Hi Joe, The blue flashing light===>> German police car hidden in the controller.... ;) Got a 4 months training on CNC lathe and machining center, that was some years ago, though, I think it was on a Fanuc controller, finally never worked with those after, I can't go without feeling the machine through the handles... And now, my shop is so small that it would be impossible to even fit even an extra grinder... Even less a machine that requires 20Kw of power to run... This presentation, take away the spinning of the camera, is a real good overview of what a CNC machine is about with all the different parameters, tool position, offsets, speeds, advance, movements, axis, etc.... Now, the younger ones ( Up to about 70 yo. ) can't ignore this to progress in the machining world... ;) Cheers, Pierre
I had the opportunity to ride a motorcycle across Belgium, Germany and the Czech republic a few years back. We were deep in the black forest of Germany and a pair of those blue flashing lights came out of nowhere, tailed us for a few miles, and vanished just as quick. Didn't see him coming and didn't see him leave. You may be right about that light. You have inspired me to fabricate a stabilizer for my GoPro camera. Its long overdue and not that complicated. Part 3 of this series is already shot, but 4 and on should be noticeably better. Always good to get a comment from you Pierre. Stay well.
Very interesting, I like how you started from the very beginning and are progressing slowly. I am a manual machinist and have never run a CNC machine...thanks Oh and your teaching skills are getting better with each video!
Joe you could always video or still shot the V parameters as a visual backup for your machine and anyone having the same model machine to check. And also any other pages that you know the settings to be correct on if for no other reason then for your own good. Just incase for some reason those were ever changed, stranger things have been known to happen around computers. Showing Joe the love thumbs up and shared in the RUclips Machinist group of over 2,300 and suggesting they likewise show Joe the love and sub.
I have a hard copy of them in the machine service manual. i am not sure they are the same for all machines, but I do have a backup. That V screen is taboo for me. I never go there on my own.
I run a Fadal 60 30 at work and thought I'd watch this series to see if I can pick up a few things that I may have missed. I started as an apprentice about 7 years ago on manual and CNC machines, am qualified now but still have lots to learn. Very informative videos. Would just like to do a quick mention that on one of the menu screens is 3-Zero return this also sends the machine back to the home position and is my preferred method. Also, when in Jog mode if you hold down the jog button the machine will travel on its own the speed is determined by the same way you would with the hand wheel and can be fine tuned via the feed rate control. Down the bottom of the screen it displays either "H" "M" or "L" (short for High (0.100) Medium (0.010) and Low(0.001)) and next to it is "+" or "-" this depicts the speed & direction it will feed which is set by the XYZ knob and the last direction the hand wheel was turned. Very handy for basic functions if you just want to face something.
There are a bunch of required steps to make even the most basic part. Not knowing what they are is where all the fear comes from. I hope to lift that curtain for you guys.
I hope it helps. I taught myself all this stuff over time and struggled greatly with some of my obstacles. I never went to school for this. I'm just trying to clear away some of the rubble for you guys.
hey Joe I just want to say thank you for all the videos I've always wondered about how CNC machines work can't wait until the next video thanks again Ed
Joe Pieczynski I teach a manufacturing course where we do two weeks on basic CNC. Since your lathe videos i started suggesting you as great extra material. RUclips has been a great addition to their learning curve.
Another great vid Joe, this is starting to make sense when YOU explain things in machinist terms-not computereese. I bet management loves the "I can see how long the tool was used" menu ;-}
Possibly more about when that tool might need to be replaced or reground, or just to get data on how long they last for cost control. Edit: just guessing here, everything I know about CNC I have learned from this video!
All correct. Also, If you know you have a tool that starts stressing out around a certain hour mark and breaks or yields a bad part, you can be proactive and change it. If your carousel uses the same tools quite often, you can tell how old the tools are.
11:59 V1 through V100 are macro variables. For the Fadal machines, PDF manuals are readily available online. I got mine at flintmachine.com/fadal.php. For the user manual, I recommend renaming the files to include the page number range for each section.
