VOLUME1 NUMBER2

SUMMER97

Cover Story Hendrick & Haas Refuse to Lose Features Tour the Haas Facility Machining F-14 Parts High-Tech Tool Path Valenite on Aluminum

WWW.HAASCNC.COM

VOLUME1

SUMMER1997

In this issue of
MACHINING
EditorialStory 1
Technology and the Work Force

EDITORIAL

NUMBER2

Technology and the Work Force

By Denis Dupuis, General Manager, Haas Automation, Inc.

It

IndustryNews

InsidePerspective

6
98% Up-Time Sets Standard

ShopFocus

10

Tour of the New Haas Facility

Shop Reduces Cycle Times, Increases Productivity with New CNC Machines

TechTips

12

In Search of the Perfect Tool Path p12 High-Speed Machining of Aluminum p23

NewProducts

26

From Prototype to HighProductivity, Haas Pushes the Envelope Again

On the Cover
Jeff Gordon, ace NASCAR driver for Hendrick Motorsports, climbs into the cockpit of his Chevy Monte Carlo for the start of the Martinsville 500. Hendrick employs Haas machine tools extensively in their race program. See cover story p14.
Photo: Scott Rathburn

page

THE MASTHEAD: CNC Machining is published by Haas Automation, Inc., 2800 Sturgis Road, Oxnard, CA 93030 (805) 278-1800, Fax (805) 278-6364. Postmaster: Return invalid addresses to Haas Automation, 2800 Sturgis Road, Oxnard, CA 93030-8933 postage guaranteed. CNC Machining is distributed free of charge by Haas Automation, Inc., and its authorized distributors. CNC Machining accepts no advertising or reimbursement for this magazine. All contents of CNC Machining are Copyright 1997 and may not be reproduced without written permission from Haas Automation, Inc. CNC Machining is distributed through a worldwide network of Haas Automation Distributors, and by individual subscription request. Contact Haas Automation headquarters via mail or fax to be added to subscription list. Published quarterly. Haas Automation, Inc. & CNC Machining Magazine names. Designed and Printed in the U.S.A. www.HaasCNC.com

has been described as both the brave new world, and the destroyer of all things human. Predictions have been both ominous, and uplifting. Some thought the technological age would free mankind for a life of leisure and recreation. Others, like Albert Einstein, predicted idle human hands would eventually lead to self-destruction. As it turns out, reality is somewhere in between. True, the advent of technology in the workplace has cost some jobs. But it also has freed human hands from tedious tasks. Technology has been able to out-perform human capability by leaps and bounds; yet, it took human minds and hands to conceive, design and build that technology. These were some of my thoughts as I sat down to write this article about technology and the modern work force. It is true that technology has changed our work force; but, at Haas, we have not reduced the overall number of jobs. In reality, as weve introduced new technologies to improve our products, our requirements for higherskilled employees has mushroomed. Each new generation of equipment weve invested in has required an equal investment in personnel to set up and operate those machines. Because of our investment in this everincreasing cutting-edge technology, higher skills are constantly required to meet the technological challenges. Our company has seen a rise in our average salaries and benefits, yet the corresponding productivity increases have far exceeded both the investment in equipment and personnel. If you look at the big picture, the relationship between technology, equipment, people and productivity looks very encouraging. By constantly adding the latest technology, we create a permanent win-win situation. Cutting-edge technology, operated by

higher-skilled workers, produces better products. But, theres more to this equation than just better products. In the past, attempts to increase quality were slow and extraordinarily expensive. These advances were made one small step at a time. Investment in equipment and wages, although seemingly extraordinary at first, really is nothing more than priming-the-pump. At Haas, by embracing technology, our initial investments are

also been realized by many other American companies in a variety of industries. So, rather than reducing the number of jobs, technology has actually increased them and made them better. These new jobs do require a higher set of job skills than at any other time in history, but they also pay better wages and offer greater opportunities for advancement than their predecessors. This march to a new technology-

Haas Automation and its employees benefit from the companys ongoing investment in high-technology.

paid back quickly through higher quality products, skyrocketing productivity and better wages for our work force. The ultimate benefit of todays high technology is the quality of products produced. As a manufacturer, todays technology enables us to hold higher tolerances and maintain better repeatability. As a result, we provide better-quality products to our customers. Not only is this evident in the machine-tool industry, but the auto industry, aerospace, electronics and consumer goods industries as well. As time advances, Haas continues to add newer, faster and more automated equipment. Its an on-going investment used to improve processes and, ultimately, our final product. This new technology has made it possible for us to compete on a global scale. This ability to compete globally has

based economy is played out in almost every industry around the country. The formula is simple: If you merge new technologies into a business to improve processes and products, sales, and the company, will grow and prosper. As the company grows, new jobs are added. Due to the changing technological conditions, higher skills are constantly required to meet technological challenges. As this cycle continues, salaries and benefits move upwards and, with them, the quality of everyones life. It is this ability to design and put to work new technologies and innovation that has brought Made in The U.S.A. back where it should be. Technology, ingenuity and innovation have put America back to work enriched work and back to the forefront of technological leadership.

NEWS
INDUSTRY NEWS

98% Up-Time Sets Industry Standard

OXNARD, CA On April 1st of this year, Haas Automation launched the machine-tool industrys only 98% UpTime Guarantee. Designed to backup CNC machines purchased between April 1, 1997 and December 31, 1997, this guarantee promises to compensate Haas owners if machine service or repairs result in more than 2% down-time. Haas has always been an engineering-driven company, said Peter Zierhut, Marketing Manager for Haas. From the start, weve believed in building highly-reliable products designed for efficiency and dependability, he said. Our customers know first-hand how reliable Haas CNC machines are, but we wanted everyone to know. The 98% Up-Time Guarantee is a fairly simple concept which has brought a lot of attention to Haas

Automation since its announcement in mid-March. Simply stated, Haas is backing up all their CNC machines purchased between April 1, 1997 and December 31, 1997 with a guarantee. If the machine requires service or repair during the first year of ownership, the time between the first service call and a satisfactory resolution of the problem will be recorded in a log. At the end of the first year, if the combined down-time exceeds 2% of normal expected production time, Haas will reimburse the owner for each hour beyond the 2% threshold. We feel that a goal of 98% Up-Time is well within the acceptable range for modern machine tools, Zierhut said. In fact, we know that Haas machines perform well within this range, and the reliability of our products exceeds the 98% up-time framework, he said. For complete published details about the industrys only 98% up-time guarantee, contact your official Haas Distributor.

HAAS TAKES IT TO THE DIRT WITH JOHN SCOTT MOTORSPORTS

Take an alcohol-fueled, 800-hp V-8, stuff it into a 1200-pound roll-cage on wheels, drive it around a half-mile dirt track at speeds up to 140 mph sideways and what do you get? Sprint car racing! Its a dirty job, but somebodys got to do it. Sprint car racing is what John Scott Motorsports is all about they love to get dirty. Considered one of the premier sprint-car teams (non-winged) in the U.S., John Scott Motorsports is poised for a serious run at the 1997 SCRA (Sprint Car Racing Association) championship title. Haas Automation, the premier machine-tool builder in the U.S., is the featured sponsor of John Scott Motorsports for the 1997 racing season. Haas produces a full-line of high-performance, affordable machine tools, including CNC vertical and horizontal machining centers, CNC lathes and rotary tables. Competition in sprint-car racing is fierce, so many teams are looking to computerized machining techniques to gain the competitive edge. Sprint cars are built from the ground up from a collection of parts, said Joe Custer, driver for John Scott Motorsports. Theres a lot of fabrication that goes into building a winning car, he said. Haas provides the type of CNC machines perfectly suited for the racing industry. This sponsorship is a natural John Scott gets sideways in his Haas-sponsored sprint car. combination, said Peter Zierhut, marketing manager for Haas Automation. Haas machine tools are being used extensively in the racing industry, and John Scott Motorsports is a successful racing team with championship potential. Our sponsorship is a chance for Haas to show our support for the racing community, while increasing our name recognition by backing a winning team. John Scott Motorsports is based out of Hesperia, California, and considers Perris Auto Speedway their home track. Less than a year old, Perris is considered the Finest dirt oval complex in the nation. One of the only teams campaigning two cars this year, John Scott Motorsports is comprised of drivers John Scott and Joe Custer. Custer, driving car #30, is a sprint-car rookie, but has a long history of off-road motorcycle racing. John Scott, driving car #83, has been racing everything from Karts to Formula cars since 1973. Last season, Scott consistently finished in the top five in SCRA events. In 1997, Scott is vying for the SCRA points title. Continued on page 9

Haas Automation unveiled a brand-new booth at WESTEC 97.

