A Comprehensive Guide to the Basics of Machining centers

1. How to set tools on a machining center?

Return to zero (return to the origin of the machine tool)

Before tool setting, it is essential to perform a zeroing (return to the machine origin) operation to clear the coordinate data from the last operation. Note that the X, Y, and Z axes all need to return to zero.

2. The main shaft rotates in the forward direction

In the "MDI" mode, input the command code to make the spindle rotate forward and maintain a medium rotational speed. Then switch to the "handwheel" mode and perform the operation of machine tool movement by adjusting the speed through conversion.

3. X-direction tool alignment

Gently tap the right side of the workpiece with the cutting tool to reset the relative coordinates of the machine tool to zero. Lift the tool along the Z direction, then move it to the left side of the workpiece, and move it down along Z to the same height as before. Gently touch the tool with the workpiece, lift the tool, and record the X value of the relative coordinate of the machine tool. Move the tool to half of the relative coordinate X, record the X value of the absolute coordinate of the machine tool, and INPUT it into the coordinate system according to (INPUT).

4. Align the knife in the Y direction

Gently tap the front of the workpiece with the cutting tool to reset the relative coordinates of the machine tool to zero. Lift the tool along the Z direction, then move it to the back of the workpiece. Move it down along the Z direction to the same height as before, gently touch the tool with the workpiece, lift the tool, and record the Y value of the relative coordinate of the machine tool. Move the tool to half of the relative coordinate Y, record the Y value of the absolute coordinate of the machine tool, and INPUT it into the coordinate system according to (INPUT).

5. Z-direction tool alignment

Move the tool to the surface of the workpiece that needs to align with the Z-direction zero point. Slowly move the tool until it gently touches the upper surface of the workpiece. Record the Z-direction value in the coordinate system of the machine tool at this time and INPUT it into the coordinate system as per (INPUT).

6. The main shaft stops rotating

First, stop the spindle from rotating, then move it to an appropriate position, retrieve the processing program, and get ready for formal processing.

How does a machining center produce and process parts that are prone to deformation?

For parts that are relatively light in weight, have poor rigidity and weak strength, they are prone to deformation due to force and heat during processing, resulting in a high processing scrap rate and a significant increase in costs. For such parts, we need to first understand the causes of deformation:

Deformation under force

Such parts have thin walls. Under the action of clamping force, they are prone to uneven thickness during the processing and cutting. Moreover, they have poor elasticity and the shape of the parts is difficult to recover by itself.

Thermal deformation

The workpiece is thin and light in texture. During the cutting process, due to the effect of radial force, the workpiece will deform due to heat, thus causing inaccurate dimensions of the workpiece.

Vibration deformation

Under the action of radial cutting force, parts are prone to vibration and deformation, which affects the dimensional accuracy, shape, positional accuracy and surface roughness of the workpiece.

Processing methods for easily deformed parts:

For easily deformable parts represented by thin-walled parts, a high-speed cutting form with small feed rate and high cutting speed can be adopted to reduce the cutting force on the workpiece during processing. At the same time, most of the cutting heat is carried away by the chips that fly off the workpiece at high speed, thereby lowering the workpiece temperature and reducing the thermal deformation of the workpiece.