Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] How well does your CNC retrofitted desktop mill performs?

Hi WT:
You have no chance of working to tight tolerances in a production
environment on a retrofitted manual mill regardless of the origin or
vintage.
If your output needs to be within +/- 0.0005" or better, you need a purpose
built machining center and will still have a significant inspection burden.
If your output is forgiving enough to tolerate +/- 0.002" or looser, you may
have a chance with 100% inspection and a 10% or worse reject rate.
You will have no joy if your production quantities are more than 10 parts
per run, and if you need to remove more than 10% of the raw material to
produce your parts.
You will have no chance of commercial success if you need to use cutters
smaller than 0.125" diameter or bigger than 0.500" diameter for any part of
your projects.
You will have no chance of success if you need to routinely mill 304 or 316
stainless steel.
Retrofitted CNC mills certainly have their place...in the R&D lab and in
the hobby machine shop, but they are very poor candidates for production
shops, particularly jobbing production shops.
You'll be far better off with a single decent quality VMC than with a whole
bank of retrofit hobby class machines.
Cheers

Marcus

----- Original Message -----
From: "WT" <pharmapack@...>
To: <CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, May 05, 2007 6:52 AM
Subject: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] How well does your CNC retrofitted desktop mill
performs?


> Hi,
>
> I'd like to know the experiences of people who have CNC retrofitted
> desktop mill like the ZAY7032, Sieg X3 or Super X3 on how it performs
> compared to a manual Bridgeport Clone class of knee mill.
>
> Specifically, I am interested to know your experiences in a production
> setting (not mass production nor one-off parts but moderate quantities)
> wherein you have to mill, drill, threading and facing of stainless steel,
> aluminum and engineering plastics (sizes of about 4" x 4" x 4" or less)
> within close tolerances needed by the semiconductor industries.
>
> Most of the small and medium machining shops here in the Philippines who
> are already ISO-certified are still using manual bridgeport clones to do
> their milling. If you are to use CNC-retrofitted desktop mills, can it
> outperforms a manual knee mills in terms of production efficiency, close
> tolerances, and capacity?
>
> Clue for you out there who may want to do business here in the hot
> tropical country :)
>
> Best regards,
> WT
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>