MAXNC HELP

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Here is a good one... however, by downloading and using this file you accept full responsibility for your actions. You agree as well to hold DeArmond Tool and any of it's associates free from any litigation. ALWAYS USE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS!

A "POCKET" is an area cut into material with a border left around it. It can be ANY shape, depth, or even multiple depths! This is a simple FLAT BOTTOM pocket.

Here is a simple pocket file all ready to go. If you want to VIEW the file just to study it, Left Click on the link below. To Download the file and cut it... follow the steps below. This will cut a simple pocket in your material. It will look like this....
This is the pocket the file will cut... you are looking down on it from above. If you will look at the lines in the pocket, you will notice they are in a SPIRAL. You can cut a pocket in two ways... horizontal...(back and forth) or in a spiral. Spiral cuts will usually yield a smoother cut around the outside edge of a pocket, The mill is told by the "G" code to start at the center of the pocket and work outward. IF this were a horizontal cut, the mill would start at the edge of the pocket and cut from right to left, left to right and so on until the pocket was complete.

If you need a test file that you know works... try this simple pocket cut. The "G" code is 100% complete. The travel speed while cutting is set to 2" per minute! This is slow... but we did this so you could really watch the machine work for a few minutes. Good materials for testing would be....Aluminum, Brass, Wood, Wax, Butter board, etc.

We have done our best to keep these simple and complete instructions...if you see something we left out, please let us know... This is after all, meant to help!
 

Do this to save and cut the pocket!

1....Right Click on the "Click Here For Test File" Link below. When the box shows up... left click on the "save link as" selection... then save the file to a directory on your computer. Click Here To Get The Code
 

2.... Go to that directory and re-name the file tstpoc.t or any other name you prefer.... as long as it ends in .t .......NO! We haven't lost our tiny minds... .t is what the MAX program recognizes. ;-)

3..... Put the file on a disc, and transfer the file to the computer hooked to your mill. On that computer... put the file in the MAXNC directory. The hard part is over!

4..... Put a piece of material in your milling vise at least 1.5" square. and 1/4" thick. Make sure it is level in all directions.

5..... Put a 1/8" end mill cutter in the spindle.

6.....Start the "MAX" controller program and using the jog keys.... zero the X & Y axis. The zero point for this "G" code program is in the bottom left corner of your material when facing the mill from the front! Using the jog keys, center the cutter on the X & Y axis so that it is half "on" and half "off " the material. When done correctly, the bottom left corner of your material will be in the center of the cutting tool. ...read that last sentence again! Sorry, it just needs to be said that way!

7......Using the jog keys, lower the "Z" axis down to the surface of the material. For the first few times, place a piece of paper under the cutter during this step....move the piece of paper around on the material surface while using the SLOW jog to lower the "Z" axis. The instant the cutter stops the paper from moving...STOP! Try this a few times for practice.

8.....Make sure the tstpoc.t file is the one loaded... There is a box on the Max screen that tells you. If it is NOT loaded...load the program.

9......Here Goes! Make sure everything is clear of the cutting tool. NOTE! ON the CL versions of the MAXNC mills, the spindle starts automatically!!!  STAY CLEAR!  If your Mill is an O L series... Turn on the spindle. Rev it up! Better too fast than too slow! Now... if you stopped the "Z" axis correctly in step 7..... you just now cut NO material.... REMEMBER.... you had the thickness of the paper as clearance. ;-)

10.....Press "2" on the keyboard...... Sit back and watch!

WHAT TO EXPECT..... The first thing that will happen is the "Z" axis will raise .15" for safety clearance. Then, the "X & Y" Axis will move the material under the cutter to the starting point. The "Z" axis will drop to -.063" (approx 1/16") into the material. From here the SPIRAL cut starts, cutting until the pocket is approx. 1.25" across in both directions. Last, the "Z" axis will raise back to it's .15" safety height and the "X & Y" axis will return to zero position.

Study the code... learn from comparing the paragraph above to it what in the code makes the "Z" axis Move Up. As well, What Makes the "X"&Y" axis return to zero when finished. Learning this will help you easily edit your own "G" code to make sure it runs smooth!

We hope this worked for you and helped!

Simple But Important! As machine operators & owners, we all worry about that word...."ACCURACY". Each & Every customer asks me.... What tolerance will the machine hold???? The truth is.... usually more than "WE" hold! ;-)

Proper Vise ...or Material Alignment is vital to good machining. The easiest way for most of us is this.....

There are other ways to do this that are highly accurate using indicators & etc.. But, for the most part, and with a little practice, this will get you extremely close! A Parallel??? You can buy a set of Parallels... they are bars of steel ground to highly accurate measurements.....meaning that the sides are EXACTLY parallel to one another. Even the imports are usually good!

All of these things have an effect on proper spindle speeds!

• Material Type

• Tool Diameter

• Tool Material

• Number Of  Flutes On The Tool

• Depth Of Cut

• Linear Travel Speed

However, for this short course it will suffice to say....."Too Fast Is Better Than Too Slow!" Slow spindle speed combined with slightly too much depth of cut or linear travel speed breaks cutters! Place your spindle belt in the middle set of pulley grooves. This gives you a good range of spindle speeds and torque.

The rule for beginners is to start fast and slow it down if you can.  Smaller cutters must turn faster and have a slower travel speed combined with a more shallow cut to avoid breakage. A good tool to learn with is a .125"  2 Flute Carbide End Mill. (available in our products section)

You can watch cutting results and chips to determine close to what a proper setting is... remember, you want CHIPS... not DUST! As well, if you are working in plastics, waxes, and some woods.... you will burn or melt the surface with too fast a speed...break the cutter with too little speed. you will quickly get a feel for what is right.

One Word of CAUTION..... Always have proper ventilation when cutting. Even with optimal spindle speeds you may have fine particles that are suspended in the air no matter what the material. A shop-vac attached to the spindle head and properly routed will sure save a lot of mess! ENJOY!