CNC Machining Blog - Tips and Tricks for Machinists

A while back, I received a comment on one of my previous blog posts asking how to designate 5-axis transform planes using IJK UVW vector tokens instead of the traditional ABC rotary axis designations on their 5-axis CNC machine. Instead of just replying to that comment, I thought I would write this post as a response. Since this will be a continuation of the 5-axis CNC basics series, I suggest that you read and understand using IJK tool vectors as a pre-cursor to this article. 

The idea behind creating a 5-axis transform plane using vectors is exactly the same as programming tool movement with IJK tool vectors on any machine with a fifth axis. However, the difference lies in the fact that you will have two separate vectors: one using IJK and the other using UVW. The reason you need two separate “legs” for this function is because you cannot designate a plane with only one axis. I will use the floor inside a room as my analogy: you could not create a floor in a room without having at least two walls. With only one, the floor would simply spin around that single axis and could actually point in literally any direction. To accommodate the two legs of the transform plane, and because we want to determine the direction of the Z-axis ultimately, we will use the X-axis and Y-axis as our legs, or walls of the desired transform plane.

Today’s Hurco users are well aware of the term SFQ, or Select Surface Finish Quality, on the Hurco control, and probably have a pretty good idea about which settings work best for them – however, many of them probably don’t realize what is actually going on behind the scenes, and what those settings actually mean or how they affect the machine’s behavior.

Over the years, Hurco has partnered with many tooling companies. Recently I received a link from G.W. Shultz, that showed a video of one of thier tools cutting 422 Stainless Steel, on a Hurco VMX30HSi High Speed milling machine - at some pretty impressive speeds. The information listed in the video comment section says: "Pushing the G.W. Schultz Tool HGW40250-01 to 1000SFM in 422 Stainless Steel".

I'm acting as guest blogger for Mike Cope today because he took a vacation day to honor veterans as he has done each Veteran's Day for the past 17 years with his best buddy and Navy veteran Dave. Mike has many interests, but he is passionate about patriotism and serving veterans and active duty military personnel. Therefore, he takes Veteran's Day seriously...it is just one of the days during the year that he gives back to local veterans through honor and service. Professionally, Mike is the go-to guy when it comes to understanding how the Hurco control makes machinists more productive and shops more profitable. He knows the control inside and out, and helps all of us make sure the end user understands the value of the multitude of software features WinMax provides. 

Previously, I posted an article titled “5-Axis Machining: It just ain’t that scary,” and to date it has been one of the most popularly read articles in my blog series. So, I'm expanding on that article and diving deeper into what can be done with 5-axis machining to show that even the advanced features of 5-axis really aren't anything more than multi-axis common sense, when you break it down.

Hurco recently partnered with Modern Machine Shop magazine for an educational online 5-axis webinar, called: “Take Five for 5-Axis”. It was very well received by everyone who attended, and the feedback afterward was outstanding. In this webinar, I try to present this information in a very simple way, and attempt to explain things in a manner that even those who have no history of 5-axis machining can understand it. After all, that was the intention…to educate and teach!

Should you buy a new or used CNC machine for your shop? Does taking the time to train your machinists really pay off?

Hi, I'm Maggie Smith, and I'm hijacking Mike Cope's blog this week. The questions this blog post addresses arose after Mike visited a machine shop in New Jersey. As a product technical specialist, Mike visits shops throughout the US. When Mike returned from his New Jersey trip, he told us about his experience, and I thought it would be good information to share with his readers. 

PUBLISHED: NOV. 7, 2014 

UPDATED: AUG. 3, 2023

When people hear the term “automation,” it usually conjures visions of high-production processes, where shops are running hundreds of thousands of the same part. But in today’s ever-changing and increasingly competitive industry, that is not always the case. Just like many small job shops have begun to migrate toward 5-axis machines to increase multi-sided part efficiency, those same shops are also beginning to move toward automation to help them increase profits.

To understand and begin this migration toward automation, you first must understand and buy in to the ideas of standardization and palletization. Winning in the game of high-mix, low-volume part manufacturing means reducing spindle downtime. The first step towards winning that battle is standardizing your setup process. At the end of the day, you can only invoice for the parts that you have completed. So, reducing idle time between jobs is a crucial step to getting more done in a typical eight-hour shift.