Haas Shows Off to Big Crowds at WESTEC 97

LOS ANGELES March 24, 1997, was opening day of WESTEC 97 here in Southern California, where Haas Automation unveiled their new 5,250 sq. ft. booth, and debuted a host of new products. The booth elements and overall concept are completely new, said Norine Peters, Trade Show Manager for Haas. This is the first public showing. By far, the hit of the show was the new Haas VR-6, a 5-axis machine with contouring spindle-head. Endless crowds formed, blocking traffic, for a glimpse of this cutting-edge machine. Though only a prototype at this point, customers lined up to place orders immediately. Another high point of the booth was the first production-model VF-10. This massive VMC (120" x-travel) dazzled crowds by endlessly machining a 10-foot-long piece of aluminum into a web-work of pockets, then rapidly milling them off, just to start again. Seriously stealing the thunder from competing booths near and far, was the VF-6 with 50-taper spindle. This machine sent up plumes of smoke and steam as it tirelessly hogged and drilled a chunk of 1018 steel. Every time it cranked up a crowd would form and jockey for viewing position. It was hard for anyone to

The Grand Opening

OXNARD, CA On Friday March 21, hundreds of customers, vendors, distributors, special guests and members of the press invaded Oxnard, California, to attend the most important machinetool event of the year. Nearly 500 guests converged on the 86-acre site where Haas Automation held official Grand-Opening Ceremonies for their new 420,000 sq. ft. headquarters and manufacturing facility (see article, Tour of the Haas new facility, on page 6) An overall feeling of awe hung in the air as guests toured the new facility. Overwhelmed by the sheer size of the plant, they anxiously vied for a glimpse of one of the largest, most automated machine-tool operations in the United

States. Guest speakers for the ribboncutting ceremony included Oxnard Mayor Manual Lopez and a representative from Senator Cathy Wrights office, as well as Gene Haas. The evening culminated in an elegant dinner, and a keynote address on the

state of manufacturing by Al Moore, president of the Association for Manufacturing Technology.

compete with the standard set by Haas in this years booth. Other products seen for the first time were the Haas APC, an automatic pallet changer for Haas mid-range VMCs; the HL-6 lathe, a preproduction 25" x 44" CNC turning center with programmable tailstock and up to 6" bar capacity; and the HS-2RP, a pre-production horizontal machining center with 38" x 33" x 30" travels. These machines prove that Haas continues to get bigger and better every year. They demonstrate the ever-expanding Haas line, and show the position Haas now commands in engineering and product design. We designed our new booth to embrace the high-tech nature of the machine-tool industry, and better communicate the leading-edge attitude that is part of the Haas philosophy, said Peter Zierhut, Marketing Manager for Haas. Visitors seemed to take note of the flow of traffic through our booth, and the variety of machines we had on display, he said. Part of what makes Haas booths so special at these events, is that we have our machines actually producing real parts its more of a demonstration arena for us than a beauty contest. During 1997, Haas will be represented at every significant machine-tool show in the US and around the world including the EMO show, one of the biggest in the world. Ask your Haas distributor for an upcoming events schedule.

CNC MACHINING

SUMMER

1997

WWW.HAASCNC.COM

Real-world reliability from people who know,

Call Haas for complete details 800-331-6746.

our customers:

The Haas VMCs are a big part of our success. They allow very aggressive machining rates, and provide the tight tolerances and high repeatability we need for machining molds.
TOOL & ENGINEERING, INC.

Brad Berkley, President and CEO, Global Tool and Engineering, Carrollton, Texas

When youre building race cars, you cant afford to have machines go down. Not having the part could mean the difference between winning and losing on Sunday. Were in the business to win races, and Haas gives us the reliability and accuracy we need to stay in the winners circle.
Jim Wall, Engineering Group Manager, Hendrick Motorsports, Harrisburg, North Carolina

When we renovated our 50-year-old machine shop, we had one opportunity to make the right choice in machine tools. We considered machine quality, up-time, capacity and flexibility, as well as ease-of-use. Haas gave us world-class equipment at a price we could afford.
David Goodreau, President, Newman Machine Works, Burbank, California

If youve got to have accuracy down to 50 millionths, go ahead and buy a $1.5 million machine. If you want to make some money, buy 15 Haas machines and turn out 14 times more work.
Mark West, Owner/Partner, Stan West CNC Co., Willits, California

I love my Haas! It still holds microns after 3 years! Thats why I bought the second one, because the first one was so good.
Mike Keyte, Owner, SuperBike Mike, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

800-331 6746
Haas 98% Up-Time Guarantee effective April 1997 Limited to first year of ownership. Complete published

Haas Automation Inc.

98% Up-Time Guarantee details available from Haas Automation, Inc., 2800 Sturgis Road, Oxnard, CA 93030.

Perspective
INSIDE PERSPECTIVE INSIDE PERSPECTIVE

picture may be worth a thousand words, but actually being there is worth a thousand pictures. Although you may not be able to travel to the new Haas Automation facility right now (and you should some day), it is, nonetheless, an awe-inspiring sight.

Tour the New Haas Facility

I had the pleasure of being there. So, with the aid of a few photos and some descriptive text, let me point out some of the features of One of Americas largest, most modern machine-tool manufacturing facilities to date. Built on an 86-acre industrial site, with plenty of room for future expansion, the new Haas headquarters and manufacturing facility spans 420,000 sq. ft. Haas has invested millions of dollars in the building and new equipment, and currently employs more than 600 people at their Oxnard, California, headquarters. The plant is divided into two main areas. The machine-shop side of the operation, where parts are made for both CNC machines and rotary products, occupies 166,000 sq. ft. More than 150 machine tools operate within this area, with unattended machining being the norm. A multitude of flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) run around the clock in three shifts one manned and two unmanned.

Above: Haas new California headquarters. Right: Technicians complete assembly of Haas CNC controls

This machine shop is close to a Just In Time (JIT) operation, staying a mere three days ahead of assembly, and a scant eight days ahead of shipping. At the start of the manufacturing process, a bank of band saws cut 12 million pounds of raw material each year. This number grows steadily as Haas adds new products, and sales continue to grow. On the shop floor, amongst those 150 machines, are the following: 16 400 mm HMCs with a total of 256 pallets some as large as 25" square. These machines produce 425 different parts, with 250 new parts added each year. By September, Haas will have installed 4 additional HMCs with an additional 48 pallets. Just a short distance away are 4 HMC stackers with 16" pallets. Designed to save floor space, these stackers have 81 pallets in total, running 300 different parts. Haas will be adding two more stacking HMCs by years end, and expects to add 150 new parts each year. Next to the stackers sit even larger, 600 mm HMCs used for mid-sized parts. For Haas, a mid-sized part can be up to 5,000 lbs in weight, and 31" square. These HMCs have a combined total of 60 pallets, and run in 24-hour shifts. Moving along in the tour, theres a grinding department filled with 10 surface grinders, precision ID/OD grinders, gear grinders, thread grinders, and gear hobbers. The latter being used to cut Haas precision spindle and worm gears for all rotary products. A bit beyond midway through the shop area, off to one side, sits a quality control room built to exacting specifications, and fully temperature controlled. This area is used to CMMinspect all parts produced in the machine shop. Directly out into the floor area, off to the right, sits a variety of Haas lathes with automatic parts loaders, Haas HMCs and Haas VMCs. Twenty-five
Continued on page 8

CNC MACHINING

SUMMER

1997

Tourof the Haas Facility Tour the new Haas Facility

percent of the machines in the entire shop are Haas proof that Haas believes in their own products. Closing out the machine shop side of the tour is a series of doublecolumn machines capable of machining 5-sides of a 22-foot long part. The largest part machined in this area is the base casting for the new Haas HL-6 lathe weighing 15,000 lbs. Moving to the other side of the building, we enter the assembly floor and inventory area. Occupying some 200,000 sq. ft. in all, Im taken back by the distances from one side of the building to the other I liken it to a center-field home run. Below us I see row upon row of Haas vertical machining centers being assembled. All machines, regardless of size, are built during a daytime shift, but are tested unattended for a complete 24-hour cycle. Within these walls, all Haas products VMCs, HMCs, CNC lathes and Rotary Tables are sub-assembled, assembled and completely tested. Haas officials estimate production is currently running about 60%. At this level, the assembly lines produce 20

