BrianGar
Automotive
- Jul 8, 2009
- 833
Its soon crunch time when I'll need to get a cnc lathe.
I dont do a huge pile of lathe work but I need something that can turn out 50 pieces with a few hrs notice as sending time critical stuff off site is now driving me mad with delays.
Been keeping my eyes open of late when visiting factories and eyeing up slant beds.
Pros of slant bed,
Fatter bed in most cases, mass, rigidity etc.
Slideways not under chuck so hot chips dont drop down and effect slides thermally + wedge up with chips.
Setup room/reach space for loading.
Now..here is the part I cannot get my head around and something that worries me, and I feel makes no sense.
Sticking my neck out and going to say I think every slant bed Ive ever seen is spinning the wrong way?
They all spin the chuck towards you at the top - meaning tool/topslide/carriage behind is being lifted off the bed under cutting force?
I know it might have the advantage of throwing the chips down to bed but in aluminium + other semi long chip metals but they all seem to come around and over the top anyway.
Is it the fact that 'new style' recirc ball linear slides dont care which way they feel the forces?
It still seems wrong not to put the whole assembly under compression thus pressing the rails down onto castings rather that trying to lift them off.
Have I it all wrong and am I missing something?
Is there anything stopping me running my possible future slant bed with the chuck turning topside away from you and mounting the tool cutting face up?
Thanks,
Brian,
I dont do a huge pile of lathe work but I need something that can turn out 50 pieces with a few hrs notice as sending time critical stuff off site is now driving me mad with delays.
Been keeping my eyes open of late when visiting factories and eyeing up slant beds.
Pros of slant bed,
Fatter bed in most cases, mass, rigidity etc.
Slideways not under chuck so hot chips dont drop down and effect slides thermally + wedge up with chips.
Setup room/reach space for loading.
Now..here is the part I cannot get my head around and something that worries me, and I feel makes no sense.
Sticking my neck out and going to say I think every slant bed Ive ever seen is spinning the wrong way?
They all spin the chuck towards you at the top - meaning tool/topslide/carriage behind is being lifted off the bed under cutting force?
I know it might have the advantage of throwing the chips down to bed but in aluminium + other semi long chip metals but they all seem to come around and over the top anyway.
Is it the fact that 'new style' recirc ball linear slides dont care which way they feel the forces?
It still seems wrong not to put the whole assembly under compression thus pressing the rails down onto castings rather that trying to lift them off.
Have I it all wrong and am I missing something?
Is there anything stopping me running my possible future slant bed with the chuck turning topside away from you and mounting the tool cutting face up?
Thanks,
Brian,