According to Kris Tvedt, the size of the table on the Milltronics VM5020 is ideal because it allows him to always have three set-ups on the table.
The team at the Supercharger Store makes a lot of round and semi-round parts on their vertical Milltronics CNC machine. The primary materials cut are 6061 and 7075 aluminum, but they also cut a lot of 17-4 stainless steel and H1150 condition. "The accuracy and the repeatability of the machine has been just phenomenal," said owner Kris Tvedt.
The Supercharger Store builds specialty systems for the drag racing industry.
The Supercharger Store team recently started using an optional feature called ChipBoss, which has sped up the development of more complicated surfacing, outlines and profiles of the parts.
According to Deana Kelley, a machinist at The Supercharger Store: "The conversational edit makes it very obvious what I am doing as I am checking or changing numbers. It is easy to backcheck the program and make sure we are not going to have any surprises."
The Supercharger Store makes boosted engine swaps. These swap kits include the components that are needed for a basic set-up with detailed information on what specific OEM or aftermarket parts are needed to make it fit. These kits can integrate with OEM EFI, aftermarket EFI or even blow-through carb set-ups.
The Supercharger Store builds specialty systems for the drag racing industry, primarily what are called crank drives or front drives on which to mount centrifugal superchargers. The system set-ups the company builds are typically in the range of 1,500 HP to 3,500 HP. The Supercharger Store also builds some items for the hobby market, such as kits for older classic cars that are not readily available off the shelf.
The Supercharger Store was started in 2003 by a former John Deere engineer and purchased by Kris Tvedt in 2015.
"We started looking at bringing the machining in-house probably the second year in," said Tvedt. "We were looking at how fast the industry was changing, and if we were buying parts we had to buy large volumes. We ended up seeing a lot of dead inventory, so we thought, let us see if we can bring this in-house. We started looking for machines and wanted something super solid. Milltronics stood out for a couple reasons, including the price to rigidity of the machine and the availability of a larger size."
One of the concerns when machining custom or semi-custom work is the number of changeovers. "We do have production parts, but we change them often," said Tvedt. "By going with the VM5020, I am able to have three set-ups on the table at all times: a fourth axis, a vise set-up and a chuck set-up. I make a lot of round and semi-round parts on the vertical machine. The primary materials we cut are 6061 and 7075 aluminum, but we also cut a lot of 17-4 stainless steel and H1150 condition. The accuracy and the repeatability of the machine has been just phenomenal."
VM5020
"The Milltronics VM Series vertical machining centers (VMCs) offer a great combination of features and performance at an attractive price," said a Milltronics spokesperson. The VM Series machines are belt-driven and include standard features such as full enclosures, swing-arm tool changers, 10,000 RPM BIG-PLUS dual contact spindles, the 9000 Series control and more.
Specifications:
- Table working surface: 52" x 20"
- Table T-slots: .71"
- Maximum weight on table: 3,770 lbs.
- XYZ travels: 50" x 20" x 20"
- Spindle power (max.): 20/15 HP
- Spindle torque (max.): 75 ft-lbs.
Standard features:
- Heavily ribbed one-piece fine grain cast iron casting
- Fully enclosed machine guard with side doors
- 30/35 mm linear way technology
- Precision ground ballscrews supported at both ends
- Precision ground table surface
- Telescopic metal way covers
- 20 pocket double arm ATC
- Automatic positive displacement lubrication system
- High torque AC digital servo drives
- High torque closed loop vector spindle drive system
- Work light (right side)
- LCD hour meter
- Spindle taper blow-out and tool release button
- Spare "M" function with CNC "wait" channel
- Programmable on/off flood coolant system
- Rigid tap D Edit key lockout switch
- Spindle load meter
- Feedrate and spindle speed overrides
- Spindle air purge
- End of cycle light
- 9000 Series Control.
Options:
- Coolant through spindle system
- Part and tool probes
- 4th axis options
- 5th axis options
- Chip auger chip removal system
- Lift up chip conveyor chip removal system
- Remote handwheel
- Auxiliary industrial grade keyboard
- Electronic spindle chiller
- Air gun
- Coolant wash down gun
- Additional work light (left side)
- BT style tooling
- ChipBoss Trochoidal Milling Software
- Milltronics Shop View
- Digital Setup Assistant.
The 9000-DGI Series Control
The 9000-DGI Series control features 120 GB disk storage, 4 GB memory, up to 10x better graphic performance, mid-travel tactile keys and an enlarged 15" LCD touchscreen. It is a Windows-based platform and offers user-friendly features, such as the G-code visualization screen. With its conversational programming, on screen help, intuitive menus, color graphics and prompted tool settings, the 9000-DGI CNC helps new operators get up to speed quickly.
"The control system on this machine was relatively easy to learn," said Deana Kelley, a machinist at The Supercharger Store. "The conversational edit makes it very obvious what I am doing as I am checking or changing numbers. It is easy to backcheck the program and make sure we are not going to have any surprises."
Features and benefits of the 9000-DGI:
- Solid model graphics allow the operator to see a completed part prior to cutting.
- Mid-program restart allows the operator to start anywhere in a program by verifying the graphics and then switching to Run Mode. No need for G&M code expertise.
- Handwheel run allows the operator to run a program in a controlled mode where motion only occurs while the handwheel is turning. This feature allows operators to verify programs with total control.
- The dual-core processor and high-speed motion control is capable of executing 3,000 blocks per second.
- Equipped with a 120 GB solid state drive, 4 GB RAM memory, USB ports and Ethernet connectivity.
- Allows operators to run parts programmed conversationally or tool paths generated by a CAM system.
"We can perform complicated geometries with just minor DXF outputs from our CAD system and import it into the software," said Tvedt. It is great having the exact same control on the desktop that I have on the machine."
ChipBoss
The team recently started using an optional feature called ChipBoss, which has sped up the development of more complicated surfacing, outlines and profiles of the parts.
ChipBoss software from Milltronics uses proprietary algorithms to calculate toolpaths and control the maximum allowable cutter engagement, resulting in faster cycle times, better tool life and more accurate parts. ChipBoss uses trochoidal milling strategies with deeper depths of cut and smaller stepovers. This allows higher feedrates and reduces the number of times a machine needs to accelerate and decelerate. The included Rest Roughing feature automatically calculates the areas to be machined and uses a smaller cutter to get just those areas that cannot be cut with larger tool, saving even more time.
"The local support has been fantastic," said Tvedt, whose local distributor is White's Niche Products (wnpllc.com). "Plus, we are not having to deal with constant updating and licensing like the case is with some of the other vendors that have a rolled up base price and a lot of add-ons. Everybody has add-ons, but the base price of the Milltronics machines includes a lot of those things already."
Tvedt added, "I am incredibly proud of our team. I have been around machines my entire life as an engineer, but never actually machining parts. Within a few years we have been able to come up to speed and started making incredible parts very quickly and simply using the Milltronics machines."
For more information contact:
The Supercharger Store
4141 E Tennessee St., Ste. 139
Tucson, AZ 85714
520-456-9706
www.thesuperchargerstore.com
Milltronics USA, Inc.
1400 Mill Lane
Waconia, MN 55387
952-442-1410
sales@milltronics.com
www.milltronics.com
WEST
White's Niche Products
P.O. Box 12234
Casa Grande, AZ 85130
602-290-9402
wnp-sales@earthlink.net
www.wnpllc.com