At point 11:35 you mention Fixture Offsets and you explain that "these are 48 possible locations that you can identify on the work table". My understanding is that Part Zero is set by the programmer based on the blueprint for the part being made. You would use an edge finder to determine where a particular feature of the workpiece is located so the machine knows where that precise location is. Perhaps I missed something in my classes but in accordance with Tooling-U and my CNC Programming books Fixture Offsets are to tell the machine where the Part Zero is located in reference to Machine Zero so it knows where to perform the milling operations called for on the program. Is this different for Fanuc controllers?
Your understanding of the offset function is correct. The fixture offsets I speak of on this controller are open parking spaces in which you can enter any X-Y table location you desire. Where that location relates to your part is entirely up to you. I can place a fixture offset anywhere on the part, provided the part is against a stop, and still make a good part. It is an easier practice to place your zero position as driven by the baselines for the dimensions on the print. That makes for an easier visual review of the code for checks and problem solving.
Fadal is cool in this respect. Rather than G54, 55,56,57,58. Fadal said we are going to make our own values and call them "E" offsets. So you can have more than just 5 offset options. Now the cool thing is fadal will take a G54, but a Fanuc wont take an E1.
Very interesting to get an inside look at how these machines work. I am a software engineer and have recently taken an interest in machine tools and machining. Looking to buy a lathe and start learning and maybe one day I will get to play with a CNC mill like this one. When was this machine built? That user interface is archaic to say the least by software engineering standards. Reminds me of a linux command line. One would think these machines would have a much more user friendly interface.
Yes, that was my question too. I'm used to seeing the machine on NYC CNC which has a touchscreen with a GUI. Same functionality from what I can tell so far. It's interesting that a 50 year old lathe or milling machine can look modern but these CNC machine "look" are archaic because of the computer technology. There's some irony in that. BTW: 4 out of 4 great videos on this channel so far.
Hi Joe, when you were going through the tool offsets, how do you keep track of what each tool in that list (1,2,3, etc...) is? Sorry if you already mentioned that. Very informative series...please keep em coming! Thanks for sharing
Hi Neil. When you plan out a CNC job, you pretty much know what tool you will use for which feature. In the offset register, you can enter any number you want for the tool number it relates to. That tool number is a reserved space in the tool carousel and called up when the operation starts with the 'T#' prompt at the tool call block. I also record it on my setup sheet for repeat runs. Its an easy one to skip over. That would not end well. Good question.
Informative video Joe. A little different than the Fanuc controls but plenty similar. all the best from Toledo, OH Are you going to introduce your dog?
I would love to, but I don't have a 4th and 5th axis attachments. Its just something I never needed. Sorry but I have to say Its just not possible at this time.
Knowing that fadal is no longer around would you buy a 4020 used? They pop up used for a decent price once in a while and seeing a detailed series on the machine may make buying one an option. What year I your machine? Thanks for sharing!
I believe the machine is a 1999. Refurbished completely in 2012. There are many parts and service personnel in Texas and California. Rumor has it, The Fadal founder is considering bringing the machine back into production. I would not hesitate to buy another one.
The rebuild consisted of ball screws, an upgraded monitor, refurbished sheet metal, amplifier boards if necessary, new door panels and many other smaller items. It was part of the purchase price so I don't know the cost.
The wood dowel trick is genius. Would sticks of Chalk or Glue Sticks be ok? Chalk would snap very easy, Glue stick will just bend like a cooked noodle. Pencil would be very little force to break. I am thinking just about any soft material will work as long as the tool collet can hold it. Crayons? naw thats childs play...lol
Anything that you can hold and break will be fine. Just stay clear of the top of the part and keep one finger on that slide hold button. I actually put a sharpie marker in the holder once and drew the part on the stock for a visual reference of the final profile. Worked for me.
Hi Joe. Great series your doing here! How accurate is the homing of the machine. If you knew the exact distance from home to the corner of your vice. Then turned it off and came back the next day. Homed it. Would that distance be the same? I only ask because I used to use Okuma's. and just switched them on the next day. And pressed the cycle button. No homing required.
