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Just ran my first 1000-part job without a single tool change
I was running a batch of aluminum brackets on our old Haas mill, the kind we do every month. I usually expect to swap the end mill around part 700 because it starts to chatter. This time, I ran the whole job, all 1000 pieces, and the finish was still perfect on the last one. I checked the tool wear offset and it had only moved by 0.0003. Has anyone else pushed a tool way past its expected life with good results?
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fionafoster1mo ago
My buddy had that happen with a drill press running delrin. He was sure the bit was done after a few hundred, but it just kept going smooth for the whole run. He said the material batch must have been softer than usual. Sometimes you just get a perfect setup that runs way past the bell curve. Ever notice if your aluminum felt different that day?
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blair_chen811mo agoTop Commenter
Yeah, I keep a log next to my mill for stuff like that. Jotted down the supplier and lot number last time a 6061 batch ran like butter for no reason... saved me a headache later.
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olivia_white934d ago
That "jotted down the lot number" thing blair_chen81 does is actually smart. You figure it's all the same material, but sometimes you get a batch that's just slightly different, maybe less stress relieved or a different temper. I had a run of 6061 once where the chips came off stringy instead of breaking clean, and that tool went almost double the usual life before the finish started going. I never wrote the batch down and now I kick myself every time I do that same part and have to swap tools halfway.
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