Category: Blog

As the factory’s business continues to expand, customer demand also increases. After CNC machining and come to surface finish stage, many customers need to laser print serial numbers, part’s information, or LOGO. In the past, SYD Precision was using CNC machines to engrave, it needs very high spindle speed and small-diameter cutters, or outsourced third-party laser engraving service. Engraving with CNC machine tools is time-consuming and has poor results. At the same time, the very high spindle speed causes great wear to the machine’s spindle. So the best solution is to use fiber laser engraver.

In recent years, with the popularity of laser light sources, the price of the fiber laser engravers have dropped, making it possible for small factories to purchase mid-to-high-end fiber laser engraving machines. After comparing many brands and laser light sources, as well as new features of the new generation products, we purchased a 60W JPT M7 MOPA laser engraver. And equipped with the following optical lenses:

1. 70x70mm FL100mm, short focal length, very high power output, specially used for cutting thin sheet parts with thickness of 0.2mm-0.6mm, such as aluminum, stainless steel and copper, etc.
2. 110x110mm FL160mm, medium-short focal length, high power output, used for engraving parts with deep depth requirement.
3. 175x175mm FL254mm, medium focal length, general power output, daily work lens, can engrave most parts.
4. 300x300mm FL420mm, long focal length, low power, mainly used for engraving large workpieces.
   

The software for fiber laser machines includes free EzCad2 by China, and paid LightBurn by USA. As a professional machining manufacturer, we chose LightBurn software.

Since purchasing the machine, in less than one month, we have done laser engraving job for four customers. Customer satisfaction has continued to be improved.

For a long time, our traditional comcast business phone number was overwhelmed by soliciting or fraudulent calling in. Such as cleaning service, demonstrating of new products or tools, Google listing cheater, etc. It has greatly impacted our normal business running. So we decided to upgrade to VoIP system, in order to get more efficient setup at VoIP server to block majority of soliciting and fraudulent callings.

After comparing some major VoIP providers, we finally chose Vonage Business. It’s useful features and customer service are satisfied so far. For the desktop phone, we purchased Poly CCX 600 Business Media Phone and Yealink SIP-T46U.

Since we upgraded our phone system and properly setup to divert the callings, the soliciting and other business unfriendly calls has reduced sharply.

After in business for 4 years, SYD Precision is expanding now. This month we rented the next door unit 16 as soon as it was available. This type of small space is very popular and as rare as hen’s teeth in Bay Area, we almost waited two years and finally secured it.

Next, one CNC lathe with live tools and one 5-axis CNC machine will be setup in the new space. With these two advanced CNC machines, the lead time for production or prototype will be greatly reduced.

At present, optical transmission probe has become popular in high-end CNC machine tools, but for most old CNC machines if they are upgraded to optical transmission probe, then the hardware and software will be a large expense. If using the wired tool setter, the quality and stability of the tool setter is a big challenge, it may crash the tools if it can’t generate the signal on time, and the cost is still not low.

SYD Precision has two CNC machines equipped with Taiwan-made wired tool setter, and the other two CNC machines tools are equipped with self-designed semi-automatic tool setters.

Hardware parts:

1. The Z-axis tool setter mounting seat designed and machined by us, installed on the upper right corner of the CNC machine’s worktable.
2. A 2″ height Accusize brand industrial Z-axis tool setter purchased on Amazon.

(The tool setter is covered with a plastic box to prevent coolant from entering it when it is not in use)

The hardware picture:

CNC program for the semi-auto tool setter, wrote by SYD Precision:

%
O8106(Z-axis Tool Length Offset )
N100 G21
#1102=0
N110 G90
G91 G28 Z0.
G0 G90 G53 X-25.0 Y-74.0 
Z-280.0 
#1102=1 
M0  (Manually move the tool to touch the probe)
#1102=0 
#100=#4120 
#101=#5023  
#102=-515.174  
#150=#102-#101 
#150=-#150   
IF [#100 EQ 0] THEN #2299 = #150 
IF [#100 EQ 0] GOTO120 
#[2200+#100]=#150 
N120 G91 G28 Z0.  
M30  
%