NEWS
Continued

Haas Automation Ltd., and Cosworth celebrate the 500th Haas vertical machining center installation in the UK
NORWICH, NORFOLK, UK One thing all Haas customers have in common is a keen sense of competitive spirit and the desire to finish first. This couldnt be more true than one of the worlds most successful F1 engine builders, and recent addition to the growing list of Haas machine owners: Northamptonbased Cosworth. Cosworth has a winning tradition in perhaps the most competitive industry on Earth. From the most successful F1 engine ever built, the Ford Cosworth DFV, to the exquisitely engineered modern racing engines which powered Michael Schumacher to his 1994 F1 World Championship, Cosworth consistently demonstrates that second best is not acceptable. We are delighted to announce that Cosworth recently took delivery of the 500th Haas Vertical Machining Center to be installed in the UK. On a specially arranged visit from the new, state-of-the-art Haas plant in Southern California, Mr. Al Nodarse, Director of Sales, presented Cosworth Racings Manager of F1 Engine Build Mr. Ken Horton with an engraved silver punch bowl. Commenting on this landmark occasion, Mr. Nodarse said Our association with Cosworth epitomizes our mutual affinity for winners, and is indicative of Haas position in the UK machinetool market and our customers perception of our standards of service and support. He added Since Haas Automation Ltd. introduced Haas machines to the UK in 1991, the list of Haas owners has grown longer and more distinguished at an impressive rate. Cosworth is a strong example to all other Haas customers, present and future: Youre in excellent company. Haas Automation Ltd. is the principal supplier of Haas CNC machines and rotary products in the UK. Since first importing Haas vertical machining centers in 1991, the company has built a service and support team of 18 factory-trained engineers coordinated from the Midlands Technical Centre in Leicester. In March 1997 Haas Automation Ltd. was officially recognized as International Haas distributor of the year, installing more Haas products into a single territory than any other Haas distributor in the world.

Haas hits milestone: 10,000 machines

In one of the most remarkable achievements in recent history, Haas Automation, Inc., has produced their 10,000th CNC machining center. On June 6, 1997, Denis Dupuis, General Manager for Haas, presented the machines keys to Steven B. Camp, Regional Manager for Parker Hannifin Corp., Motion & Control Group.

CNC machines and 10 rotary products each day, for a total of more than 8,000 products per year. The total time required to assemble a CNC machine is, on average, only five days. This includes a complete run-in test, 125-point inspection, critical ball-bar test and, finally, a test cut before shipment. Along the west wall, which from my vantage point on the upper walkway seems like a good 480 feet (probably every inch of that home run), is a 70,000 sq. ft. inventory area that feeds the assembly and service departments. At the far north end of the assembly area, rows of pallet racks store ready-toassemble iron castings as a three-day buffer for assembly. Beyond, is the turf of electrical magic. Haas, as an engineering/manufacturing/high-tech

company, looks to innovation as a way to keep costs in line as they design and build their products. One of the key ways I saw this put into practice was their use of the subassembly manufacturing processes. The final leg of the facility tour takes us over the electrical assembly area, where Haas employees build the controls for all Haas CNC machines and rotary products. Beginning as electrical sub-assemblies and progressing to full-fledged CNC controls, the parts are wired together and rigorously tested for 72-hours before being moved to final assembly, where testing is continued. In one of the most unique situations in the machine-tool industry, Haas actually designs and builds their own machine and CNC control as a single unit. They have discovered how to take control over quality and delivery simply make it themselves. In what would be a split second on the time-line of the Industrial Revolution a mere 14 years Haas Automation has built what some companies never achieve success. This new facility is yet one more in a long line of amazing achievements from the company that remade the American machine-tool industry. D. Hunter

State-of-the-art machine shop fills 166,000 sq. ft. Top: One of three assembly lines.

What makes this achievement even more spectacular is that Haas has only been building machines for eight short years. Since the introduction of their very popular VF-1 VMC in 1989, Haas has built a loyal following of satisfied customers that continues to grow, mostly by word-ofmouth. By blending innovative engineering with cost-controlling in-house production, Haas delivers highly-accurate and dependable CNC machines at affordable prices a formula for success that continues to this day. Now fully operational in their new 420,000 sq. ft. facility in Oxnard, CA, Haas is poised to double their 400-machine-per-month output before the year 2,000. The company continues to exceed customers expectations, while introducing innovative new machines at an amazing rate. Industry insiders and observers see Haas at the-top-of-the-heap before the close of this century.

CNC MACHINING

SUMMER

1997

WWW.HAASCNC.COM

Aerospace C ose-Up
SHOP FOCUS SHOP FOCUS

IN

order to survive in todays competitive marketplace, small job shops must find ways to cut costs and increase productivity without sacrificing quality. People arent going to accept second best any more, said David Goodreau, president of Newman Machine Works in Burbank, California. You have to exceed the customers expectations, or theyre going to go somewhere else.

Shop Reduces Cycle Times, Increases Productivity With New CNC Machines
Founded in 1939, Newman Machine Works services the commercial and military aerospace industry. Their customer base is the prime aerospace contractor market Boeing, Northrup, Rockwell, etc. At present, Newman employs 10 people, and has 13 machine tools in their 3,300 sq. ft. shop. We are very much a traditional, family-owned, small job shop, Goodreau said. Faced with a shop full of aging machines that finally started to cause financial troubles, Goodreau and co-owner Gene Newman knew it was time to rebuild the company. Between the downtime, and trying to find service people to come fix our machines, it was putting us out of business, Goodreau said. We just could not afford to wait for these people to return our phone calls if they did at all. There arent many options for companies our size. If youre going to stay busy, and continue to meet the customers needs, you have to invest in new technology and equipment. Its like continuing your education, Goodreau said. For small companies, the future depends on modernization. Taking that giant step, Newman Machine Works is now replacing their aging CNC equipment with new machines. They looked to Haas Automation for reliability, price and service. Our goal is to become a world-class company, Goodreau said. Haas gave us the opportunity to buy world-class equipment at a price we could afford. We needed to replace old, used CNC equipment, and felt that by buying locally, we would have the prompt service we need to keep our machines running, said Gene Newman, co-owner of the shop. We knew the reliability of Haas machining centers from talking to people in our industry. Price, financing and availability of the machines made it easier to select Haas, he said. Newman Machine Works purchased their first Haas VF-2 vertical machining center (30" x 16" x 20" travels) in April, and another VF-2 in July of 1996. They then installed a Haas HL-4 lathe (14.5" x 34") in January, 1997, and have plans to purchase a Haas VF-3 VMC (40" x 20" x 25"). Where the Haas machines have really helped us is in precision, Goodreau said. Theyve helped us cut out many operations, and allowed us to bring other operations in-house, he said. That saves a lot of money and time. Its made a huge difference in our company. Plus, our people like running state-of-the-art equipment, and are much more excited about work. Our productivity is up about 30%, said Harold Howell, Newmans general manager. The Haas machines have enabled them to produce quality aluminum parts faster, and with better
Continued on page 28

10

CNC MACHINING

SUMMER

1997

Machining Tips C
TECH TIPS ECH IPS
reating the perfect tool path for a CNC machine is a tricky task. The goal of every programmer is the same: to create a tool path that is safe and produces a production-worthy firsttime part in a cost-effective manner. This is an achievable goal, but as the complexity of the part program increases, the door to error widens.
turers take advantage of NC/CNC simulation and verification technology to verify the accuracy of the part program on the computer at the programming stage. While there is no complete substitution for production testing, verification software greatly reduces, if not eliminates, the many iterations of tool-path testing.

The Software Verification Process

The virtual machining process is quite similar to setting up and running an actual prove-out on the machine tool. First, the user defines a block of stock from which the part will be cut. There are different levels of sophistication in tool-path verification. Simple simulation is the most basic. A 3-D simulation enables users to actually see exactly what will occur on the machine and how the part takes shape, rather than forcing one to imagine how each cut will affect the part. The next level of sophistication is actual verification, which enables users to detect problems in programming techniques. With verification, problems such as fast feed errors, and potential collisions can be easily detected and eliminated during the programming phase. Analysis of the finished part delves deeper into the verification process. Is it dimensionally accurate? Does it match the design intent? Detailed analysis identifies the exact tool-path record responsible for any problems on the part. It also enables the user to compare the original design with the finished machined part to reveal any discrepancies, gouges or undercuts.

The final level of sophistication in the verification process is optimizing the tool path for the most efficient machining possible. Verification software enables the user to send CNC programs to the shop floor that are not only proven, but are optimized with the best possible feed rate information. The software does this by automatically analyzing the machining conditions and the amount of material removed by each cut, and then assigning the best feed rate for that particular cut. The result is greatly reduced machining time (as much as 50% or more).

