Billet helmet
 

Thought this was pretty cool, if not entirely practical.

5 Axis Milling Machine Demonstrates Capabilities

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I was born 30 years too early! I will never understand this stuff!

that is totally bad A$$

That is awesome. I wonder how long it took to machine?

wow, super cool, nice toy!

Incredible.
Someone spent a few minutes programing that.

these things have put a lot of machinists out of business...

Totally cool. Gotta have one.

No cooling? When they machine billet wheels, there's water flying everywhere...

must...invest...in...Al...chip/scrap...application...

Very cool. Ditto the cooling q.

The machinists I know simply grew/ learned the new tech.

The impact of that automation is just a better tool for the same job. Parts are cheaper and delivered faster than ever before.

...and they'll always get out of spec and need servicing.

More moveable parts-> more to break-> harder to repair-> specialized labor.
2 steps forward, 1 step back.

we were doing patriot missile fuel cells in alum at 10,000RPM! this was on the BIGGEST MILL IN THE STATE at karsten PING as in golf clubs. this was the proveribile poo thru a goose as far as CHIPS FLYING. sounded like a freeking machine gun going off. used helical indexable inserts on milling cutters from ISCAR


actually the helmet is NOT that big of a deal.


1st you take a CMM(coordinate measuring machine-starrett) and mark ALL "X", "Y", "Z" points, download to puter and then do yer program indicating ball mills, indexable insert mills,coolant fed mills as far as tool selection, how many passes,tolerances,DOC(depth of cut) speeds/feeds etc.


the impressive thing here is how many tools were ditched and the CYCLE TIME to produce it.



diamond coated tooling on aluminum anyday if yer machine has the HP/RPM to haul azz and the ability to remove chips once cut, as to NOT recut same chip over again.

I call this comment the "buggy whip comment" Those darn cars put the Buggy whip manufactures out of business!

Well, I guess that explains how I was able to buy a 1950s-era Bridgeport mill for my shop for $800 :D

That is exactly how I got mine! A nice lathe too. I still want a small five axis but that is going to take a lot of explaining :)

And automobiles put a lot of horse caretakers out of business. :rolleyes:

Give me a break. Progress my man. Adapt or die. That's the way of nature, the universe and society. But then again you're one of those people that thinks we should be subsidizing and propping up every failing/outdated industry with taxpayer dollars so I guess I understand.

POP needed to inject a little politics.

. .and

Milt needed to inject a little judgment.

.. and

island needed to inject a little sarcasm.


So . . . what's new?

:D

I would like to know the starting weight of the block of Al and the finished weight and total time of machining.

I doubt a CMM was involved with making this. They probably went right off the CAD model that they make the molds from, but I could be wrong.

I consider it injecting a little reality.