Program description:

1. The program needs to use the file name of O8000 series or O9000 series so that it can be protected by the system parameter #3202 and will not be deleted accidentally.
2. The #1102 parameter must be added so that the cutter can be manually moved down and touched the probe to the correct position during the command of M0.
3. Use G53 to quickly move the cutter to the top of the tool setter, Z-280.0 can be adjusted according to the size of the CNC machines.
4. #102=-515.174 is the machine Z axis coordinate value when spindle gauge touches the tool setter, each CNC machine will have a different value.
5. The Macro is used when spindle tool number is 0. The tool length offset is input into the register #99. You can choose another number bigger than 24 if your tool magazine has 24 tools.

Conclusion:

This semi-automatic tool length offset setting method can hardly be found in the Internet. It is an original invention of SYD Precision. It uses the Fanuc system parameters and Macro to automatically input the tool length offset. The method greatly improves the efficiency, avoids manual input errors, and 100% guarantees the correct value of the tool length offset is input into the right register number.

During the corona-virus pandemic, most of the bay area manufacturing industry have been sharply impacted, some big factories have been closed, such as Tesla in Fremont.

SYD Precision is a small business and categorized as hardware supplier, so we are still legally operating. We worked very hard with two medical companies in Bay Area to provide them the fixture and prototypes.

Our cnc machining work may be very humble comparing to those medical companies’ researchers and doctors, but we are very proud that we are still working hard as usual as before.

After one year in the business with only two brand new CNC machines, we have grown up steadily and have many returned customers in Silicon Valley of California.

In order to service our customers with more shortened lead-times and expand our capacities, we bought another 2 CNC milling machines equipped with FANUC controllers and 1 CNC turning machine, also equipped with FANUC controller.

No matter for a simple piece job, or small quantity production job, all CNC machining jobs can spread onto these 5 machines, will be greatly shortening the lead time.

We bought a used but in excellent condition Starrett HGC 2024-16 CMM. The CMM comes with a Renishaw MIP Touch Probe and Starrett Apogee Software. The CMM was sold by another big CNC factory in south San Jose, and they bought another latest brand-new CMM machine at the end of the year for tax deduction purpose, so we are lucky we can acquire it with an affordable price and equip our small CNC machine shop with a professional CMM.

After the CMM machine is leveled and setup, we did some test measurement with our block gauges, it is very accurate and satisfied.

On October 11, engineer from Fanuc’s San Francisco branch arrived at our production facility to help us with the Fanuc control system upgrade. One of our CNC machine control system is upgraded from Fanuc oi-mf D4G1-18 to Fanuc oi-mf D4G1-38.

After the system is upgraded, we can use the Program Transfer Tool software developed by Fanuc to drag and drop the NC program directly from the PC to the CF card inserted in the CNC controller, and then DNC NC programs from the CF card directly.

The new CNC control system greatly increases productivity, saves many finger-press-button works and DNC from CF card is also very stable than DNC from Ethernet, it also avoided to buy expensive Fanuc Data Server for DNC large NC program purpose.

For the CNC machines built early with old control system before version Fanuc oi-mf, the NC programs cannot be directly transferred from the PC to the CF card through the Ethernet network. It can only use Data Server, so Data Server is still useful for old CNC machines.

Equipped with new CNC machines, new upgraded system, and efficient machining capabilities, it makes SYD Precision an advantage when quoting new jobs for customers.

We recently purchased a 4-axis table for our Fanuc oi-mf CNC machine. It is sold by ATS Systems Inc USA, the model is RT160.

With the setup of 4-axis table, we are able to machine many complicated round parts. It can greatly reduce the setting time and expend our machine shop’s capability.

After just two months time, we bought another brand new CNC machine, it is also equipped with latest fanuc-oi-mf controller. The NC programs can be drag and drop into controller’s CF card via Ethernet cable, then DNC running the nc program. In this case, the very expensive fanuc data server is no long needed, save a lot of money.

It is the best 2018 Christmas gift for SYD Precision, thanks the machine moving company, they shipped the machine from Michigan.

With two brand new CNC machines, small projects lead time can be greatly shortened.