In Search of the Perfect Tool Path

The CAM Process
CAM software has made the process of creating tool paths easier, but the need remains to test and verify part programs before production machining. After the tool path is created, it is converted into commands specific to a particular NC machine, either internally or through an external post-processor. A number of mistakes can occur at any time during this process. For example, the programmer can inaccurately input data or cause an error through incorrect use of the CAM system; the CAM system can produce errors in the tool path; or the post-processor can introduce errors or output code unsuitable for the machines control.

The Benefits of Verification Software

Reducing or eliminating proveouts saves machine-tool, operator, and part-programming time, which, in turn, decreases the overall time to market. Verifying part programs on the computer reduces or eliminates the cost of machine-tool crashes, rework, scrapped parts, and damaged tooling, fixtures, and clamps. And, part programs can be created that properly control feeds, speeds, and coolant during the programming phase. Quality is also enhanced, because tool paths verified and optimized on the computer produce better surface finishes, do not leave dwell marks on the part, and place less wear and tear on the machines. Verification software also acts as a valuable training tool for programmers, operators, and students without risking a collision, or using valuable machine-tool time. Screen captures and playback animation files can be used to create documentation that enables operators, trainees, and managers to visualize the process before machining. For more information on the capabilities and advantages of verification software technology, contact CGTech, developers of VERICUT, 714-753-1050 or www.cgtech.com.

Verification Techniques
There are a variety of tool-path verification techniques available to help manufacturers ensure that the part will be machined safely and correctly. The most rudimentary is to manually scan the NC data to identify obvious errors. But this is time consuming and error prone, and other problems such as collisions between

tools, the part, and fixtures usually cannot be detected until the actual machining takes place. Therefore, most manufacturers utilize prototype machining from wood, wax, foam, plastic, or other prove-out materials. But prove-outs are also costly, time-consuming processes. Each requires setup, run-time, and clean-up and there still is the possibility of a dangerous machine-tool collision. The most sophisticated manufac-

Stock shapes can vary from simple blocks, cylinders or cones to complex CAD models. Then, the user defines the cutting tools and any fixtures that will be used, and finally inputs the tool path. The software then uses solid modeling technology to simulate the machining. Any errors detected during the process are highlighted so they can be easily identified and corrected before the part program is sent to the shop floor.

12

CNC MACHINING

SUMMER

1997

WWW.HAASCNC.COM

13

ASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. The key word here is stock. The whole point being for the cars to closely resemble the stock, production automobiles the average Joe drives on the street. These are American-made cars, of course, and typically come in three flavors Chevrolet, Ford, and Pontiac. So, just run down to the local car dealer, pick up a late-model piece of American iron, bolt on a few performance parts, and youre ready to race, right?

14

CNC MACHINING

SUMMER

1997

WWW.HAASCNC.COM

15

Yeah, right! Any resemblance between a NASCAR Winston Cup race car and the car youre driving is purely cosmetic. Sure, they both have an engine and four tires and use some of the same parts, but the resemblance ends there. As a matter of fact, the car youre driving is far more technologically advanced electronic ignition, computerized fuel injection, dual-overhead-cam multi-valve engines, variable valve timing, and light-weight composite materials. In contrast, NASCAR race cars are more like the muscle cars of the 70s 350 V-8s, four-barrel Holley carbs, standard ignitions, and steel bodies. So, how do you turn such outdated technology into a vehicle producing 720 horsepower, 525 ft-lb of torque, and capable of reaching nearly 200 miles per hour? That, my friend, is the question pondered by each of the 42 NASCAR teams every weekend. The object is to build the fastest, most powerful, and best handling vehicle, while staying within the guidelines of the NASCAR rule book. There are rules governing vehicle height, weight, body shape, wheel base, displacement, induction, wheel size and a slew of other things. And, indeed, race teams must use many stock parts as their starting point. Through meticulous massaging modification and assembly,

these parts are transformed into the fire breathing monsters that attack asphalt ovals around the nation every Sunday. For some insight into the building of successful NASCAR race cars, we visited Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) in Harrisburg, North Carolina. Hendrick Motorsports currently fields three NASCAR Winston Cup teams, as well as a Chevrolet pick-up truck in the new NASCAR SuperTruck Series. Combined, Hendrick teams have won two Winston Cup championships, more than 75 major races, and three Daytona 500s. Hendrick drivers Terry Labonte (#5) and Jeff Gordon (#24) finished first and second, respectively, in 1996, and both are currently making serious runs for the 1997 Winston Cup Championship. One of the keys to Hendricks success is their engines. Painstakingly hand-built, these engines are the lifeblood of the race program. Randy Dorton, director of the engine department at Hendrick Motorsports, is an accomplished builder with a long history. He keeps a watchful eye on the engine department. Ive been head of the engine program since Rick

Reggie Hart puts a just-built Hendrick engine through its paces on the dyno.

(Hendrick) began (NASCAR racing) in 1984. There were only about three people then, and now there are 45, Dorton said. Dorton has been building race engines since the early 70s, when he built a 427 Ford for racing on local dirt tracks. In the early 80s, he put together an engine shop of his own, where he built drag-boat engines for Rick Hendrick. Hendrick was interested in getting into NASCAR, so he bought a race car and contracted with Dorton for three engines. Before those three were complete, the order was increased to six. Shortly thereafter, Hendrick bought Dortons shop as the core engine group for his NASCAR team, and Hendrick Motorsports was born. After Rick (Hendrick) got involved, the company began to grow, and the volume of engines got higher and higher, said Jim Wall, Engineering Group Manager for Hendrick Motorsports. Wall has worked with Randy Dorton since 1981, and has been with Hendrick Motorsports since their inception in 1984. According to NASCAR rules, a Winston Cup engine must be a smallblock V-8 displacing a minimum of

350 and a maximum of 358 cubic inches. The engine must be naturally aspirated, and use a Holley single fourbarrel carburetor of 750 to 830 cfm. The main engine components block, cylinder heads, intake manifolds must start as stock, off-the-shelf, OEM castings. In short, it must be a production engine. Granted, its a production engine from the 50s, but a production engine nonetheless. Race teams can modify these production engines tremendously as long as they stay within the rules. Hendrick Motorsports uses Chevrolet engines; and, by the time they hit the race track, very little has been left untouched. One of the main ways to gain horsepower in an engine is to improve the air/fuel flow through the cylinder head. The more mixture you can stuff into the combustion chamber, the more horsepower is generated. This is typically done by relieving and shaping the ports and combustion chambers, and polishing the surfaces. It is one of the most time-consuming and expensive parts of building a race engine. Cylinder heads have always been an expensive component in a racing engine assembly, Wall said. Theyre usually the things that you wait on. Typically, a skilled craftsman a head porter would painstakingly carve out a set of cylinder heads from a set of stock castings. Through experience and feel, he would sculpt and polish the ports in an attempt to improve performance through increased airflow. It was a process that took up to a week to complete. Each head was a work of art, and the head porter was the artist. Like fine art, however, head porting is difficult to duplicate. Its difficult to get the same results from port-to-port, let alone from head-to-head. As a result, you end up getting a mix of engines some good, some not. Youd have ten engines, and you might have two or three that were really, really good, Wall said. The others would be all over the place. We would develop a cylinder head, or a pair of heads, that would run real good on our engine, Dorton

our own destiny, so to speak, with cylinsaid, and we wanted to reproduce der heads. We didnt want to rely on that; make another set like it. But, even outside vendors for a key component of though you try to do everything the our engines. With hand porting, its difsame, theres no guarantee the next set ficult to maintain consistency and repeat will work as well. a good design once its been develAs Hendrick Motorsports grew, oped. There are certain points that are this became more and more of a probdefined the entrance on the intake lem To stay competitive, and meet the manifold, the combustion chambers, the demands of their growing race provalve seats but the transition between gram, they needed to produce more those points from the intake flange to good cylinder heads, faster. To meet the valve seat is left up to the head this need, they farmed the work out to porter, who determines how much mateseveral outside suppliers. But this seririal to remove. He usually starts from ously increased lead times for the the original surface of the casting, heads, and left them too dependent on Dorton said. And, from one port, or others for important parts. one head, to the next, theres a plus or The solution was to bring the cylinminus 0.030" casting tolerance. So a der-head operations back in-house. Continued on page 18 We realized early on a need to incorporate manufacturing into our program, Wall said. The volume was there, and once the volume gets to a certain point, youve got to get the manufacturing in-house. But how would they meet their increasing demand, without bringing in a large stable of head porters? The answer was to automate the process, so they could accurately mass produce the cylinder heads. HMS began investigating the use of computerized machining techniques. Several of their suppliers were already utilizing CNC machines, so they knew the technology was sound. We put a proposal together for Mr. Hendrick to purchase a machining center, a coordinate measuring machine (CMM), and CAD/CAM software as a starting point for producing fullymachined assemblies in-house, Wall said. We wanted to control Jim Wall ports a cylinder head at Hendrick Motorsports using an HS-1R 5AX.

