{"id":454,"date":"2015-04-15T20:40:24","date_gmt":"2015-04-15T20:40:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cncconsultingandtraining.com\/?page_id=454"},"modified":"2016-02-14T17:11:06","modified_gmt":"2016-02-14T17:11:06","slug":"live-tool-maintenance","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cncconsultingandtraining.com\/?page_id=454","title":{"rendered":"Live Tool Maintenance"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you are getting surface finishes like the ones shown below then perhaps you need to consider some maintenance on your live tool holders.<\/p>\n

\"finish1\"<\/a>
Not Good<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"finish2\"<\/a>
Still needs repair<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Regular inspection and maintenance of live tool heads can increase service life by as\u00a0much as five times. A live tool system preventive maintenance program ensures part\u00a0accuracy, increases cutting tool life, reduces scrap, improves reliability and overall\u00a0confidence in lights-out operations, and lowers overall toolholder costs.The following five-point inspection can help ensure live tool heads deliver high value\u00a0and production accuracy.<\/p>\n

1. Measure spindle runout<\/strong>. Rest a dial test indicator tip on the inner surface of the\u00a0collet pocket and rotate the live tool head. The maximum runout for live tools is\u00a0typically around five microns in the collet pocket. If in excess, then the problem\u00a0could be a bent spindle or bad bearings. Excessive runout in the spindle puts an\u00a0additional load on the bearings, ultimately decreasing overall service life.<\/p>\n

2. Check for radial play<\/strong>. While the dial test indicator is in the collet pocket,\u00a0simultaneously check for radial play. If movement shows up on the indicator\u00a0when toggling the spindle, then there is a problem with the bearing preload; the\u00a0bearings and seals should be replaced.<\/p>\n

3. Examine the rotation<\/strong>. Live tool heads should rotate smoothly, be free of any\u00a0binding, and should have no real audible noise coming from the bearings while\u00a0spinning the tool. This can be rated on a scale of 1-5.<\/p>\n

4. Visually inspect the live tool head<\/strong>. Check for any damage from crashes,\u00a0excessive wear to the drive coupling, or rust in the collet pocket.<\/p>\n

5. Inspect for coolant contamination.<\/strong> Coolant contamination is the number one\u00a0failure mode of live tool holders, and the catalyst is heat buildup. If live tool\u00a0heads get too hot, the heat can deform, swell, or burn the contact surface of the\u00a0seals that hug the spindles, making it easy for the coolant and fine metal chips to\u00a0enter the heads and begin the degradation process. If the live tool holder has an\u00a0easily accessible cover plate, remove it and inspect for coolant contamination.\u00a0Proper coolant care is the only controllable variable in increasing live tool head\u00a0service life, it\u2019s also important to maintain coolant concentration by measuring it\u00a0using a refractor as opposed to visually with the naked eye. A refractor can\u00a0determine if the coolant is rich or lean. If the concentration is rich and more\u00a0concentrate is added, there becomes a reduction in coolant capacity. On the\u00a0other hand, if the coolant is lean and not enough concentrate is added, there\u00a0becomes the risk of shorter tool life, poor surface finish and machine corrosion.<\/p>\n

While exact maintenance intervals and service life for a live tool head depend on\u00a0application variables such as workpiece material type, cycle times and coolant condition,\u00a0a general rule is to perform the five-point inspection at least every three months.\u00a0Maintain a log of inspection findings to track a live tool head\u2019s performance throughout\u00a0the years. This will help indicate when it is time to remove a live tool head for routine\u00a0maintenance and help establish an accurate maintenance budget. Be sure to record\u00a0findings specific to the coolant maintenance to track when the system requires cleaning\u00a0or a new coolant batch. Include details such as concentration ratio, filtration system,\u00a0water hardness and bacteria levels.<\/p>\n

\"5-Point-Inspection-EXSYS\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you are getting surface finishes like the ones shown below then perhaps you need to consider some maintenance on your live tool holders.       Regular inspection and maintenance of live tool heads can increase service life by as\u00a0much as five times. A live tool system preventive maintenance program ensures part\u00a0accuracy, increases cutting … Continue reading Live Tool Maintenance<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-454","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cncconsultingandtraining.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/454","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cncconsultingandtraining.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cncconsultingandtraining.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cncconsultingandtraining.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cncconsultingandtraining.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=454"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/cncconsultingandtraining.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/454\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1252,"href":"https:\/\/cncconsultingandtraining.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/454\/revisions\/1252"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cncconsultingandtraining.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}