Rotary Index Tables (RITs) are essential complementary tools that help machinists with high precision positioning and movement of their workpieces during demanding metalworking. Items are held on the table and are rotated by a certain point of degrees based in pre-calculated intervals.
These rotating tables can be either manually operated or computer controlled, through a worm-screw that is fixed under the table and on to axial protrusions that turn the table clockwise or counter-clockwise for a complete 360 degrees turn. The maximum intervals number and indexing resolution depends on the worm-screw to table ratio.
Unique Milling Techniques
As with every piece of tool or machinery, there are many ways to utilize RITs to create something truly unique. The talent, experience and imagination of the machinist is the main motivational factor to explore RITs further through unconventional applications. Maybe the most remarkable use is a lathe alternative. If a RIT is combined with a chuck for holding the workpiece, a tailstock to mark the center and a stepper motor to turn the table's worm-screw, you get a mini lathe!
Another popular use is to process a bolt's head to perform spanner flats. As almost all bolt head designs feature pentagonal, hexagonal, or octagonal shaping, the use of rotary index tables is ideal. The only consideration in this case is the ratio of the worm-screw to the table, as it should allow the desired number of intervals.
Cutting & Drilling Uses
There are many use case scenarios that require rotary index tables to be realized properly. One of those is the cutting of arcs which is a demanding process. Using an additional compound table, machinists can controllably displace the center of milling, and by fixing the workpiece on the RIT. This allows the cutting of high precision arcs in metalworking.
If you're using an underpowered milling machine that can't drive large drills for the creation of large diameter holes, then a rotary index table can be utilized to gradually open an initially small hole into a larger one at the same precision of one time drill. The most demanding metalworking process that requires high levels of precision and accuracy is the helical machining.
Maybe the most demanding cutting process that index tables can help with is the realization of helixes. These three dimensional shapes are especially demanding as they require movement along at least three axis which is almost never possible by lathes alone. RITs come as a supplementary solution to this process, moving the workpiece rotational (two axis) while the cutting tool moves along the third axis thus creating the helix.
Last but not least, there is the indexing tables most popular use that is to drill equidistant holes on a circular flange. All that needs to be done from the machinist's side is to calculate the holes number and center to center distance, and then configure the rotary table accordingly. The boring process in that case becomes pretty straight forward and the result is very precise in terms of boring positioning.
These rotating tables can be either manually operated or computer controlled, through a worm-screw that is fixed under the table and on to axial protrusions that turn the table clockwise or counter-clockwise for a complete 360 degrees turn. The maximum intervals number and indexing resolution depends on the worm-screw to table ratio.
Unique Milling Techniques
As with every piece of tool or machinery, there are many ways to utilize RITs to create something truly unique. The talent, experience and imagination of the machinist is the main motivational factor to explore RITs further through unconventional applications. Maybe the most remarkable use is a lathe alternative. If a RIT is combined with a chuck for holding the workpiece, a tailstock to mark the center and a stepper motor to turn the table's worm-screw, you get a mini lathe!
Another popular use is to process a bolt's head to perform spanner flats. As almost all bolt head designs feature pentagonal, hexagonal, or octagonal shaping, the use of rotary index tables is ideal. The only consideration in this case is the ratio of the worm-screw to the table, as it should allow the desired number of intervals.
Cutting & Drilling Uses
There are many use case scenarios that require rotary index tables to be realized properly. One of those is the cutting of arcs which is a demanding process. Using an additional compound table, machinists can controllably displace the center of milling, and by fixing the workpiece on the RIT. This allows the cutting of high precision arcs in metalworking.
If you're using an underpowered milling machine that can't drive large drills for the creation of large diameter holes, then a rotary index table can be utilized to gradually open an initially small hole into a larger one at the same precision of one time drill. The most demanding metalworking process that requires high levels of precision and accuracy is the helical machining.
Maybe the most demanding cutting process that index tables can help with is the realization of helixes. These three dimensional shapes are especially demanding as they require movement along at least three axis which is almost never possible by lathes alone. RITs come as a supplementary solution to this process, moving the workpiece rotational (two axis) while the cutting tool moves along the third axis thus creating the helix.
Last but not least, there is the indexing tables most popular use that is to drill equidistant holes on a circular flange. All that needs to be done from the machinist's side is to calculate the holes number and center to center distance, and then configure the rotary table accordingly. The boring process in that case becomes pretty straight forward and the result is very precise in terms of boring positioning.
About the Author:
Get help finding the right index rotary table for your needs. Contact CNC Indexing today for help with CNC accessories.
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق