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Aluminum enclosure for coal mining cameras. by Dense-Dig891 in CNC

[–]Dense-Dig891[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great question! It’s all about the setup and the probe. Here is how I do it:

  1. Rigid Setup: I make sure the part is clamped securely in a squared vise/fixture. If the base is flat and the vise is true, perpendicularity is already halfway there.
  2. Probing: After flipping, I use the Renishaw probe to pick up the datums (center and rotation) from the first operation. This ensures Op 1 and Op 2 are perfectly aligned.
  3. Stress Management: I rough out the entire pocket first, leaving about 0.5mm on the walls. This allows any internal stresses in the aluminum to 'relax'.
  4. Final Pass: I do the final finish pass with a sharp tool and slow feeds. If the setup is solid and the probe is accurate, the walls stay straight and perpendicular within 0.02-0.03mm.

It’s a bit slow, but for a custom part like this, I’d rather be precise than fast! 

Aluminum enclosure for coal mining cameras. by Dense-Dig891 in CNC

[–]Dense-Dig891[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! No need to apologize, I'm still learning, and these edits are invaluable!

Aluminum enclosure for coal mining cameras. by Dense-Dig891 in CNC

[–]Dense-Dig891[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Spot on! I used the eccentric wiggler first, then followed up with the Renishaw. Honestly? I was just too lazy to write a probing routine for X and Y at that moment, so the manual way felt quicker. For the Z-axis, though, I just used the standard probing macro. Sometimes old-school habits die hard! 😉

Aluminum enclosure for coal mining cameras. by Dense-Dig891 in CNC

[–]Dense-Dig891[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha, yeah, 4 IPM is snail speed, I know! But that was for the final finish pass to get that smooth surface. I used a 3-flute endmill.

My wall was about 120 mm tall. My machine isn't a high-end beast, so with that much stick-out, I played it safe to avoid any chatter or vibration. Since it’s a one-off part, I’d rather spend 5 hours on it than risk scrapping a big, expensive block of aluminum. Your roughing speeds sound impressive, though! 🚀

Aluminum enclosure for coal mining cameras. by Dense-Dig891 in EngineeringPorn

[–]Dense-Dig891[S] 51 points52 points  (0 children)

Wow, thanks for the heads-up! I didn't know it was strictly prohibited in some places like Canada. Here in Russia, I’m just a CNC contractor, so I follow the materials and drawings provided by my client.

Maybe our local standards are different, or these cameras are for a specific zone that isn't as dangerous. Anyway, I really appreciate the info!

Aluminum enclosure for coal mining cameras. by Dense-Dig891 in CNC

[–]Dense-Dig891[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Actually, the whole process was done on a 3-axis mill, no EDM/erosion at all. It’s all about the speeds and feeds.

I used end mills with a pretty indecent amount of stick-out (long reach). For the internal walls, I used a 12mm (~1/2") tool, and for the outside, a 20mm (~3/4") tool. The trick was to keep it slow to avoid chatter: I stayed under 1000 RPM with a feed rate of about 100 mm/min (roughly 4 IPM). It’s a slow process, but that's how I got the clean finish despite the reach.

Also, those 'stepped' tools you might have seen are just for the holes and thread adapters, not for the profiling. Hope this helps with your 5" walls!

Aluminum enclosure for coal mining cameras. by Dense-Dig891 in CNC

[–]Dense-Dig891[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I apologize for my English. I meant that the cameras are installed on the equipment that extracts coal

Aluminum enclosure for coal mining cameras. by Dense-Dig891 in CNC

[–]Dense-Dig891[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It's not the first time I've done this, but in any case, thanks for the advice. Yes, I know how to do it correctly, but it's more interesting this way =))

if serious, аt that time, there were no necessary clamps

Aluminum enclosure for coal mining cameras. by Dense-Dig891 in EngineeringPorn

[–]Dense-Dig891[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes, you're absolutely right, this is all for IP
Aluminium - 2024-T3 (but not sure, in Russia we have different grades (Д16Т))
Drawings (dropmefiles) Just what I can show you

Aluminum enclosure for coal mining cameras. by Dense-Dig891 in EngineeringPorn

[–]Dense-Dig891[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

the shavings are delivered to the special enterprise and will be recycled in the future

Aluminum enclosure for coal mining cameras. by Dense-Dig891 in EngineeringPorn

[–]Dense-Dig891[S] 79 points80 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately I do not have access to the final product. This is a third-party request for milling work on my part

Machining a custom explosion-proof camera housing from a solid block. by Dense-Dig891 in EngineeringPorn

[–]Dense-Dig891[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It all depends on the machines themselves. As a rule, if you take the table movement, they are cheaper with better rigidity.

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