CNC Mill Automation With the Tormach ZA6 Robot and VersaBuilt Multigrip System - Episode 4
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.ย. 2024
- This is the fourth and final segment in a series about using the Tormach ZA6 Robot to do automated CNC machine tending using the Versabuilt MultiGrip System. In this episode, we show the system running parts and making chips!
It's been an amazing journey to figure out this new robot, and how machine tending works in general. Although it looks easy now, a lot of work went into getting to this point, and we're super excited to be able to share it with you.
The ZA6 Robot is a brand new addition to our shop, and we are super grateful to Tormach for letting us help out with the beta test of the robot. Our goal is to document the process of getting it integrated with our daily workflow at Big T's Chop Shop.
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Very cool man, that robot is a game changer. Keep the videos coming.
Thanks! Yeah, it was great to finally make some parts with it.
bro this is amazing
That was great man, thanks for sharing the journey. I wish I had your ability to understand the deeper code behind all this. Consider me jealous!
Look forward to more videos.
Thanks for the kind words! It’s great to hear that it resonates and you find the robot interesting. I wish we could get all the robot fans together for a hangout, but TH-cam is the next best thing.
Amazing, Keep it up
It’s great that you took on the task of learning this all by yourself. What I have found is the “unattended” operation reality is that you need very long cycle time parts and that the delivery/work storage systems are very limited. The robot manufacturers have some systems that accommodate multiple part storage of raw stock and finished product but the flexibility of them with regard to size and shape ends up being very limited. I get that but it is a bit frustrating that most want to load one part in one vise in one milling machine. Try to stray from that and it is very limiting.
Totally agree. I am actually working on a system for loading pallets onto a zero point fixture next so that I can vary up the jobs and the workholding a bit. The challenge there is that there isn’t great off the shelf scheduling software for running different jobs on different pallets. I’m just trying to figure out how to manage all that.
You think Tormach is the best small shop robot? I REALLY want to use a robot with the Pierson Pallet System so I can load pallets instead of single parts, but the Tormach robot can only hold 13 lbs.
So, there's a couple things there.
Is it the best small shop robot? I would say "Depends on your budget". Under $20k, it's pretty decent but there are definitely other options as well. For ease of use, a cobot like a UR or Fanuc is probably easier and safer to set up albeit at a higher price point. A UR10 is probably the gold standard and can lift 25lbs but it will be more expensive.
As far as pallets go, I love the Pierson system (I have one here) but it probably wouldn't be a system I'd try to load with a robot now that I've used it. It requires very precise alignment of the pins onto the base and sometimes mine is hard enough to align as a human let alone for a robot. There are pallet systems from Schunk and some of the others specifically designed to be easy for robots and automation systems to align. Those are probably worth looking at.
A Tormach ZA-6 trying to load Pierson pallets would probably be a very challenging system to tune to be reliable.
@@bigtchopshop I wasnt sure about the positional accuracy needed for the Pierson pallets so thank you. Thank you so much for the Schunk reference too, I'm going to look into those. Some times I search everywhere online for specific solutions and just can't find anything, I appreciate the help.
@@kellykramer2529Yes. It needs to be quite precise for the Pierson pallets to line up. The Schunk stuff isn't cheap, but you can see where they are going with it - basically, there are features on the zero point systems and pallets that are tapered and/or mechanically guide the pallet into the right alignment as the automation system places it. This allows you to have a little bit of slop on the loading and still be able to get the pallet loaded successfully. In my experience, this will save you a lot of headaches. The robot arms are very accurate, but it's a long swing, and there are variables loading and unloading and how you pick up the pallet, and how firm the surface is that the robot is bolted onto, and so forth. Schunk isn't the only one making such things for sure, but a good reference. For example - schunk.com/ca/en/workpiece-clamping-technology/quick-change-pallet-systems/automated-machine-loading/c/PUB_8474. Feel free to reach out via bigtchopshop.com if you want to discuss this in more detail.
Does it put the probe in the atc?
Yes. I was running a wireless probe that was held in the ATC.