The home position CS is spot on. The machine knows where its home position is and you just have to be in the area when it calibrates for the day. Never a worry from day to day. Ever. Those table reference marks are just to get in the ballpark. The machine does the rest.
Thats a good question. X is l to R, Y is in and out, Z is up and down, a and B are tilt and rotate. C???? Not so sure. S is rpm, so it must be tool rotation. ( not clockwise vs counterclockwise) small movements. best guess.
Uh, Joe, i was an autoshop major before electronic ignition was marketed. You lost me at positive and negative. i'll be back when you start turning handles again.
You should hang in there Mike. The first 3 parts here are boring baseline stuff that has a direct relationship to the actual cutting op. Either way, I'll get back to the handles soon.
Thanks for so many great uploads. You do an amazing job of presenting complicated information in an understandable way.
Thank you for that.
Hi Joe,
The blue flashing light===>> German police car hidden in the controller.... ;)
Got a 4 months training on CNC lathe and machining center, that was some years ago, though, I think it was on a Fanuc controller, finally never worked with those after, I can't go without feeling the machine through the handles... And now, my shop is so small that it would be impossible to even fit even an extra grinder... Even less a machine that requires 20Kw of power to run...
This presentation, take away the spinning of the camera, is a real good overview of what a CNC machine is about with all the different parameters, tool position, offsets, speeds, advance, movements, axis, etc....
Now, the younger ones ( Up to about 70 yo. ) can't ignore this to progress in the machining world... ;)
Cheers, Pierre
I had the opportunity to ride a motorcycle across Belgium, Germany and the Czech republic a few years back. We were deep in the black forest of Germany and a pair of those blue flashing lights came out of nowhere, tailed us for a few miles, and vanished just as quick. Didn't see him coming and didn't see him leave. You may be right about that light. You have inspired me to fabricate a stabilizer for my GoPro camera. Its long overdue and not that complicated. Part 3 of this series is already shot, but 4 and on should be noticeably better. Always good to get a comment from you Pierre. Stay well.
Very interesting, I like how you started from the very beginning and are progressing slowly. I am a manual machinist and have never run a CNC machine...thanks Oh and your teaching skills are getting better with each video!
Thank you. I am trying to take this in a realistic sequence.
Joe you could always video or still shot the V parameters as a visual backup for your machine and anyone having the same model machine to check. And also any other pages that you know the settings to be correct on if for no other reason then for your own good. Just incase for some reason those were ever changed, stranger things have been known to happen around computers. Showing Joe the love thumbs up and shared in the RUclips Machinist group of over 2,300 and suggesting they likewise show Joe the love and sub.
I have a hard copy of them in the machine service manual. i am not sure they are the same for all machines, but I do have a backup. That V screen is taboo for me. I never go there on my own.
I run a Fadal 60 30 at work and thought I'd watch this series to see if I can pick up a few things that I may have missed. I started as an apprentice about 7 years ago on manual and CNC machines, am qualified now but still have lots to learn. Very informative videos. Would just like to do a quick mention that on one of the menu screens is 3-Zero return this also sends the machine back to the home position and is my preferred method. Also, when in Jog mode if you hold down the jog button the machine will travel on its own the speed is determined by the same way you would with the hand wheel and can be fine tuned via the feed rate control. Down the bottom of the screen it displays either "H" "M" or "L" (short for High (0.100) Medium (0.010) and Low(0.001)) and next to it is "+" or "-" this depicts the speed & direction it will feed which is set by the XYZ knob and the last direction the hand wheel was turned. Very handy for basic functions if you just want to face something.
Wonderful stuff Joe. You are taking the mystery out of CNCing for me. Thanks!
There are a bunch of required steps to make even the most basic part. Not knowing what they are is where all the fear comes from. I hope to lift that curtain for you guys.
Thanks joe just my speed for learning the magic of CNC
I hope it helps. I taught myself all this stuff over time and struggled greatly with some of my obstacles. I never went to school for this. I'm just trying to clear away some of the rubble for you guys.
What a blessing for me, I just started learning cnc on a fadal cnc88 at work, this series is perfect, please keep up the good work!!
