5 Axis

[86357]

Hi
I want to know more about 5 Axis machining

Setup
Working PLanes
Vectors
Collision prevention
Hints & tips

Machining on a Deckel Maho 70 Evo, Cracking machine, all our programes are off-lined, but i want/need to know more about these machines and 5 axis machining in general.

Any info, Books, Websites, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanking you guys in advance.

Kind Regards.


Thank you.

 

[aamoroso]

Number one, you need a person that can understand 5 directions at once, they are out there but finding them can be tricky. Setups will depend on the machine, but generally speaking are no different than a 3 axis, be a litttle more careful of fixture size and placement. As for working planes, vectors and other operating and programming tricks, be creative. If you can move it there you can machine it there, if you can machine it like that, you can build the gauge to inspect it like that. It's an advanced world without a doubt and you can make some amazing products but you need to have confident capable people. I have run several different styles of 5 axis machines and have even built two, they are a new world to many but once you get comfortable with it, its no different than another day at the office.

 

[Cogs]

There are a number of ways to describe 5 axis wrt machining centres and routers. Some have fully functioning axis applied to the cutting spindle movement, others use auxiliary axis to move workholding pallets etc to give "5" (or more) axis.

A spindle that can pivot from the vertical to horizontal will give you "conventional" machining in the X-Z or Y-Z planes, this is often called the "A" axis. The spindle can rotate around the Z axis ( "C" axis ) these two axis are often found on routers where the cutting forces are not that great and the working envelope is a large open volume.

For machining centres that use pallet loading, these pallets can rotate either simply (in 90 degree indexing steps) or being driven with full angular positioning and feed control. There are a number of variations on different machines with axis being true or simulated (ie combined movement of two axis to give another axis).

Collision prevention is something that you will need to consider with the specific peculiarities of your machine in mind. For example on some systems, profiling using a combination of rotational and linear axis can result in the rotational axis running out of limits. The control can attempt to rectify this by "rewinding" the axis by 360 degrees without consideration to nearby fixtures and component features.

Another consideration is the speed of the axis drives, if you are surface machining by keeping the tool end (eg end mill) tangential to the surface then some axis motors can suffer from "overspeed" when a constant surface feed is used on some types of surface profile (small radii on edges etc). These are some general 5 axis issues for awareness, I'm not suggesting they apply specifically to your Deckel.

Do you have use of machining simulation software? Good collision detection can be found in the virtual world first if you accurately model the tooling and workholding.

A UK company,

http://WWW.jdkrouse.co.uk,

has a machine the same as the model that you have given, (I have no affiliation with them).

The machine tool agents would also be a good place to enquire for training and advice.

Good luck