Crash!!!

[Powder Keg]

I was running the big mill at work on Thursday. Several people waiting on a part I was working on. Things started to go wrong around me. The other mill I run lost its mind. The tool changer started to forget what tool it had or that it was still holding one??? The part everybody was waiting on was welded up 5/8" too tall. The only option was to mill it off. I was taking .050 deep passes and adjusting the fixture off set after every pass. I got to -.550 and accidentally punched in -5.500 with out catching it. I ended up rapiding (400 IPM) into the part with the cutter spinning about 500 RPM's. It sure got exciting. Luckily it all worked out and I got the part done. But I did have to send the cutter off to get rebuilt.

~Wes~

[AdeV]

Have you noticed how the E-stop really isn't that fast a stop when it's all going pear shaped?

I only crashed one cutter so far with the CNC, luckily it was a big manly cutter, and the mill quit before either cutter or workpiece.

[Powder Keg]

Your lucky if you can even find the E stop when needed The cutter I crashed was a 5" facing mill with 9 carbide inserts. I think they cost about $900. 5 of the insert pockets were completely destroyed. Lucky I had a back up cutter off the other mill

They need a E stop that works off Butt hole pressure But I'd hate to wear that every day And you'd end up tripping over the wire all the time. Scratch that. It was a bad idea

~Wes~

[DavidA]

I called in to my old works a couple of days ago to see how they were getting along. First thing I noticed was that one of the milling machines was stripped down.
"What's happening with the Invicta"? says I.
The shop foreman hesitated a bit then related the following tale.

He had been using the machine the day before . Setting the traverse stops for a particular job.
In the late afternoon he had an identical job to do,  so he clamped it down,  fired up the miller and went off to do something else.
What he didn't know was that someone else had come in the machine shop and,  because the stop was in the way for his job, Had removed it completely.
When the forman returned, attracted by the horrible graunching noise, the sturdy but somewhat suicidal Invicta had set about devouring itself.
So, it is now going to cost around £500 to get a replacement worm wheel set.

Just shows,  you don't have to be young to do stupid things.  Always check the travel stops before leaving the machine.

Dave.

[AdeV]

Your lucky if you can even find the E stop when needed The cutter I crashed was a 5" facing mill with 9 carbide inserts. I think they cost about $900. 5 of the insert pockets were completely destroyed. Lucky I had a back up cutter off the other mill

Ouch. You're not wrong about the location of the e-stops, two within easy reach, and I missed them both...

They need a E stop that works off Butt hole pressure But I'd hate to wear that every day And you'd end up tripping over the wire all the time. Scratch that. It was a bad idea

Scratching, that would be difficult too... and the system could be foiled by a hot curry the night before...

[Stilldrillin]

Used to make a living as a miller, with a Takisawa machining centre.
Crashes happened, occasionally. Every couple of years, or so....... 

But, not often enough to remember instinctively to hit the E stop, or even, at that precise moment where it was, precisely....... 

It was amazing how everything went into slow motion. When it was already too late, and things had stopped of their own accord........   

Still hit the thing, anyway. While everyone else in the shop, cheered!     

 David D