Production Machining

NOV 2016

Production Machining - Your access to the precision machining industrial buyer.

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conversation with both machine tool OEMs and tooling suppliers about the materials planned to be cut as well as the final application of the part being machined. Maintenance. Some companies may choose to have an operator on call to tend to any problems a machine encounters during the night, but that's not always the case. For instance, Slim Haney has a rule that employees cannot enter the premises alone, meaning two people would have to attend to any late-night service calls. ere is also the matter of how those people would be reimbursed for their time; some companies pay employees in minimum blocks of overtime, such as four hours, should an extra visit to the shop be required. e company's approach is to allow the machine to alarm out and shut down should tool failure occur. e system doesn't notify an employee if this happens, although cameras mounted throughout the facility allow machines to be monitored remotely at any time. In the case of a machine shutdown, a full report awaits the operator on their arrival, identifying the type of problem and where and when it took place. Tooling. Depending on the configuration of the CNC Swiss lathe chosen—the number of spindles and turrets it features, for instance—operators can choose the quantity and type of tools they'll need to have on hand. ese will include turning tools, taps, drills and milling tools with inserts, along with live tooling should that option be chosen. Mr. Brock says tool design—along with the materials they are made of and even specialized coatings to protect against wear and to provide the desired surface finish—has progressed so far since lights-out machining first made its appearance on the shop floor about 10 years ago that tool failure is increasingly rare. While there are some Swiss lathes with tool checkers that automatically replace worn and/or broken tooling, a more common approach involves calculating how many workpieces a specific tool can be expected to machine with repeatability and providing fresh tools to be replaced during the night at pre-arranged points in the process; every 500th cycle, for instance. is is especially helpful when machining tough materials such as stainless steel. Workpiece complexity. Generally, any part that a CNC Swiss lathe can produce is a candidate for lights-out machining, although simpler geometries lend themselves particularly well to unmanned machining since there is less chance of problems having to do with toolpath shifts or tooling failure. Mr. Brock says the ideal workpiece for lights-out Swiss machining is made of brass and in the basic shape of a bolt in range of 1 to 6 inches in length. Cutting oil. Slim Haney worked with a number of compa- nies that formulate custom cutting oils for Swiss machines LIGHTS-OUT MANUFACTURING 34 PRODUCTION MACHINING :: NOVEMBER 2016 :: The parts washing department is a critical stage in the production process, with the latest technologies for high- volume cleaning. :: The inspection lab at Slim Haney assures the consistent quality of the parts it produces, numbering in the tens of thousands each year and representing more than 600 part numbers.

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