Re: CAD experiment entry

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, Kevin Martin <kpmartin@...> wrote:

>
> Ron,
> I think Bill was suggesting using the lathe+live tooling approach that Tim mentioned, but feeding rectangular stock into the lathe rather than round stock.
>
> For that matter, I don't see any reason why a milling machine could not have an automatic bar feeder.
>
> -Kevin Martin

Reason for round is many fold.
Round collets are standard, square are not.
Round stock has better tolerances. Square is not really square and tends to have raised corners and bellies on the faces so even in a square collet you get jambing issues.
Bar pullers have a hard time grabbing non-round shapes. Hex is better, but it still is a feed issue. A missed pull tends to lead to scrap and broken tools.
Round stock is easy to locate, other shapes are not as common.

I have pondered a bar feed on the mill as well. No reason it could not work, but it would take custom design and custom macros in the G code and for the machine. In a lathe it is already baked in. Just have to spend the $500 or so for a bar puller.

Tim Goldstein
A2Z Corp
A2Z CNC division
3955 S Mariposa St
Englewood CO 80110
720 833-9300
Toll Free 877 754-7465

www.A2ZCorp.us/store
USA made accessories for desktop mills & lathes.
Specialized tools for the jewelry industry.