WWW.HAASCNC.COM

17

Jim Wall, left, and Randy Dorton show off a winning cylinder head, ported on a Haas HS-1R.

for a CNC machine that could do a lot guy could easily have 0.060" more or of different things, he said. Not necless material, depending on whats essarily a machine that could do a been changed in the casting, from head specific task better, but one that was to head and port to port, flexible enough to do all the different he said. As a result, he could take out jobs we needed to do blocks, cylintoo much material, or not enough mateder heads, pistons and manifolds. rial. He could start with a port that was After much research, HMS settled plus 0.030" and another one thats on a Maho 800 universal machining minus 0.030". Now, he takes out center a German-built machine with 0.060" more material than he intended, both horizontal and vertical spindles, based on a template or gauge, and and 5-axis capabilities. Costing more ends up in water. than $400,000, this was a serious To port cylinder heads by machine, investment for a race team. In addiyou start with a set of heads you already know work well, and digitize their shape through detailed measurement with a coordinate measuring machine. This way, youre starting with a precise definition of where everything is supposed to be. It may seem like a point in space three inches down into a port, Dorton said, A selection of car parts machined on Hendricks VF-4 and HL-4. but you have defined tion, they purchased a Brown and exactly where that point is. Once youve Sharpe CMM, and Point Control defined each point, it makes it easy to CAD/CAM software. reproduce the design, he said. We The first project everyone wanted needed volume, and this is definitely one to tackle was porting a cylinder head. method for us to get that. They started with a proven cylinderThe major components of our head design; used the coordinate meaengine assembly that require a lot of suring machine to precisely measure, machining are the blocks, the cylinder define and digitize the design; then heads, the pistons and the intake manused the CAD/CAM software to write ifolds, Wall said. We began looking

the program for the CNC machining center. Its kind of a tough part to start out with for your first part, Wall said. We had to build a lot of fixturing, design some tooling and have it made. It took us right at six months to get a cylinder head design that we had fully machined and ran on an engine, he said. Once the process was up and running, HMS was able to turn a 5- to 7day job into an 8- to 10-hour job. The success HMS found using CNC machines prompted them to bring more and more operations in-house. However, the more jobs they brought in-house, the less machine time they could devote to cylinder-head operations. Although the Maho 800 had served them well, it was no longer fast enough to meet their growing needs. Plus, they were starting to have some service concerns with the machine. The Maho had done its job, Dorton said. We were very satisfied with it. But we had developed more and more things we needed to run on a machining center. This prompted the need for additional CNC equipment. We realized we needed a turning center, Dorton said. That was coming more and more into play with us. And, we felt we needed to expand ourselves in horizontal and vertical again. The distributor who sold Hendrick Motorsports the Maho suggested they take a look at machine tools from Haas Automation, Inc. We needed faster machines that were more reliable, Wall said. We wanted something that was American made; a company that was going to be there for parts and service. Weve known about Haas for a long time, because of their rotary products, he said. The 5-axis work (cylinder heads) relies heavily on rotaries, and Haas has a tremendous amount of experience in that market. One of the contractors weve used for years, Frank Wiess Racing Components in Indianapolis, has made a ton of parts for us on Haas equipment, Wall said. We knew it was good equipment because they did good work with it.
Continued on page 20

18

CNC MACHINING

SUMMER

1997

19

At the same time Hendrick Motorsports was looking for new equipment, Haas Automation was looking for a race team to sponsor. We wanted to find a team that would be a good showcase for our equipment, said Peter Zierhut, Marketing Manager for Haas Automation. We were looking for a successful team that would take full advantage of the capabilities of our machines. After touring the Hendrick facility, and discussing the needs of Hendrick Motorsports, a sponsorship agreement was reached for the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup season. Haas agreed to provide three machines a lathe, a vertical machining center and a 5-axis horizontal machining center. It sounded like Haas was a good company, Dorton said, and it sounded like good equipment. They had an interest in racing, and we had a need

for more equipment. Im really excited about being able to work with a machine-tool manufacturer thats based in the United States, Wall said. Theyre American made; I like that, he said. The first Haas machine to arrive Randy Troyer checks an engine mounting plate machined on the VF-4. was an HL-4 lathe with 14.5" x 34" pulleys and suspension parts, he said. turning capacity and programmable Just recently, they have begun turning hydraulic tailstock. There was nothing wrist pins for their race pistons a job here in the way of CNC turning equipthey could not have done without the ment, Dorton said, we had to tool Haas lathe. ourselves up for it. We set ourselves up Next to arrive was a VF-4 vertical with jaws and fixtures, and immediatemachining center with 50" x 20" x 25" ly went to work making parts. The first (xyz) travels. Hendrick wanted this part was a front dampener washer, machine mainly for plate work and we very quickly were turning

side bar side bar

Goodys Headache Powder 500, Martinsville, Virginia.

Picture this: Youre in bumper-to-bumper traffic, and some smartass is driving down the middle of the lanes slowing everyone down. Youre sitting there with 720 horses under the hood chomping at the bit, ready to race. Finally, the slowpoke pulls off and you punch it. Slamming through the gears with unbridled fury, your faithful mount leaps forward. The problem is, 41 other drivers are doing the same thing, and theyre trying to beat you. Forget the 2-second rule about following too closely. Youll be lucky to see daylight between these cars. Then, just as things start to open up, all 42 cars try to stuff themselves into the same 12-degree banked corner at the same time. Its kind of like high-speed bumper cars. This was the scene at Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Virginia, on April 21 the eighth points race of the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Season. With 70,000 dedicated race fans on hand, 42 drivers battled it out for 3 hours, 44 minutes and 30 seconds to see who would take the top spot. Five hundred laps after the starting flag, Jeff Gordon, a 25-year-old young buck from California, crossed the finish line first to win $99,225 in his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo. This victory marks Gordons second straight win at Martinsville, and his third straight win of the season. At 0.526-miles long, Martinsville is one of three short-tracks on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit. Its a flat track, with corners banked a mere 12 degrees, and relatively slow by NASCAR standards, with top speeds below 95 miles per hour. Fifty years old this year, Martinsville has been referred to as two drag strips connected by a pair of U-turns. The 800-foot straights provide little time for passing, and the corners are filled with the bump-and-grind and love taps that characterize short-track racing. After starting fourth, Gordon needed only 20 laps to take the lead, and thats where he stayed for 432 of the 500 laps of the Goodys Headache Powder 500. Leading by more than a straightaway during most of the race, Gordon was only challenged for the number one spot on restarts. Continued on page 22

500
Evidence of the flagrant disregard for personal space common in NASCAR racing.

engine brackets, braces, accessories, small surfacing jobs, drilling, tapping, and profiling. Wall emphasized, however, These machines arent limited just to engine components. We are using them to manufacture car parts as well. Our long-range plan is to use it for 5-axis work, and make quite a few chassis parts on it, he said. The VF-4 lets us make parts now that we couldnt make before. With 50 inches of X-travel, you can put some big parts on it. By the end of the year, its going to be swamped, probably with chassis parts. Those guys do a tremendous number of parts, and they run into the same issues that we do in the engine shop, in terms of turnaround, delivery, and dealing with sub-contractors, he said. The VF-4 is a nice machine, and theres no doubt it has allowed us to improve ourselves. The final machine to arrive was an HS-1R horizontal machining center with 24" x 20" x 22" travels and a built-in 4th-axis rotary. To better suit the cylinder-head operations, Haas fitted the 4th-axis with an optional 19" x 40" extended table. HMS had already obtained a Haas HRT-210 rotary table and hydraulic tailstock in anticipation of 4-axis work on the VF-4. Wall fitted the rotary and tailstock to the extended table on the HS-1R as the 5th axis, and designed flanges to hold a cylinder head between them. With only a few adjustments to the existing program, they had the machine running cylinder heads in record time. What took us three months to set up on the Maho, Dorton said, took less than a month on the Haas. Literally within 30 days, the Haas went from the crate, to cutting chips on a head with 98% Haas components. The focus of the horizontal is cylinder heads, Wall said Thats the primary use. Well run it around-theclock unattended if we get in a bind and really need parts. The higher speed of the Haas (10k-spindle, 710ipm rapids) has allowed HMS to reduce the cycle time for cylinder

heads to about 6 hours, as opposed to 5- to 7-days for hand porting, and 8to 10-hours on the Maho. That number is a strong function of how fine of an increment you use, Wall said. To make a nice finish, you need an increment of 0.040" max. On the Maho, I had to use about 0.060", because we were very limited by the memory and

inverse-time motion, which keeps a consistent chip load on the tool. The program is more than 11 megs, he said, and the whole thing fits into the Haas memory. (Hendricks HS-1R has 8 MB of optional expanded memory.) On the Maho, 7 or 8 megs is the maximum you can do, and you have to trade-off balking time. The Haas

Jeff Gordan (24) makes his move past Elton Sawyer (90) during the Goodys Headache Powder 500.