I am a very active channel host. Ask a question in the comment line and I'll try to answer you if you get hung up. Good Luck.
hey Joe I just want to say thank you for all the videos I've always wondered about how CNC machines work can't wait until the next video thanks again Ed
part 3 should post tonight.
Joe P keep em coming! My students are loving your stuff, hopefully subscribing too.
Thanks. Tell me more about the students.
Joe Pieczynski I teach a manufacturing course where we do two weeks on basic CNC. Since your lathe videos i started suggesting you as great extra material. RUclips has been a great addition to their learning curve.
Good video Joe keep them coming very interesting.
excellent teaching, really looking forward to the next lesson. Joe should do some lecturing, as he has a way of capturing your attention
Thank you
Another great vid Joe, this is starting to make sense when YOU explain things in machinist terms-not computereese. I bet management loves the "I can see how long the tool was used" menu ;-}
Possibly more about when that tool might need to be replaced or reground, or just to get data on how long they last for cost control. Edit: just guessing here, everything I know about CNC I have learned from this video!
All correct. Also, If you know you have a tool that starts stressing out around a certain hour mark and breaks or yields a bad part, you can be proactive and change it. If your carousel uses the same tools quite often, you can tell how old the tools are.
Great series! I'm trying to learn the basics
This series should get you there. Ask a question if there is something you don't get.
Very clear and informative !
11:59 V1 through V100 are macro variables.
For the Fadal machines, PDF manuals are readily available online. I got mine at flintmachine.com/fadal.php. For the user manual, I recommend renaming the files to include the page number range for each section.
At point 11:35 you mention Fixture Offsets and you explain that "these are 48 possible locations that you can identify on the work table". My understanding is that Part Zero is set by the programmer based on the blueprint for the part being made. You would use an edge finder to determine where a particular feature of the workpiece is located so the machine knows where that precise location is. Perhaps I missed something in my classes but in accordance with Tooling-U and my CNC Programming books Fixture Offsets are to tell the machine where the Part Zero is located in reference to Machine Zero so it knows where to perform the milling operations called for on the program. Is this different for Fanuc controllers?
Your understanding of the offset function is correct. The fixture offsets I speak of on this controller are open parking spaces in which you can enter any X-Y table location you desire. Where that location relates to your part is entirely up to you. I can place a fixture offset anywhere on the part, provided the part is against a stop, and still make a good part. It is an easier practice to place your zero position as driven by the baselines for the dimensions on the print. That makes for an easier visual review of the code for checks and problem solving.
Fadal is cool in this respect. Rather than G54, 55,56,57,58. Fadal said we are going to make our own values and call them "E" offsets. So you can have more than just 5 offset options. Now the cool thing is fadal will take a G54, but a Fanuc wont take an E1.
Thanks for sharing! Extremely helpful!
Feel free to ask a specific question if you have one.
Very interesting to get an inside look at how these machines work. I am a software engineer and have recently taken an interest in machine tools and machining. Looking to buy a lathe and start learning and maybe one day I will get to play with a CNC mill like this one. When was this machine built? That user interface is archaic to say the least by software engineering standards. Reminds me of a linux command line. One would think these machines would have a much more user friendly interface.
This is core skill stuff. Conversational controller 101. I can feed this machine 30,000 lines of code in 15 seconds via USB if I choose to.
Yes, that was my question too. I'm used to seeing the machine on NYC CNC which has a touchscreen with a GUI. Same functionality from what I can tell so far.
It's interesting that a 50 year old lathe or milling machine can look modern but these CNC machine "look" are archaic because of the computer technology. There's some irony in that.
BTW: 4 out of 4 great videos on this channel so far.
Great topic Joe! Thanks!
Very cool and interesting.
Hi Joe, when you were going through the tool offsets, how do you keep track of what each tool in that list (1,2,3, etc...) is? Sorry if you already mentioned that.
Very informative series...please keep em coming!
Thanks for sharing
Hi Neil. When you plan out a CNC job, you pretty much know what tool you will use for which feature. In the offset register, you can enter any number you want for the tool number it relates to. That tool number is a reserved space in the tool carousel and called up when the operation starts with the 'T#' prompt at the tool call block. I also record it on my setup sheet for repeat runs. Its an easy one to skip over. That would not end well. Good question.
a new world. 😊 very interesting.
