Setup and Operation Classes (machining center and turning center)
Fully mastering the use of a CNC machine tool requires an understanding of
three distinctly different disciplines. First, a CNC program must be developed.
This, of course, is the responsibility of a CNC programmer. Second, the machine
must be made ready to run workpieces. This is the responsibility of a CNC setup
person. And finally, the machine must run the workpieces in the production run.
While some companies utilize the same person that sets up the machine, many
companies utilize a different person to complete production runs - the CNC
operator.
These two courses address two of the three disciplines - setup and
completing production runs. (Another two courses are available to help you
learn CNC programming.) You'll learn the tasks required to make setups and
complete production runs. We use a task-oriented approach. That is, we go
through the various tasks related to setup and completing production runs in
the approximate order that jobs are run on the CNC machine tool. This will
provide you with a logical, step-by-step method of learning the related topics.
The need for hands-on experience - Right up front we want to
acknowledge the need for actual hands-on practice (practice that is not
provided in this course) to fully master the tasks shown in this course. The
only way you'll get this practice is to work for a CNC-using company. But
equally important is the need to understand the concepts related to
setup and operation. Indeed, the need to understand these usage concepts may be
even more important.
Compare this to becoming an airplane pilot. Before an
aspiring pilot will spend any real time in the cockpit of an airplane, they
must understand the fundamentals of aerodynamics and flight. They receive this
training in ground school. Think of this class as like your ground
school for CNC. You'll learn what it takes to setup and run CNC machine
tools (again, there's one class for machining center setup and operation and
another for turning center setup and operation). Just as person will little
hope of becoming a pilot without attending ground school, neither will a person
have any hope of becoming a successful setup person or operator without first
understanding the concepts presented in these classes.
Key Concepts and Lessons (Machining Center Setup and Operation):
Get ready to learn about CNC machining centers
Lesson One: Basic machining
practices required for machining centers
Lesson Two: What does a CNC machining center do?
Know your machine from a setup
person’s or operator’s viewpoint
Lesson Three: General flow of CNC process
Lesson Four: Machine
configurations
Lesson Five: Understanding the
control panels
Lesson Six: Important
procedures needed to run the machine
Know the three compensation
types
Lesson Seven: Understanding
compensation
Lesson Eight: Fixture offsets
and assigning program zero
Lesson Nine: Tool length
compensation
Lesson Ten: Cutter radius
compensation
Master the tasks to run a CNC machining center
Lesson Eleven: Tasks related to
making setups
Lesson Twelve: Tasks related to
completing a production run
Key Concepts and Lessons (Turning Center Setup and Operation):
Key Concept number one:
Get ready to learn about CNC turning centers
Lesson One: Basic
machining practices required for turning centers
Lesson Two: What does a
CNC turning do?
Key Concept number two:
Know your machine from a setup person’s or operator’s viewpoint
Lesson Three: General
flow of
CNC process
Lesson Four: Machine
configurations
Lesson Five:
Understanding the control panels
Lesson Six: Important
procedures needed to run the machine
Key Concept number
three: Know the three compensation types
Lesson Seven:
Understanding compensation
Lesson Eight: Geometry
offsets and assigning program zero
Lesson Nine: Wear
offsets
Lesson Ten: Tool nose
radius compensation
Key Concept number four:
Master the tasks to run a CNC turning center
Lesson Eleven: Tasks
related to making setups
Lesson Twelve: Tasks
related to completing a production run