DNC ability of the control, he said. If I got programs that were too big, the Maho had a hard time with them, it would balk. Out of a 10-hour program, you could spend as much as 45 minutes balking, waiting for the control to load code. This results in dwell marks and reduced surface finish. We ended up having to code the part around the limitations of the machine tool, Wall said. With the Haas, however, The maximum spacing I used is 0.040", and in some areas I used 0.020", Wall said, I was intentionally trying to make the program big. The (cylinderhead) program were running on the Haas gives nice finishes and the increments are nice. The Haas cuts much more efficiently, because its got

compresses the program, takes out the carriage returns and line feeds, and strips out the parts of the program you dont need for the control. This way, a much larger program can be loaded into the controls memory. The Haas control is designed and built in-house features dual, high-speed 32-bit processors. Its very user friendly, Wall said. I like the way its laid out, especially the similarities between the lathe and the mill. The vertical, the horizontal and the lathe all have basically the same control. They function the same and program easy, he said. But reduced cycle times are not the most important thing at Hendrick Motorsports. Were not in the business to make parts, Wall said. Were in the business to win races.
Continued on page 22
WWW.HAASCNC.COM

20

CNC MACHINING

SUMMER

1997

21

If we can do something to make a better part, but theres a big penalty in cycle time, well pay the penalty in cycle time to get a better part. We look at it like were our own customer, and thats a double-edged sword. When youve got the ability to do it, you better get it done, because if you dont, you really dont have any excuses, he said. Were not trying to cut corners. Were trying to make parts that are as good as they can be. Hendrick Motorsports continues to grow and continues to win races. Once again, as demand out paces supply, they are looking to acquire more CNC equipment. They continue to bring more and more manufacturing in-house, and are looking to add at least three more machines another lathe, another horizontal, and possibly Haas new HS-2R large horizontal. To me, our engine program is a lot like steering a battleship, Dorton said. You get in the harbor; its pretty dangerous. Sometimes youve got to steer quickly. Having the Haas equipment gives us a lot of power to be flexible. Thats one thing that keeps us afloat here, our flexibility.

App ications
TECH TIPS
By Tom Howes, Valenite, Inc.

High-Speed Machining of Aluminum

Gary DeHart, team manager for the #5 car driven by Terry Labonte, contemplates strategy prior to the race.

So, if you know design, you have the engineering, you have the raw materials and you have the manufacturing equipment, youre pretty much ready for whatever comes up, he said.

At this point, you can be sure of two things Hendrick Motorsports will be in the winners circle, and Hendrick Motorsports will have Haas machines in their shop.

igh-speed milling of aluminum, once the exclusive province of the aerospace industry, is rapidly becoming a challenge for manufacturing engineers in all fields. The automotive industry, in particular, is forecasting a dramatic increase in the use of aluminum for major powertrain components. All this aluminum will have to be machined reliably, and in high volume.
There is a common perception that aluminum is easy to machine and, therefore, requires almost no specialized tooling or knowledge to process

Separating Fact from Fiction in High-Speed Milling of Aluminum

successfully. Conventional wisdom holds that aluminum can be cut on any machine tool with enough power to turn a spindle; and with virtually any tool material from hard maple to diamond. Both of these beliefs are widespread, and absolutely incorrect and any engineer who buys into them is in for a rude awakening. feet per minute. Speeds above 10 km/min are in the ultra-high speed category, and are largely the realm of experimental metal cutting. Obviously, the spindle rotations required to achieve these surface cutting speeds are directly related to the diameter of the tools being used. One trend which is very evident today is the use of very large cutter diameters for these applications and this has important implications for tool design. been, in fact, little more than drilling machines. Even giant spar mills used in the aerospace industry do their cutting with tools not much different from ordinary end mills. While it may be true in a relative sense that less horsepower is required to mill aluminum as compared to steel it definitely is not true in an absolute sense. What many fail to consider is the amount of horsepower required to rotate a spindle at speeds of 7,000 rpm and higher. As a rule of thumb, plan on using one horsepower for every 1,000 rpm of spindle speed, just to rotate the spindle and the tool. The energy required to cut the workpiece must be supplied in addition to this basic minimum.
Continued on page 24

Terry Labonte (5) jockeys for position during the Goodys 500. Despite set-up problems, Labonte finished 4th at Martinsville.

side bar side bar

continued

With 11 cautions throughout the race, restarts were common. However, Gordons consistency, and the quickness of his pit crew, kept him in the lead. By lap 98, he had pulled away from the rest of the pack with a 6.66-second lead over second-place Bobby Hamilton (#43). A yellow flag on lap 101 erased that lead as the leaders pitted for fuel and fresh rubber. Quick work by Gordons pit crew returned him to the track first, and when the race returned to green Gordon methodically increased his lead once again. By lap 176, Gordon had stretched his lead to 5 seconds over Kenny Wallace (#81), who now held second-place. Potential disaster struck on lap 328 as leader Gordon tried to lap Jimmy Spencer (#23), and the two cars collided in turn four. Gordon spun a 360 in a cloud of smoke, but was able to keep going and only lose two positions. I just stood on the gas, Gordon said. I was just praying I didnt get into anything. Then I was worried about somebody hitting me. Second-place Bobby Hamilton (#43) shot through Gordons smoke and into the lead. But 48 laps later, Gordon regained the lead position and held it for good. Hamilton grabbed second-place, followed by Mark Martin for third. Gordons Hendrick teammate Terry Labonte (#5) ran his typical consistent race to finish a strong fourth. Point standings following Martinsville had Dale Jarrett leading by a mere 45 points, followed closely by Terry Labonte and Jeff Gordon. At this rate, it looks like the future could hold a repeat of last years one-two performance for Hendrick Motorsports. The only question is: Who will take first-place Gordon or Labonte?

Define High-Speed
Before looking at the facts about aluminum milling, its appropriate to define high-speed as it concerns these applications. Given todays technology, high-speed is generally accepted to mean surface speeds between 1 and 10 kilometers per minute, or roughly 3,300 to 33,000

Misconception number one:

You Dont Need Much Power to Machine Aluminum. Part of the reason this myth has persisted is that, until quite recently, most high-speed machine tools have

22

CNC MACHINING

SUMMER

1997

WWW.HAASCNC.COM

23

App ications
One Secret of Productivity
Once the minimum speed threshold is reached, making a high-speed milling operation productive is really less a question of cutter speed than it is of feed rate. All else being equal, increasing the feed rate will improve efficiency faster than an equal change in any other cutting parameter. Because the horsepower/feed rate relationship is non-linear, it is, quite literally, a case of the faster you go, the better it gets. Moving the table faster is also a function of machine capability, although not directly related to spindle horsepower. A beefy, rigid machine tool with powerful axis drives and large precision ballscrews will yield productivity well out of proportion to its cost premium, in most cases. This should be considered when selecting a machine for high-speed applications. Generally speaking, the present generation of machine tools can provide table feeds in the range of 300 to 600 inches per minute, and some of todays cutting tools are perfectly capable of using that kind of feed rate without difficulty. grade of diamond, because polycrystalline tools have a definite grit size much like grinding wheels. Dont make the mistake of depending on the use of worn out finishing tools for your roughing applications. First of all, diamond tools seldom wear out in normal use, so you will indexible insert mounting system must be designed to restrain the inserts under these forces. Its not just a question of keeping the insert from becoming a projectile, it also must be held in a very precisely controlled position if the cutter is produce an acceptable finish. Valenite rates the speed potential speed potential than one using an indexible insert simply because there are fewer mechanical components involved. When properly used, brazed inserts make excellent economic sense in high-speed milling applications.

Dont Forget About The Chips

High-speed milling operations produce an incredible volume of chips which, in turn, have an abrasive effect on the surface finish. Chip control or chip removal is a major factor limiting high-speed milling operations. To deal with these chips there are three basic options. Cutting fluids can be used to flush away the chips, but this is not always successful. At the high rotational speeds involved, fluids applied to the cutter diameter tend to atomize before they can flush away the chips.

