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Thread: new cnc not running as fast as advertised.

  1. #1
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    new cnc not running as fast as advertised.

    Not going to mention company of my cnc because still working with them but my question is i bought new cnc and on the web page in specs they list ipm at 1500 rapid travel... got my new machine set up and running and in dealing with company on another issue tech was in the ini file and max speed was set at 800. I already knew from using cnc that max cut speed was 400 in X & Y and 150 Z. guess wondering if i have a gripe or am expecting to much. when i was talking to sale person definitely mentioned i liked the speed this cnc traveled at. Kind of feeling i was lied to...

  2. #2
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    Is this an industrial cnc?

    My table top CNC has 350/350/250 ipm but I never run it that fast.
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  3. #3
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    No. I would say it's designed for middle ground.

  4. #4
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    Eugene...
    What table size is your machine? In many cases, OEMs have multiple table sizes, of course they publish the fastest speeds as the max, but the small and intermediate sizes have the max rapids slower. Even if they have the same gear train. Because they run better that way.

    Think of a Corvette in a gymnasium.
    Gary Campbell
    CNC Replacement & Upgrade Controllers
    Custom 9012 Centroid ATC

  5. #5
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    It's 97" by 56".

  6. #6
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    in specs they list ipm at 1500 rapid travel


    That's 125 FEET a minute!! How would you speed up and slow down that fast on an 8' table, keep it on the table??
    Funny, I don't remember being absent minded...

  7. #7
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    97 by 56 should allow for full rapid speeds. Whatever they are. The sales person may have been quoting a spec from the most powerful model in the line. Fairly common. One popular brand advertises 1800 ipm rapids. Only one of their numerous models will attain that. But they are set at half that from the factory. Probably to save us from getting run over.
    Gary Campbell
    CNC Replacement & Upgrade Controllers
    Custom 9012 Centroid ATC

  8. #8
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    I suppose the first question is is it really a problem? Fast rapids are great for drilling holes, but otherwise, you will have to be standing beside the machine with a stopwatch to see how it might be affecting you. It is nice for tool changes too(assuming fixed locations), but I think you would be hard pressed to find it will make a minute or two difference on a typical sheet cutout. I am not sure I would fret much about this until you find it is a problem for your work. If it cuts accurately, I would start the task of learning how to work with it. I know you might feel misled, but the specs on some sites are vague to protect themselves. If you upgraded many aspects you may find they will cite different reasons when you raise your concerns. I had accuracy problems, and it was suggested to me that I was expecting more than the machine could offer. I corrected the setup mistakes and it cuts correctly now, but I was not pleased with the response from the company. In my case I found good support (very good people) for most aspects, but to answer some questions I think they need to hire a qualified engineer or technician that can put all the specs together and complete the engineering calculations that are necessary to justify the claims.

    In my case my machine was slowed down because I put on a larger spindle. My rapids are 800ipm too. I have drilled quite a few sheets now with lots of holes and I do not notice a huge concern. I suppose if I were a production shop with multiple workers I would be, but I do not think my machine is appropriate for a production shop. If you look at the power curve for stepper motors (assuming you have steppers) you will see how the power drops off very quickly once the RPM increases past a certain point. I plan to swap out my steppers with servos in the future after I figure out if my gantry is stiff enough. I think back to a comment by James that your first machine is never quite the correct machine. We truly figure out what we want for our second machine. There is a lot of truth to that because it is virtually impossible to get a good handle on all the variables in a machine, and balance that with the cost for the work we do. I think many of us that start with an entry level machine find we end up learning far more about the machines than we ever intended. I know I have, and I am only a newbe compared to Gerry, Kieth, Gary, or a whole host of others that post here.

    Keith, Vortex has tools for shops cutting in excess of 3500ipm. I have never seen it, but I do know Vortex has the engineering team to justify their claims.

  9. #9
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    Brad makes some good points. Very seldom does pure speed make a major difference in cycle times unless there is a repetitive process that is run on a continuous basis.

    That said, prospective CNC owners buy on specs. More of this or that HAS to be better. Or so they think. Usually what is really important to these potential buyers is unknown to them and often not published. It is especially not "marketed". Numbers sell machines.

    Like pickups: "highest towing in class" then you buy one and find it was less than a gazillion pounds on a door sticker. In order to get that you would have needed to purchase a heavier towing and engine package than was standard. Just remember that the highest available specs may not be included on the standard models.
    Gary Campbell
    CNC Replacement & Upgrade Controllers
    Custom 9012 Centroid ATC

  10. #10
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    I know can live with the set up of cnc now but i did base my buying decision heavily on the specs. I have a training day at the company that made my cnc next week and am going to see how much faster they can set the x y and z axis for cutting.

  11. #11
    If they advertise 1500, and you only get 800, then yes, you have a complaint. But if you don't have anything in writing, then not so much.
    I personally don't have a lot of trust in machine salesmen.
    Gerry

    JointCAM

  12. #12
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    I am curious if they fixed the problem or how they responded when you had your training?

  13. #13
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    I went to the class and since was having other more pressing issues with cnc never got into that. I am starting to wish my American made new cnc was painted yellow.....

  14. #14
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    I know that feeling. I wish I had waited to find a used industrial machine like the CR Onsrud Panelmate or Biesse Klever from 2012 and 2014 I found recently. That will pass once you get past the initial hickups. If it is the machine I think it is I think the bones are a good platform. You will find lots of guys on the CNC zone that have upgraded many parts of their machine. I don't mind fixing the mechanical things, but the idea of opening the control box makes me ill based on what I see of David's thread. If I can ever help feel free to send a message.

  15. #15
    A lot of the time advertised numbers are "here is the fastest we ran it before we got scared." The factory specs are "here are safe numbers so you won't hurt yourself." A lot of people get their new machine, set the rapids to 1000+ and fly the head around the table to show how fast their machine is. Then after that's all done, they slow it down a bit and get to work.

    In the end, it's more important that you can machine at the feed rate you expected. If you expect to run through 3/4" plywood at 300ipm, full depth, with a 3/8" bit, and can only run at 225ipm, well, that sounds like a much bigger problem.
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