Getting a New PM-1054 Going

Here is the surface finish that I am getting, trying as hard as I can. No matter how you look at it, this is not good enough.

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I'm sure someone with chime in with some suggestions to improve the finish. I'd be guessing.

Bruce
 
erikmannie said:
Here is the surface finish that I am getting, trying as hard as I can. No matter how you look at it, this is not good enough.
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Please identify your specific face mill and the inserts you are using. Without this info, it‘s hard to know how to help. If you’re using the Glacern FM45 with the General Purpose Kolroy inserts for steel (SECA34-PC3500), l would be running that cutter at 550 RPM on 1018 steel with a Feed rate of about 12 IPM. It looks to me like you’re recutting some chips, so set up some air to blow them off the material if surface finish is your goal and speed up your feed rates. Where is the vibration? Head? Ram? Whole machine? Do you have the knee and ram dovetail locks engaged? If your mill is rocking on it’s feet, that can telegraph through to your surface finish. Did you re-tram your mill after the crash?
 
davidpbest said:
Please identify your specific face mill and the inserts you are using. Without this info, it‘s hard to know how to help. If you’re using the Glacern FM45 with the General Purpose Kolroy inserts for steel (SECA34-PC3500), l would be running that cutter at 550 RPM on 1018 steel with a Feed rate of about 12 IPM. It looks to me like you’re recutting some chips, so set up some air to blow them off the material if surface finish is your goal and speed up your feed rates. Where is the vibration? Head? Ram? Whole machine? Do you have the knee and ram dovetail locks engaged? If your mill is rocking on it’s feet, that can telegraph through to your surface finish. Did you re-tram your mill after the crash?
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Thank you for helping, David. The facing mill is indeed the Glacern 2” integral R8 shank. See below for a picture of the inserts that I’m using.

I have *not* rechecked the tram since the crash. Let’s also note that the tram that I did do only used a machinist square and 1-2-3 blocks.

The x- and z-axes, quill, tilt, nod, ram and turret are all locked for this y-axis power feed face milling operation.

I am unable to use my body to rock the milling machine back and forth (at all!) while it is turned off, but the whole machine will vibrate in proportion to the DOC, starting at about .020”. It seems clear to me that I’m going to need to bolt it to the concrete.

Can I even make tiny DOCs with these inserts? Sometimes I only want to cut .001” or so.

At some point, I will need to make notes of the feed rates (in IPM) on my power feeds. You understand that these power feed units have potentiometers that go from 0 to 9.

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A quick check of Kennametal's website suggests you're going WAYYYY too slow in both speed and feed for those inserts. Unless I'm running the numbers wrong...

Kennametal says that a starting point should be:

- 1450 - 1780SFM == ~2800-3400 RPM for a 2" diameter cutter
- 0.003 - 0.021 inches per tooth == 36 - 250 inches per minute for a 4-insert cutter at 3000 RPM

That's probably near the top of your RPM range, and about as fast as you can possibly crank the handle.

Scary business.....
 
JRaut said:
A quick check of Kennametal's website suggests you're going WAYYYY too slow in both speed and feed for those inserts. Unless I'm running the numbers wrong...

Kennametal says that a starting point should be:

- 1450 - 1780SFM == ~2800-3400 RPM for a 2" diameter cutter
- 0.003 - 0.021 inches per tooth == 36 - 250 inches per minute for a 4-insert cutter at 3000 RPM

That's probably near the top of your RPM range, and about as fast as you can possibly crank the handle.

Scary business.....
Click to expand...
@JRaut post your link reference please. I'm looking at the following (Speeds tab), and don't see recommendations for his KC510M grade with steel, but the closest thing to it, has SFM's more in the 500-900 range. I have a face mill similar to his, and there's no way I'd run it at the speed you mention on steel - aluminum yes, but not steel.

Chamfer Mills - Indexable Inserts • KISBR-45

Inserts for Chamfer Mill • SEHW - 1556253
www.kennametal.com www.kennametal.com
 
Ah, I was looking at grade KCPK30 for group P1 steel.

You're right @davidpbest, they don't have any recommendations for surface speeds in steel. Wonder why that is.

Also -- agree with @davidpbest that you're probably re-cutting chips. I suspect that speeding up your feed rate will eliminate a lot of the perceived vibration issues.
 
The first thing I would recommend is to tram your mill with a dial indicator. I bet you will find that it off.

Something else to consider. From Kennametal's web site it looks like KC510M insert is primarily use is for aluminum. It also says it can be used for steel and hardened steel.

So, why not just say it is good for general purpose?

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