Not only will your finishes not be improved, but you will often end up with an environmental problem as well, because the coolant mist has to be controlled. However, Valenites coolant mounting screws have been very successfully applied on machines equipped with through-spindle coolant. The inertia of the coolant exiting through the cutting tool has resulted in as much as a 100% increase in achievable feed rates, with improved surface finishes. Because high-speed milling of aluminum presents no heat problems for the insert, compressed air is often substituted for liquid cutting fluids with good results. Air does have drawbacks mainly noise, and control over flying chips. There are, however, many successful applications in which chips are blown out of the cutting zone. Another effective solution to the

chip problem is a vacuum system which sucks the chips out of the cutting zone. While this approach can be as noisy as blowing the chips away, it has the benefit of collecting them very efficiently.

Conclusion
Aluminum is, without question, going to play an increasingly important role in all manufacturing, and particularly in the automotive industry. High-speed milling is a proven, reliable process for machining aluminum that offers the potential for truly impressive productivity. The key to realizing this potential is a thorough understanding of the realities of the process as the basis for careful planning and application development. Using the right machines, with the right tools, under the right conditions will lead to success.

Take Care with High-Speed Milling

A selection of Valenite high-speed cutters. For more information contact Valenite at 800-544-3336

side bar sidebar

Misconception number two: You Can

Cut Aluminum with Anything. This may be literally true, but the fact is that face milling aluminum with anything other than diamond tools is a waste of time and money for most applications. The one major exception to this rule is poor quality castings with silicon or sand inclusions, which often quickly damage diamond tools. Still, the most common cause of diamond insert damage is loose, broken, or misloaded parts, rather that normal wear. It makes economic sense to stock both a roughing and a finishing

have to buy roughing tools anyway. If they do fail, for example if youre machining castings with hard inclusions, they are likely to be damaged in the process, so you will still have to buy separate roughing tools. Fine grit finishing grades are not really suitable for many roughing applications anyway. You will be much farther ahead to buy, and use, the right grade tool for the job from the start.

Why Brazed Tools Make Sense At High Speeds

The forces generated in a face mill rotating at 10,000 rpm can be truly phenomenal. For this reason, any

of their HVA cutters by testing to the point where centrifugal forces are sufficient to cause a properly installed insert to move 0.0005", and then limiting operational speed to one that would yield 33% of the test force to move the insert. This maximum recommended speed is then etched into each individual cutter body. While this may sound extremely conservative at first glance, in practice it is not. Dont forget that cutters being tested in the laboratory are not subject to the impact and vibration of an actual cut, both of which increase the force that must be resisted by the insert. Realistically, a cartridge with a brazed insert should have a higher

At the tremendous speeds used for high-speed aluminum milling, tools, tool components, and inserts tend to store kinetic energy. This energy can be released with potentially dangerous effect should a tool or tool-holding system fail. At the rotational speeds coming into use today, screws, wedges, anvils, and inserts are all capable of producing dramatic damage should they suddenly become free-flying objects. Particular attention must be paid to tool maintenance, and to machine guarding the last line of defense for operators and other personnel. Ballistic testing carried out in the Valenite laboratories clearly demonstrates the need for substantial barriers between people and high-speed milling operations. Be warned, conventional machine guards

and shields may not be sufficient to contain the energy released if a highspeed tool fails. This concern for safety also carries over into the area of tool maintenance. It is absolutely imperative that tools used in high-speed operations be designed and balanced specifically for such use. At present, no standards exist regarding interchangeability between standard and high-speed tooling, and this can lead to potentially dangerous situations unless carefully monitored. Using a conventional tool in a high-speed spindle is an unsafe practice, and should be avoided at all costs. Another concern with high-speed milling is maintaining the original integrity of high-speed tooling. Valenites policy is to strongly recom-

mend that only original equipment parts be used to replace worn or damaged components, and that all high-speed tools be maintained in an as-new condition at all times. To this end, we have designed the cartridges used in our line of high-speed cutters, the MasterMill HVA, to only fit those specific bodies and not be interchangeable with any other cutter. Until industry-wide standards for interchangeability and balance are created, any shop contemplating the use of high-speed milling tools should carefully examine their control systems and tool maintenance procedures. Doing so is the best way to ensure that the beefed-up guards and shields recommended for high-speed machines will never be put to the test. Tom Howe

24

CNC MACHINING

SUMMER

1997

WWW.HAASCNC.COM

New Products & Features

COMING SOON COMING SOON
High Productivity Automatic Pallet Changer
Increased productivity and unattended operation are now possible with the new Automatic Pallet Changer (APC) option for Haas VF-3 and VF-4 VMCs. The APC features twin 19.5" x 40" pallets, which increase productivity by allowing nonmachining tasks, such as fixture setups and part changeovers, to be performed off-line. For example, while machining parts on one pallet, parts can be loaded and unloaded on the other pallet. This turnkey system is simple to operate and requires minimal training. Seamless operation is provided through the Haas CNC control, so no additional electronics are required. Air and power are supplied by the VMC, and the enclosure door opens and closes automatically during pallet changes. The APC features side-loading steel pallets, with a standard 5-inch hole pattern, which handle payloads up to 1,000 lbs with ease. Pallet change times are 30 seconds, with chip-to-chip times of 45 seconds. A heavy-duty, cast-iron base provides stability, while precision locating pins and bushings assure repeatability of 0.0002". The weight of the APC is approximately 2000 lbs. Available as a factory-installed option on Haas VF-3 (40" x 20" x 25") and VF-4 (50" x 20" x 25") vertical machining centers, the Haas APC features three-point leveling for fast, easy set-up. The cast-iron base is secured directly to the VMC eliminating the need for further anchoring. Scheduled for availability in early Summer, 1997, the APC will have an estimated MSRP of $19,995.

Large HMC is More Versatile, Increases Productivity

Large travels, high tool capacity and increased productivity at an affordable price. Thats what sets the new Haas HS-2RP horizontal machining center apart from the rest of the pack. With generous travels of 38" x 33" x 30" (xyz), this traveling column, 4-axis HMC is perfect for machining large parts. The built-in rotary table and pallet changer further increase flexibility and boost production. Weighing more than 25,000 lbs, this versatile HMC features massive castiron construction and triangulated wide-stance castings. Internally reinforced with heavy ribs, these castings resist flex and damp vibration to provide accuracy of 0.0002" and repeatability of 0.0001". The high-productivity, servo-driven pallet changer allows a workpiece to be machined on one pallet, while the other pallet is loaded or unloaded outside the machine. Each 500-mm pallet easily handles payloads up to 1,200 lbs, and indexer accuracy is 15 arc-sec, with repeatability of 10 arc-sec. A standard 15-hp motor drives the spindle to speeds of 7,500 rpm through a vibration-isolated, 2-speed gearbox. This powerful geared head provides low-end cutting torque for hard steels, as well as high speeds for superb finishes. High-speed, brushless servo motors provide rapids up to 710 ipm to further reduce cycle times, and a 22-hp, 10,000-rpm spindle is available as an option. The 40-pocket (40 taper) automatic tool changer moves with the column for faster tool changes, and is fully enclosed to protect tool tapers from chips and coolant. Tool-to-tool changes are 8 seconds, with chip-to-chip times of 10 seconds. To reduce downtime, an automatic, load-sensing chip conveyor removes chips from the enclosure, and automatically reverses should a jam occur. Driving the HS-2RP is the highly-refined and user-friendly Haas CNC control. Featuring dual, high-speed 32-bit processors and program execution speeds up to 1,000 blocks per second, the Haas control is FANUC and YASNAC compatible. Exclusive Haas OneTouch features, such as OneTouch power-up and OneTouch tool offset, further increase productivity by reducing normally complex functions to the push of a single button. Contact Haas Automation for full details about VMCs, HMCs, CNC Turning Centers and a full line of Rotary Tables and accessories 800-331-6746.

Big-Bore Lathe Provides Large Capacity, Small Footprint

Shops having limited floor space, but needing a lathe with larger bar-feed capacity and higher power, will appreciate the new HL-2 Big Bore (BB) precision CNC lathe from Haas Automation, Inc. Haas starts with their shopproven HL-2 lathe with programmable tailstock, then adds a healthy dose of features from their larger HL-4. The result is the HL-2BB a high-capacity CNC lathe with a compact footprint. (Also available without tailstock as an HL-1BB.) This powerful machine features a maximum turning diameter of 10", a maximum part length of 20", and a 20" swing over the front apron. It comes with a 10" chuck, and allows bar-feeding up to 2.5". A standard 30-hp motor drives the spindle to 3400 rpm for finish cuts, and provides 283 ft-lbs of torque for heavy cutting operations. Brushless AC servo motors provide rapids of 710 ipm, and the standard 10-position, automatic tool turret indexes tools in one second. A tool presetter, parts catcher and chip auger are available as options. With prices starting as low as $65,900, Haas Big Bore CNC lathes are the perfect fit for shops seeking large capacity with a small footprint.

