Re:Re: Re: 4th Axis Concept (long)

Hi Group,

This idea was going through my vacant mind Sunday evening while
looking at my Enco 12x36 Gear head lathe. I originally wanted this
machine to try Ornamental Turning in metals. This usually involves a
separate powered spindle with various mechanical linkages relating
the chucked part position to the cutting spindle position. Indexing
the part in the chuck is a very common move during OT, so I was
imagining a large stepper with something like a 1:5 pulley reduction
with the large pulley mounted to the tail end of the spindle. I was
thinking of a mechanical tensioner for the belt, and that the belt
would be removed for normal turning. As to indexing, why have the
spindle travel to a home position? Since the chucked part is 99% of
the time round, why not just zero out the spindle axis and start from
there? If the part is odd shaped, locate the chuck to the position
you want, then zero the axis anyway? Long in the future, this will
be a conversion job, after the GEM500. I have the Ahha control that
the EMC replaced, so that should work well for this.

Allan