Just found a very good video of testing a table-top gantry router cutting mild steel.

YouTuber named "Breaking Taps" used speeds and feeds generated by HSMAdvisor to get a starting point.

To see where exactly he was in the calculations I decided to reproduce all of cuts in HSMAdvisor.

A couple of assumptions i made:

1. Tool Type: Solid End Mill. It is not recommended to use the HP/Roughing tool type on such light machines, so i assumed this is the tool BT used.
2. Tool Stick-out looked like about 3/4" so I used that number.
3. Material was set to A36 Hot rolled steel.

Test 1) Minute 4:52

Good, slow and very safe starting point.

Test 2) Minute 6:20

Twice as aggressive as before, but we can still push it further.

Test 3) Minute 7:10

Here we can see the lack of machine rigidity starting to show. But at 65% feed rate it is still alive.

Test 4) Minute 8:30

This last test did not go well at all.

The machine has finally hit its limit and the endmill broke at all S&F overrides at about 100%

Was this fault of the software? Not really!

If that were a heavier machine, the last cut would not even be considered that difficult.

Here is a full slotting cut on a Matsuura VMC:

And here is the calculation that was done using HP/Roughing End Mill tool type:

If i were using the "Solid End Mill" tool definition, i would have to dial the feed override to 176% to match the 45ipm feed rate!

So what can users of light machines do in order to not break taps end mills?

First of all make sure the spindle torque curve is built and enabled in your machine profile settings.

The easiest solution is to de-rate the spindle. There is "Warning at" level in machine profile settings. Set that to 50% for starters and it should save you from exceeding the machine's capabilities.

Overall this was a great test of this little machine's capabilities and of the great help that software like HSMAdviasor can lend in discovering them.

Please head over to Breaking Taps YouTube account and subscribe.

I have been really busy lately working on the large update for HSMAdvisor- Mastercam plugin that it totally slipped from me that Machine Cloud services were down.

Just had it fixed.

Thanks to everybody who reported the issue!

Best regards.

HSMAdvisor Machine Cloud

FSWizard Machinist Calculator Update that iOS users will like: new big drop-down select boxes replaced the standard iOS spinners make it easier to select Tools, Tool Materials and Coatings. Because of this we will soon also be able to show tool images as well!

In this update a lot of work was done to make it work flawlessly for iOS devices.

Check it out here: https://FSWizard.com

Screenshot

HSMAdvisor Machinist Calculator is now sporting the new even cooler look!

Check out the new version over here: https://HSMAdvisor.com

This update marks a major pivot in HSMAdvisor development.

Behind the scenes the groung-work has been laid for tight integration between HSMAdvisor and FSWizard.

Next steps will include sharing of the tool and cut data with the FSWizard mobile app.

Whats new in this HSMAdvisor update:

• New materials: DME Steel 1, 2,3 & 7 and others.
• Improved Machine Definitions: Program now does not allow to upload duplicate machines to the cloud: you need to clone your machine first.
• Fixed issues with acessing CutCloud Fixed labelling and incorrect cut filtering

Thank you, our supporters, for the continuing feedback and support!

After more than a year in development and having its entire code base rewritten FSWizard Android app has finally been released to production!

The main goal of the initial production release was to not drop the ball. So the number of new features is relatively small.

The biggest visible improvement is the new design that conforms to the mobile UI standards.

We also support more materials in the lite version of the app than ever:

For HSMAdvisor customers all the available materials will be downloaded after the Login.

Another improvement is the sliding Speed and Feed overrides that are now located not only on the usual Overrides panel, but also on the Result panel:

This allows you to see the effect your changes make in the real time.

The new version of the app also allows to push immediate updates and hot fixes.
So expect a lot of new features delivered to you faster.

As you might have guessed I did not re-design the whole app just to add a couple of new sliders and a new design.

My plans is to fully integrate FSWizard with HSMAdvisor having them exchange tool libraries and cutting data.
Ant the core design changes that i made will allow for this work to proceed forward.

New FSWizard. Check it out if you have not already!

PS. for now the update is only available for Lite Android version of the app. FSWizard PRO Android and all version for iOS are still sporting old version. But I expect to update them within a week as well.

I came across a very educational post on Practical Machinist.

The topic-starter used over-aggressive speeds and feeds for his tiny BT30-taper machine and the retention knob (a.k.a Pull Stud) snapped causing the holder to drop lower, disengage from drive lugs and mess up the spindle bore in the process.

Just in case you don't know. Retention Knob looks like this and is used to pull the tool holder in to the spindle bore, thus holding it in place:

(Retention knob is the detail on the right)

This whole article is to remind everyone the importance of proper tool holder and retention knob maintenance.

Retention Knob Tips

• Retention knobs (according to HAAS) have service life of about 6000-8000 hours.
  That means that if a tool holder is used 3 hours a day, you should replace the knob after 8 years in service.
  For smaller BT30 knobs, you should probably replace them every 4 years.
• Retention knobs should be lightly oiled or greased (if TSC is used) once a month to lubricate the draw bar.
• There should be no visible damage or rust on the knobs.
  
• Do not exceed the maximum cutting force recommended by your machine manufacturer.
  Some of those high-helix end mills create large down-force that could in certain cases cause the knob to snap!
• Also retention knobs should be torqued to manufacturer specs and the tightness should be regularly checked. Overtightened knobs may lead to taper of the tool deforming and causing uneven contact with the spindle bore.

Tool Holder Maintenance Tips

• Keep Tool Holders clean. Especially the taper part that is matching to the spindle bore.
  Wipe them with a clean cloth. 
• Do not use sand paper to clean tool holders! Soft Scotch-brite is acceptable to clean very dirty ones.
• Repair dings and notches on the taper.
  Even an aluminum chip will cause a ding, that will create a high spot around it.
• Replace worn-out tool holders with new ones.
  Signs of ageing is uneven contact with the spindle bore and fretting (blackening of taper in certain spots)
• It is also a good idea to re-grind the spindle as well when replacing the tool holders - there are lot's of services that do that for very reasonable price.
• Like wise when a new machine is purchased, only new holders and retention knobs should be used. Using old worn out holders on a new spindle bore will lead to its premature wear and even damage.

Those are all the things I could think of at the moment.
Let me know if there is anything missing.

Have a safe and productive week!

3D Prining is about to to take over traditional machining the same way CNC Machining took over manual machining.
Eventually 3D printing will replace casting too.

Since 3D Printing does not require complicated setup and programming, this in turn will lead to massive loss of machining-related jobs.

Read more to see if this is true!

Read More 

Ever since we stopped offering free educational licenses, there has been steady demand for either free or discounted license options for colleges and schools.

We could not give out free licenses any longer because they still cost money in hosting and support. 

So today after a lot of consideration we decided  to start offering special Educational HSMAdvisor License Package 

Read More