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- Make simple jig to hold the stock at an angle for the angled holes. We used an angle of 5 degrees for our two angled holes.
- Drill bolt hole and two angled holes (slowly, lots of lubricant!)
- Tap bolt hole
- Make CAM file from Solidworks file
- To do this, you may have to install a post-processor depending on the lathe you're using. (Download from HSMWorks and look in Program Files > HSM Works > posts)
- Set proper feeds and speeds (this may require Google searching, and depends on the material you're working with)
- FEEDS AND SPEEDS FOR STEEL:
- Turn down outside of stock and step
- Load up program - this step depends on the lathe you're using (For ProtoTrak, save .cam file onto USB, plug USB into lathe computer)
- Make sure you have coolant flowing the whole time while turning or the part will get way to hot and deform
- Close the guard and start it up!
- Monitor closely, especially for the first few passes. Make sure tool doesn't collide with the chuck.
- Using a parting tool, part the piece ("parting" means cutting through it to separate your finished part from the rest of the stock), making sure that it is somehow constrained on the other end. As you get closer to cutting through the piece, slow the speed down so the part doesn't go flying as soon as it's parted.
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Manufacturing Attempts
| Date | Material | Result | Lessons Learned | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 6 |
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- Lessons learned: drill more carefully (lots of lube), order longer stock, turn aluminum prototype before starting on steel to avoid wasting steel stock
| , 2019 | Stainless | Thrown from chuck | Need a longer shank |  |
| March 8, 2019 | Aluminum | Not awful | Surface finish bad, SFM increased to 240, cutter engagement lowered | |
| March 16, 2019 | Stainless | Finishing pass ruined part | Tool nose radius set in CAM -> set to zero in tool setup, roughing pass needs positive stock to leave. |  |
| March 18, 2019 | Aluminum | Finish pass still bad | Tip tool path still glitchy, removed finishing pass | |
| March 19, 2019 | Aluminum | Good! | Slower, +flood coolant | |
| April 1, 2019 | Aluminum | Part fell out of chuck | Coolant insufficient? Cut depth too high? weak chucking? Shank turned first! |  |
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^ Attempt 1 ^ Attempt 2 ^ Attempt 5
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