asking for a quote for what you think you need, show them what you need to do and you may be presented with a better solution.

gregormarwick said:
To be fair, none of this is breaking news.

Auxilliary U axis heads like the D'Andrea have been around for 40+ years, and the horizontals with orbital machining capability appeared in the '90s.

Yes, it's a pretty mature technology. Fanuc had U axis capability on the 12 series control of the mid 80s. Possibly earlier, but that's when I first saw it.

empower · Jul 9, 2020

DMF_TomB said:
i have seen 3D milling with ball end mills. or radius corner end mills. take a lot of time but mills many odd shapes
.
time based on finish. fewer passes quicker but rougher

huh? whats your point?

gregormarwick · Jul 9, 2020

Vancbiker said:
Yes, it's a pretty mature technology. Fanuc had U axis capability on the 12 series control of the mid 80s. Possibly earlier, but that's when I first saw it.

Out of curiosity, do you mean the 12 had U axis as in controlled physical axis (like D'Andrea), or U as in interpolated around the tool point (like Toshiba Orbital / Okuma Turn-Cut) ? If the latter, and that existed in the '80s, I'm impressed!

digital boring heads for profiling in a mill?

Titanium

Diamond

Titanium

Diamond

Titanium

Aluminum

Hot Rolled

Diamond

Diamond

Titanium

Diamond

Stainless

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

Cast Iron

Diamond

Diamond

Titanium

Diamond

Similar threads