New Lathe Provides Large Capacity, More Versatility

Manufacturers and job shops alike will appreciate the generous travels, large workpiece capacity and competitive prices of Haas Automations new HL-6 CNC lathe with programmable tailstock. With a maximum turning diameter of 25", maximum part length of 44" and a 40" swing, this precision CNC lathe is perfect for large, heavy-duty cutting operations. Equipped with a high-performance, 2-speed gearbox, the HL-6 provides 1,250 ft-lbs of peak torque at 200 rpm for low-speed, hightorque cutting. Yet, the lathes 30-hp motor provides spindle speeds to 2,500 rpm for finish cuts. So, whether youre taking heavy rough cuts in hardened stainless, or you need mirror finishes on aluminum alloy, the HL-6 has what it takes. A robust 15" hydraulic chuck comes standard on the HL-6, and the spindles 458" thru-hole allows bar feed operations up to 4". The standard 10-position, automatic tool turret rapidly indexes tools in one second, and a tool presetter and chip auger are available as options. Built of heavily-ribbed, American-made iron castings, the HL-6 utilizes Haas exclusive anti-flex, torque-tube design for superior rigidity. Weighing in at 21,000 lbs, this rugged machine completely damps normal machining vibrations, providing positioning accuracy of 0.0002", repeatability of 0.0001", and superb surface finishes. A programmable hydraulic tailstock, with wide-spaced linear guides and 44" of travel, further ensures high accuracy. At the heart of the HL-6 lathe is the highly-refined and user-friendly Haas CNC control. Built around the operator, this control is constantly being improved to ensure optimum performance. Featuring dual, highspeed 32-bit processors, and program execution speeds to 1,000 blocks per second, the

Haas control is fully FANUC and YASNAC compatible. This, along with unique Haas OneTouch features, such as OneTouch power-up and OneTouch tool offset, combine to establish the Haas control as the industrys benchmark for productivity and ease-of-use.

26

CNC MACHINING

SUMMER

1997

WWW.HAASCNC.COM

27

Aerospace C ose-Up
Continued from page 10

surface finishes, he said. And, the geared head allows heavier, deeper rough cuts without stalling the machine, which further shortens cycle times. One of the main challenges for Newman Machine Works is machining complex shapes out of stainless steels, while maintaining high accuracy and short cycle times that will keep them profitable. Predominantly, our work is 15-5PH stainless, Howell said. We do a lot of 3-axis machining and blending, with heavy roughing in hard materials, combined with complex shapes. Just about everything we do requires multiple set ups, he said. A recent military job is a perfect example of the challenges faced by Newman. The task was to machine a 109-lb piece of 15-5PH stainless plate, 8" x 39" x 1.25", into a mount for a new missile being adapted to the Navys F-14 fighter. The finished part weighed a mere 6 pounds, and had to meet stringent military specifications. From the blueprint, Howell worked out the tooling needed for the part, which consisted of a base plate and a main fixture plate. Since the parts length exceeded the x-travel of the VF-2, re-fixturing was required half-way through the operation. To insure accuracy and repeatability, location pins were set using the Haas. Im able to trust this machine (VF-2) to give me locations that are jig-bore accurate, Howell said. With the tooling determined, the part was laid out on a CAM system, the data was translated and the operations extracted. The program was uploaded to the Haas VF-2 via the 3.5" floppy drive. Then, the part was proved out, first in wood, then in aluminum. The first step was to rough cut the part and get it ready for heat treating. We hogged off all the excess material, bringing the part to 21 lbs and leaving approximately 0.100" per surface, Howell said. The original program for this operation clocked out at 10 hours, he said, but with the Haas, I was

Haas VF-2s were fitted with the optional chip conveyor. This augerstyle conveyor automatically removes chips from the enclosure to eliminate down-time. The chip conveyor is a great idea, Howell said. I just use M codes to turn it on and off during the program, and we are able to haul chips out the whole time without opening the doors. I think the coolant nozzles the

is reduced. Plus, once programmed, P-Cool makes the changes automatically for each of the following parts. Howell found he had no trouble programming with the Haas control. Having a background in many different controls, including FANUC, he fell right into it, he said. In fact, two of the programs were running currently I wrote at the Haas control. I just punched them into MDI (Manual Data Input), then renamed them into memory

same control, all the same programming everybody understands it. Our interest is high profitability, and I think that standardization, and staying with the Haas family of machines, really is a strategic move for us that will pay dividends, Goodreau said. At Newman Machine Works, theyve invested in their future by purchasing new CNC equipment. Their improved ability to machine

A 3/4" carbide endmill is used for the finish cuts on the F-14 missile mount. Feed rate is 10 ipm at 800-900 rpm.

able to increase my feed rates and knock that down to 7 hours per part. The result was nearly a 30% reduction in cycle time. I was surprised at the rigidity I was seeing, and the cuts we were taking, Howell said. I like to program aggressively, and on other machines I would have to pull back on my program feeds and speeds to keep from stalling the spindle. On the Haas, I did not have to pull back my feed rates. In fact, I was able to increase my aggressive programming, he said. When asked about problems stalling the Haas machines, Howell replied Ive tried. Ive pushed it right up to a constant 80% spindle load, and it ran for hours with a 1" endmill taking a pretty good cut in 15-5 stainless. The geared head allows heavier, deeper rough cuts without stalling the machine. Other machines would have stalled under the same conditions. I definitely can say I push harder on the Haas machines, Howell said. Once roughed out, the part was sent for heat treating, and a blanch and grind operation to ensure straightness. The next step was to finish cut

the 21-lb piece down to the final weight of 6 lbs. After heat treating the material was harder, but we still didnt have any trouble, Howell said. We switched to carbide end mills, and TICN-coated cobalt, and were able to finish the parts in 4 hours. Feed rates on the finish cuts were close to 10 ipm using a 34" carbide endmill at 800-900 rpm. Considering the tool life I got, I probably could have gone faster, Howell said. I probably could have increased my rpm and feed rate and cut another 30-45 minutes off each part. Even at the faster rates, were able to get a finer finish (than on other machines). Howell said he likes the Haas VF-2s because of how much power theyve got to push a big endmill through hard materials, then follow it up by holding a fine tolerance. How solid the machine is has a lot to do with the accuracy, Howell said. The Haas machine definitely gives a better surface finish because of its rigidity. Machining a 109-lb plate down to a 6 lbs finished part creates a lot of chips, so Howell was grateful their

Harold Howell displays heat-treated and finished versions of an F-14 missile mount he machines out of 15-5PH stainless on a Haas VF-2.

best, though, Howell said, referring to P-Cool, Haas programmable coolant nozzle option. Controlled via the program, P-Cool automatically directs coolant precisely at the part. We have the coolant nozzle changing its position with each tool, and we have the ability to program coolant location changes incrementally as tool depths change, Howell said. Using M codes, we are able to fine tune the coolant during the cut. That, I think, is fabulous. And, anyone whos ever gotten a soggy armpit from reaching inside a machine (to adjust coolant nozzles) would appreciate PCool. Because the operator doesnt have to open the door, cycle time

with a title block, so I could save them afterwards. The Haas control has a great reputation in the marketplace, said David Goodreau. I havent run a machine in years, and I was able to step up and run programs within a few hours. Its good for training, and employees take to it quickly. It gives them a sense of confidence, he said. When we started this transition, we had 6 CNC machines, and every one had a different control. It was a nightmare, Goodreau said. We could hire people who had experience with one control or another, but nobody had experience with all of them. Now, with the Haas machines, its all the

stainless steels into complex shapes, while maintaining good cycle times, will assure their success in the long term. Through the use of Haas VF-2 vertical machining centers, Newman has increased their productivity, reduced cycle times, improved accuracy and surface finish, and increased tool life. All this adds up to higher profits. Were pretty confident we can push the part enough to make money on it, and still give our customer a good price, said general manager Harold Howell. You have to be able to give the customer a high-quality part at a good price, or youre not going to be doing the part anyway.

28

CNC MACHINING

SUMMER

1997

WWW.HAASCNC.COM

29

Built to Cut Guaranteed!

98% Up-Time. Depend on It.