Going from CAT40 to BBT30?

I'm kinda in a pickle. I old my 8 year old CAT40 machine, been looking at other machines to replace it. I visited a shop here in GA that has Robodrills and then check out Brother Speedio. I've looked at other CAT40 machine in the price range of 145k (TSC, Probing, HSM, etc).

Brother just released W1000xd1, it's a evolution of S1000s1. I was told it never got updated to the S2 like the smaller units. I'm considering pulling the trigger on it vs another Haas or Doosan DNM4500/Hurco VMX. What I keep going back on is the BBT30 (it's dual contact) and limiting what I can do because of it? I'm a one man shop with 2 machine (both just sold actually) Speedio would be my primary machine until I picked up another machine (new/used).

90-95% is alum/brass 6061 7075 and C360. The rest is stainless/steel:303,304 316/L and 1018. Stainless parts I do start off 2" to 3" thick raw stock. The same goes for the alum. Just nervous this might be too much for the BBT30?

There is way more to it than taper size, my 30 taper Kitamura proved that to me. Drawbar tension makes a big difference too, Kitty has 900lbs, and purrs under a heavy cut. Try doing a demo with the Brother, see what you think.

A quick search of the forum here will reveal plenty about Brother VMC's and their capabilities.

In short, people like the Brothers...they really like them.

ToolCat

Sendit said:

The rest is stainless/steel:303,304 316/L and 1018. Stainless parts I do start off 2" to 3" thick raw stock. The same goes for the alum. Just nervous this might be too much for the BBT30?

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I love my S700, but I don't think I would mess with a job done in 2"+ stainless. That's asking too much from a 6,000# machine with 30-taper IMO, even with BBT and Adaptive/HSM.

Regards.

Mike

I would have serious second thoughts about trying to take on a 3" piece of 316 with my Brother. 1.5-2" is a different story, especially if you can do it in two step-downs. It really depends on the part geometry.

I'm pretty sure you could do that work more efficiently in a 40 taper. But if it's only 5% of your mix....

trochoidalpath said:

I would have serious second thoughts about trying to take on a 3" piece of 316 with my Brother. 1.5-2" is a different story, especially if you can do it in two step-downs. It really depends on the part geometry.

I'm pretty sure you could do that work more efficiently in a 40 taper. But if it's only 5% of your mix....

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It's just the raw stock size. I haven't done these in a while, but hate turning away work.

I was thinking 2 step down would be needed and then finish light pass full depth.

This Titanium part was machined with a 1/2" length of cut end mill hanging out 5.5" full depth. Part was roughed in 6 minutes at 150 IPM, no sweat. Brother BBT.





This 15-5 Heat Treated part (14" x 7") was roughed 1" deep in 13 minutes



https://youtu.be/G8byzRQPn9s

BROTHERFRANK said:

This Titanium part was machined with a 1/2" length of cut end mill hanging out 5.5" full depth. Part was roughed in 6 minutes at 150 IPM, no sweat. Brother BBT.

View attachment 334018

View attachment 334022

This 15-5 Heat Treated part (14" x 7") was roughed 1" deep in 13 minutes

View attachment 334023

https://youtu.be/G8byzRQPn9s

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Why such long stick out on the first part, just curious.

Sendit said:

Why such long stick out on the first part, just curious.

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Client had some Ti aerospace parts he machined on occasion and this tool length was required to machine them. Similar situation where 90-95% of their work was perfect Brother work but wanted to make sure they could do this type of work when necessary.
This part has two features machined inside that are 3.25" depth. Finish and parallelism was crucial. Machined in one shot with a 5/8" 3 flute in a bbt holder.

Too thick of part for a 30 taper. It will do them but you will not be happy. It's also not going to run long endmills to clean up your walls at 3". I don't like going over 1.5" in mine and I'm BBT.