The Milling Machine

Care and Maintenance of Milling

Cutters • The life of a milling cutter can be greatly prolonged by intelligent use

and proper storage.

• Take care to operate the machine at the proper speed for the cutter being used, as excessive speed will cause the cutter to wear rapidly from overheating.

• Take care to prevent the cutter from striking the hard jaws of the vise, chuck, clamping bolts, or nuts.

• Whenever practical, use the proper cutting oil on the cutter and workpiece during operations, since lubrication helps prevent overheating and cutter wear.

• Keep cutters sharp. Dull cutters require more power to drive and this power, being transformed into heat, softens the cutting edges. Thoroughly clean and lightly coat milling cutters with oil before storing.

• Place cutters in drawers or holders so that their cutting edges will not strike each other.

• Never operate a cutter backwards.

Checklist

Before you enter work area

Put on safety glasses

Tie back loose hair and clothing

Remove jewelry including rings, bracelets, and

wristwatches

Do not use any piece of equipment until instructor has

demonstrated proper operational procedures and

individual safety rules

Do not use any equipment or tools that are broken

and report any broken equipment or tools immediately

Checklist Before machining a part While setting up work, install the cutter

last to avoid being cut.

When installing or removing milling cutters, always hold them with a rag to prevent cutting your hands.

Make sure you have the correct tool for the job.

Secure the tool properly.

Make sure all tool positions have been properly initialized.

Verify the NC program on the computer before machining.

Remove all loose parts and pieces from the machine.

Remove adjusting keys and wrenches from the machine.

Close the safety shield.

Checklist Before machining a part

Perform a dry run.

Set the spindle motor switch to lowest manual speed

setting.

Make certain there is no work piece in place.

Run the NC program to make sure all the moves make

sense before running the program with a work piece in

place.

After completing the dry run, properly secure the work

piece to the machine.

Keep fluids away from all electrical connections,

electronic or electrical devices, the computer, and nearby

electrical outlets.

Checklist While machining a part

Do not touch moving or rotating parts.

Do not place or remove anything from the work area while machine is running.

Press the Emergency Stop button before re-opening the safety shield.

Only open the safety shield after the spindle has stopped rotating.

Press the Emergency Stop button whenever changing tools or mounting or removing a work piece.

Pull the Emergency Stop button out only after closing the safety shield.

Keep all unauthorized persons away from the work area.

Always leave work area clean and orderly.

CNC Speed and Feed Capabilities

Lab Volt 5600

Rapid Traverse Speed – 508 mm/min

– 20 in/min

X Range

-- 178 mm (7 in)

Y Range – 102 mm (4 in)

Z Range -- 203 mm (8 in)

Speed Range – 0 – 3,400 RPM

Lab Volt 5600

Z Axis Stepper Drive Motor

Safety Shield

Cross Slide

Spindle Motor

Spindle Head

X Axis Stepper Drive Motor

Y Axis Stepper Drive Motor

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 4

5

2

3

6

7

Manual Control Panel

• Manual Feed Rate

Entry

• Manual Spindle

Speed Entry

• Emergency Stop

• X,Y,Z Axis Manual

Jog

• Digital Control

Screen/Display

Other Vises / Hold Downs Low Profile Clamping Kit

Step Blocks and Strap Clamps 2 Axis Pneumatic Vise

One Axis Pneumatic Vise

Lab Volt 5600 Pneumatic Vise

(One Axis)

Loading / Changing a Quick

Change Collet

• Move the Z axis to a safe

location

• Press the emergency

button

• Open the safety

shield

• Press pin on Easy Change

turn spindle, and remove

tool/collet

Easy Change Spindle

• Press in Pin fully

• Turn Easy Change

Collet to the right

• Remove the tool

• To insert new tool,

align notches with

slots in collet

Pin

Tool/Collet

Spindle

Mill 5 Home Screen

Tool Bar

Starting a New Program

• • Script Program: provides access to the Line Editor for editing a G and M code

part program, one line at a time.

• • Block Part: provides access to the Block Editor for editing blocks of G and M

commands, and setting the parameters required for each G or M command.

Starting a New Program Cont.

• Selecting either

script or block

will open up the

program

information

• Here, information

such as absolute,

or incremental

referencing can

be selected,

along with units

of measurement

and part zero

Machine Zero / Home

+X

-X

+Y

-Y

+Z

-Z

Part Zero

+X

-X

+Y

-Y

+Z

-Z

(0,0,0) PRZ Position

Xp

Zp

Note: x offset = y offset = D/2

z offset= 0

Front View

Work Piece

Part Reference Zero (PRZ) Position

Xp

Yp

Part Reference Zero (PRZ) Position

D= tool diameter

(0,0,0) PRZ Position

Work Piece

Xm

Ym

Machine Axes

Part Axes - y offset = D/2

Top View

- x offset = D/2

Cutting Tool

Part Reference Zero (PRZ) Position

• This feature is

allows the software

and mill to know

what size material

will be cut.

• For example, by

typing in Z+,0 and

Z-,-0.5, the

software knows the

part reference zero

is on the top, and

the material is .5

inches thick.

Checking PRZ

Send the Mill to a

point above the x

and Y zero to make

sure the center of

the cutting tool is

over the top front

corner.

CNC Machine Axes

-X

+X

-Y

-Z

+Z

+Y

PRZ

– Part Reference

Zero

– Origin

– 0,0,0

Environment Setup

Environment Setup

allows you to Change

the language the

software runs in,

specify the folder in

which new part

programs are saved,

and edit the default

foreground and

background colors

used for the Line

Editor display.

Machine Setup

• This feature

allows you to

choose how

the software

communicates

with the mill

through the

desired Serial

Port

Advanced Mill Setup

• This feature

allows

changes to

the tool size

to be used in

the 3D

rendering

Tool Table

• This feature

sets up the

actual tool

used for the

program,

including bit

diameter,

nose type,

and offset

Materials Setup

• This feature

allows you

to select the

material to

be cut and

the feed

rate and

speed rates

for cutting

Rendering

• Allows

changes to

be made

which are

viewed in

the 3D

rendering

Emulation Screen

-The emulation screen

allows the program to

be previewed, showing

an animation of all

toolpaths, and a view of

the finished product.

-Changes can be made

to the program after

viewing the emulation,

such as tool selection,

depth of cut, and

spacing of designs