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Recently SYD Precision wired a single axis controller to one of our CNC vertical machines, and successfully made it fully automated by CNC program. CNC machines maintenance and electrical wiring are very expensive in Bay Area, California, so hopefully this article can shed some lights for those who want to DIY.

Wiring steps :
1. Make sure the 5C indexer and standalone controller are functional before hooked to the CNC machine.

2. Find one pair of CNC machine’s spare M codes. Our FANUC 0i-mf machine spare M code are M21 and M22. Consult with your machine builder or check CNC machine’s operation manual to find one pair.

3, Install a Wago 788-304 Relay in your CNC machine’s electrical cabinet.

4. Connect M21 port (+) and 24V (-) to newly installed dedicated Wago relay’s input terminals, be careful not cross connected, otherwise there will be a electrical short when M21 is called.

5. Connect two wires to Wago relay’s two output terminals that will be shorted by M21 command, and make a socket with these two wires

6. Extend two wires (white and black) from single axis controller’s remote cable, and connect them to a plug.

7. Plug into the socket.

8. Create a normal CNC program and insert the following M codes:

M22 (reset)

M21 (short two wires in plug and socket)

G4 X0.2 (power on for 0.2 seconds)

M22 (power off and reset)

9. Testing CNC program on CNC machine, the single axis controller should get the signal and drive the 5C collet rotating when M22 is executed in CNC controller.

SYD Precision currently has four of four-axis CNC machines now. This eliminates the need to change chucks frequently when multiple 5C collet jobs need to be done at same time, significantly improved our work efficiency.

We bought a Tsugami VA2 CNC machine and the machine was delivered on site on August 6th.

For a long time, SYD Precision is dreaming to have a high spindle speed CNC machine and this machine comes to save.

With its 30,000 RPM, it’s day and night difference when using small endmill to machine small parts. For example, our 850 type CNC machine only has maximum 12000rpm. If we use a two flutes Ø1.0mm carbide endmill, give it a 0.007mm chip load, the maximum feedrate is only f=12000*2*0.007=168mm/min. For this Tsugami machine, the maximum feedrate can be f=420mm/min, which is almost three times faster.

After the machine was installed, we have machined many small gears with a Ø.03″ carbide endmill successfully. Before, these small gears have to be done by our in-house wire edm. The lead time was shortened from two weeks to only 5 days.

On August 27, SYD Precision purchased two used CNC machines from another CNC machine in Fremont CA. One is a CNC lathe machine manufactured in South Korea, another one is a CNC machining center manufactured in Taiwan.

These two CNC machines are in good working condition and can hold tolerance of 0.001″ to 0.0015″. The CNC lathe machine has Fanuc controller and the Akira Seiki has a Mitsubishi controller.

The previous owner needed to buy new machines to get tax deductions for the year 2023, so he sold these two machines to SYD Precision.

With the addition of these two machines, SYD Precision currently has 7 CNC machines now, and its production capacity has been further improved.

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.