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Bridgeport Procedures

Ryan_Flowers

Plastic
Joined
Mar 2, 2021
Hello,

I'm relatively new to machining but have been employed in manufacturing for over 10 years doing mostly electrical. I am putting together training materials for my employees to divide them into different categories/levels. One section is to include some skills tests on the Bridgeport mill and separately the lathe.

I have training for identifying the components of the mill and what they are used for. Then I have a written guide for speeds and feeds based on size and materials. Lastly, I also have guides on how to tram the head and square the vise on the mill. My question is, are there some or any written procedures for cutting keyways on a round shaft with a vertical Bridgeport mill? Also, are there any for general slot cutting as well? My google searches haven't come up with anything I can make tangible. (maybe it's just my search criteria).

Any finger pointing the right direction with those two items would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
 
Hello,

I'm relatively new to machining but have been employed in manufacturing for over 10 years doing mostly electrical. I am putting together training materials for my employees to divide them into different categories/levels. One section is to include some skills tests on the Bridgeport mill and separately the lathe.

I have training for identifying the components of the mill and what they are used for. Then I have a written guide for speeds and feeds based on size and materials. Lastly, I also have guides on how to tram the head and square the vise on the mill. My question is, are there some or any written procedures for cutting keyways on a round shaft with a vertical Bridgeport mill? Also, are there any for general slot cutting as well? My google searches haven't come up with anything I can make tangible. (maybe it's just my search criteria).

Any finger pointing the right direction with those two items would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

There may be, but why not just write them yourself? If it's to be training type material to be used for your employees, that is probably the best bet anyway. That's pretty basic stuff.
 
Head over to YouTube as there are a number of folks like tubalcain who have posted very good videos of the process. If you want written check out some of the books by Harold Hall.

Steve
 
Hello,

I'm relatively new to machining but have been employed in manufacturing for over 10 years doing mostly electrical. I am putting together training materials for my employees to divide them into different categories/levels. One section is to include some skills tests on the Bridgeport mill and separately the lathe.

I have training for identifying the components of the mill and what they are used for. Then I have a written guide for speeds and feeds based on size and materials. Lastly, I also have guides on how to tram the head and square the vise on the mill. My question is, are there some or any written procedures for cutting keyways on a round shaft with a vertical Bridgeport mill? Also, are there any for general slot cutting as well? My google searches haven't come up with anything I can make tangible. (maybe it's just my search criteria).

Any finger pointing the right direction with those two items would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

"Those that know, doo. Those that don't, teach"

Cripes.
 
I have had to write quite a few training manuals in my career. One suggestion I have is "dumb it down". Don't assume someone knows something basic just because you do. Do not assume for a moment that something is common knowledge like "turn it on first". Walk up to the machine and make note of everything you do to make a part. Everything.
 
I suppose I should frame it this way. I am not experienced enough with these operations with my own hands to spell out how to do it effectively and safely to someone just starting with the mill and lathe themselves. My thought was to have a written procedure that could outline the processes. This is not for my own profit nor will credit be misappropriated. If nothing is pre-existing then ok.
 
I suppose I should frame it this way. I am not experienced enough with these operations with my own hands to spell out how to do it effectively and safely to someone just starting with the mill and lathe themselves. My thought was to have a written procedure that could outline the processes. This is not for my own profit nor will credit be misappropriated. If nothing is pre-existing then ok.

Well that's different. Try asking your local community/vo-tech college. They might have something already whipped up. When you said "putting together training materials" I think we all assumed you knew how to do the job already. At least I did anyway.
 
I guess I'll be "that guy"

Someone who is not experienced with something should not be writing any operational procedures, providing training or teaching in any way for that piece of equipment. This is a bad idea from both a production and a safety aspect.

Would you ask the guy working the fast food drive through to put together a manual or test for operating a gas-chromatograph cause the college he went to had one in the physics department?
 
What are you going to do with this manual once it's written? Is the plan to hand it to a new hire, point them towards the mill, and say "good luck!"?
 
I think most of what you want to do is covered in basic milling procedure. For instance, cutting a keyway with an endmill is exactly the same as slotting if the tolerance for both are the same. Little things like 'don't cut a 1/4" slot or keyway with a 1/4" endmill' and the reasons why, and similar basics are where you probably want to go for now.
 
Have you even thought this through Ryan? In one way or another I've been involved with training company employees on large open pit mining equipment for roughly 40 years. But machine tools sure aren't any different. That theory and book learning is only the entry level basics. In mining and depending on the equipment as well as skills required, people starting out still got days, weeks or months of baby sitting by already experienced operators until they either got judged as incompetent and incapable of doing the job safely and efficiently, or got turned loose on there own. Anyone thinking that any amount of theoretical book learning is going to remove that baby sitting task and the costs associated with doing so is trying to cut costs where they shouldn't. Promote someone else who's known as a decent and knowledgeable machinist to do exactly what your asking here about. If you don't have one then hire someone with those skills.That person has already made all the stupid mistakes previously and should know all the efficiency tricks and what not to do that damages or injures the operator, equipment or cutting tools that can then be passed to your trainees.I can't figure out how anyone knowledgeable enough to be in your position can think this can be done in any other way. I'd also bet within the OSHA regulations it wouldn't be even legal to just turn someone loose on any machine without that hands on baby sitting.
 








 
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