Its very deep. These machines are amazing.
Informative video Joe. A little different than the Fanuc controls but plenty similar. all the best from Toledo, OH
Are you going to introduce your dog?
It seems I should introduce Ruger. Everybody else has a shop dog. Who doesn't love a bulldog?
+1 Exciting. Please would you show how set A- and B- axis. ThX Joe!
I would love to, but I don't have a 4th and 5th axis attachments. Its just something I never needed. Sorry but I have to say Its just not possible at this time.
Good show Joe. Just curious why you run your machine in Format 1.
There is a reason for it, but I just don't recall what the issue was that made it necessary. Tell me more about the format options?
great video I don't use fixture offset 1. Offset 1 is a program default this keeps me from forgetting (to set a offset) and making a mistake.
E0 offset is the default for this machine. I'd be lost without E1.
Knowing that fadal is no longer around would you buy a 4020 used? They pop up used for a decent price once in a while and seeing a detailed series on the machine may make buying one an option. What year I your machine? Thanks for sharing!
I believe the machine is a 1999. Refurbished completely in 2012. There are many parts and service personnel in Texas and California. Rumor has it, The Fadal founder is considering bringing the machine back into production. I would not hesitate to buy another one.
Joe Pieczynski
Can I ask what was done for a rebuild ? And of course how much was it?
Fadal is/has returned to production...in Brea, California....where they always were.....
FADAL has returned to production, in Brea, California.....where they were before.....
The rebuild consisted of ball screws, an upgraded monitor, refurbished sheet metal, amplifier boards if necessary, new door panels and many other smaller items. It was part of the purchase price so I don't know the cost.
The wood dowel trick is genius. Would sticks of Chalk or Glue Sticks be ok? Chalk would snap very easy, Glue stick will just bend like a cooked noodle. Pencil would be very little force to break. I am thinking just about any soft material will work as long as the tool collet can hold it. Crayons? naw thats childs play...lol
Anything that you can hold and break will be fine. Just stay clear of the top of the part and keep one finger on that slide hold button. I actually put a sharpie marker in the holder once and drew the part on the stock for a visual reference of the final profile. Worked for me.
thanks man it helps
Part 3 should post tonight.
Hi Joe. Great series your doing here! How accurate is the homing of the machine. If you knew the exact distance from home to the corner of your vice. Then turned it off and came back the next day. Homed it. Would that distance be the same? I only ask because I used to use Okuma's. and just switched them on the next day. And pressed the cycle button. No homing required.
The home position CS is spot on. The machine knows where its home position is and you just have to be in the area when it calibrates for the day. Never a worry from day to day. Ever. Those table reference marks are just to get in the ballpark. The machine does the rest.
Thanks Joe!
C pram seems to be a motor overload function, I don't know what drive motor most likely an add on. Do they set the % age of ahutoff current?
Do you use mastercam or other software to run your mill.
I can feed it offline with Pro-E wildfire via USB.
how to start a middle of the program on a Fadal?
I would love to come down and work with you for a month.
I've actually considered offering training courses.
@@joepie221 You should, 4 years of trade school at the state college and I get more out of your videos then I had there.
@@Miseries_Company Thats quite a compliment. Thank you.
Another confidence builder is machine wood instead of metal.
Machining wood with no burrs is even better. I plan to make a very ornate field cannon out of brass and walnut. I am looking forward to that project.
Is the C-axis RPM or tool rotation?
Thats a good question. X is l to R, Y is in and out, Z is up and down, a and B are tilt and rotate. C???? Not so sure. S is rpm, so it must be tool rotation. ( not clockwise vs counterclockwise) small movements. best guess.
Uh, Joe, i was an autoshop major before electronic ignition was marketed. You lost me at positive and negative. i'll be back when you start turning handles again.
You should hang in there Mike. The first 3 parts here are boring baseline stuff that has a direct relationship to the actual cutting op. Either way, I'll get back to the handles soon.