4-Axes Taig Micro Mill Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Conversion
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Wednesday, September 20, 2023 08:59:54 AM
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4-Axes CNC Micro Mill,
Pre-CNC Baseline,
Mach3 Interface,
Path Tracing Tool,
Involute Gears,
Z-Offset Gauge Animation,
CNC Bench
CNC Lathe
System Schematic
My Taig CNC
Movie
CNCzone
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Mach3 Configuration
Mach3 Manual
Add-ons for Mill Manual
4-Axes CNC Micro Mill
Baseline configuration for the 4-axes, CNC-converted, Taig mill.
A 25MB video of a
circular pocket milled in machinable plastic.
There are different methods for measuring backlash.
For the Taig mill, check the
lead screw adjustable nuts for tightness.
The nuts that hold the couplers must also be snug
but
over tightening will damage the bearings. Sometimes, gently
tapping the coupler with a rubber mallet before tightening,
helps. Loose
couplers are a very common cause of
excessive backlash. Then, lubricate the lead screws,
ways, & move the
axes multiple times prior to the check.
For a CNC machine put
a 0.0001" indicator in the
spindle.
Using your controller, set the increment to
0.0001" &
continue to bump it until you load the indicator 0.003.
Then reverse the motion &
bump it 0.0001" increments
in the opposite direction until the indicator
reads 0.002.
Count the total number
of times you moved it
0.0001" to get the 0.002" reading &
subtract 10.
The remaining number is
your backlash in 0.0001.
For a manual machine, turn the crank until
it reads zero
on the dial &
zero the indicator.
Then reverse the crank until the indicator moves.
Reading the dial will give you the backlash.
Pre-CNC Baseline
Pre-CNC Taig Mill with a DRO, ER-16 spindle &
12" travel table.
The DRO has since been
removed for the addition of the CNC system.
The
X-axis lead screw motor was removed.
Mach3 Interface
Original Mach3 Screen Set.
More books on CNC machining.
Mach3 main screen showing among many
other things, the DROs. Mach3 setup tutorial.
Clean, high resolution
screen sets & the MPG
can remain displayed without covering the
Mach3 panel. Pressing the tab key toggles
the Mach3 Mill Manual Pulse
Generator or
MPG mode ON & OFF. There are several errors:
Tab indicators not "lighted",
spindle
spelled wrong in numerous locations, & the
Simple Run tab has mirrored DRO
information.
These are poor ergonomics.
Path Tracing Tool
Original spring-loaded
3/8" shank
ink pen cartridge
holder for tracing tool paths on paper.
Its diameter &
length clears the spindle's through hole. The cartridge body is
7mm.
Cap held on
using three, 2-56 set screws.
The pen tip is tapered so it loosened slightly when
depressed.
It worked better than expected but a new design is
used that has a
constant-diameter tip for greater accuracy.
These are traces of end mill radius off-set paths.
See
the
updated tracing
tool design.
ABS plastic machines well using
2-flute carbide end mills at
5500 RPM.
Involute Gears
0.021" thick brass
involute gears.
Involute gear animation.
A
4.000" height, Z-axis tool length setting gauge (USA).
Z-Offset
Gauge Animation
Z-axis offset animation showing an end
mill being set at 4.000" above the vise
bed.
A 3.000" height offset gauge.
An adjustable, brass, over-travel
stop was added so
the needle can only
turn less than one revolution.
Needle-based, Z-offset gauges set the mill more
quickly & accurately than
illuminated or digital types.
All critical surfaces of the parts, including the round post
ends, were
precision surface ground for high accuracy.
Animation showing a 2.000" tool offset height being set
on the
Taig CNC Z-axis using the
MPG in step mode.
Circular pocket. See the
Turner's Cube
or an
example of multiple circular pockets.
Hexagonal pocket for a die.
CNC produced 13 x 19.8mm cut-outs for five, front
rack-mount
(aluminum) panel snap-in rocker switches.
CNC Bench
Pre-CNC bench preparation (above).
To reduce their
exposure to
swarf, the
μATX computer, breakout board box, &
stepper motor controller
are
tucked up underneath
the
bench on a high shelf.
The shelf has a 1.5-inch gap
along the back for ventilation
& cords.
The bench's
side & back have been
closed off using " particle board.
The board makes a sturdy mounting surface for
the shelf brackets & further
stiffens the bench.
The large
hole for the
wires is below
the shelf
surface in case any debris enters from the back.
Steel anchors attach the bench to the concrete wall.
The (blue) wired WAN from the house router is to the left.
The MPG added an
additional E-stop.
Its springy cord
needed a strain relief clamp.
Both fans blow air outward.
Have not seen
any swarf on or
inside of the electronics.
Everything is running at cool temperatures.
Installed a green LED for
the breakout box power.
The CPU, LCD, opto-isolation, safety charge pump, &
pendant interfaces are protected by a computer monitored
uninterruptable power supply (UPS) while the stepper motor
control circuit
is protected by a standard surge protector.
An upgraded Back-UPS ES 550 having
computer monitoring
software connected via a USB.
Rotate-to-unlock style
E-stops were installed to the left
&
right of the mill. The pendant has an E-stop button, too.
A compact quartz halogen goose-neck magnetic-base
lamp (manual)
is attached to a metal
plate screwed to the
bench.
Stepper motor cable routings. To the right, they
enter
underneath the bench edge to reduce swarf entry.
Task Light
Halogen task light.
I used several electrical box
covers to give the magnet a good base to grip.
4-Axes CNC Micro Mill,
Pre-CNC Baseline,
Mach3 Interface,
Path Tracing Tool,
Involute Gears,
Z-Offset Gauge Animation,
CNC Bench
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