Leveling Your Lathe - Haas Service - Haas Automation, Inc.

Every machine tool needs to be checked for level periodically to ensure the machine geometry remains correct. In this video Orville reviews the procedure for adjusting the level on your Haas turning center. So if it's been a while since this was last checked, watch the video and follow along to check your own machine.
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[@keithhansen3963]

I need Orville at my shop everyday!!!!!! Thanks Orville

[@marknouj]

Hi Orville, Great video! We just used this tutorial to level an ST-20 lathe in our shop after moving it and ran into a couple issues: 1) When we loosened the front right nut all the way, the machine kept tilting towards that nut which made it so we never ended up with a gap. This forced us to level the machine using the front two screws and the rear right one. 2) After 10 years of use, our ST-20's tailstock way covers had plenty of nicks and dents which produced an inaccurate rough leveling of the machine. We ended up using 1-2-3 blocks set on the best sections and then rough leveled it in both axes. Thanks!

[@ciscohernandez4384]

Thanks for the video. Can you please do a video showing how to level a VF series mill?

[@haasautomation]

Cisco, We are getting ready to shoot this video in the next week or two. So you should see a Mill Leveling video soon.

[@ciscohernandez4384]

@@haasautomation Outstanding. Really looking forward to that video. Thank you :)

[@cruch9]

@@haasautomation make sure you show the correct way to properly calibrate a precision level this time :)

[@cruch9]

You have to spin the level 180 degrees to calibrate a level!

[@ciscohernandez4384]

Hi, probably a very novice question, but can you elaborate. Want to get a better understanding how to level machines. Thanks in advance.

[@cruch9]

@@ciscohernandez4384 if you set level and a semi level surface, for example, if bubble on level is 2 divisions to the left then if you spin level end for end it should also be 2 divisions to the left. If it is, level is calibrated, if not you need to adjust level and repeat above steps

[@haasautomation]

Cruch9, Yes you are correct. Note your 1st reading, rotate the level 180 degrees to check that it repeats to the same position. From here the zero position can be set with the adjusting screw. If the level does not repeat to the same position then there is an issue with the level. Once the level is mounted to the turret on the mag base, all movement of the bubble is relative from one end of Z-axis travel to the other. At this point removing bubble movement along full Z-axis travel, and therefore twist, is more important than the exact location of the bubble in the vial.

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Yep, there's only 1 way to calibrate a level, make it read the exact same on both sides when flipped around.

[@aimtoachievement1384]

Nice video but one doubt during setting the precision level on turret you just center it by correcting the magnetic base and is this correct way because some machine they are giving attachment or we putting on guideways. Please explain the initial precision level setting step. Rest are good

[@fredrezfield1629]

0:08 what's the cutter used here?

[@mahmoudmigdadi4552]

Is there a special adjustment for the slanted bed

[@kevinc9006]

Did you change wedge to 0 degrees?

[@GRTLRS]

Don't you also need to check if the center screws are applying too much or too little pressure? If the Z axis stroke was bowed up or down in the middle, as long as there isn't any twist, you wouldn't see movement on that level in the x-direction, right? Wouldn't you need to do the same test but with the level axially in Z?

[@haasautomation]

GARRETT LEWIS - That’s an interesting example. Once the machine is leveled, the center leveling screws will help prevent the machine from twisting over time. In my years working on Haas turning centers, I’ve yet to see a base casting bowed up or down and free from twist. If the base casting is bowed up for example, you would have to use anchors to pull it down and check the twist again. If the base casting is bowed down, you would use center screws to push it up and check the twist again. Hope that helps, thanks for the comment. - Orville

[@GRTLRS]

@@haasautomation Thanks Orville, yes this does help. I was thinking more along the line if the middle was sagging due to gravity. Or if the center screws applied too much pressure, it could be bowed upward. Probably a good idea to double check afterward.

[@arpadbrecska8178]

May I ask you what kind of error (levelling, twist) cause what kind of error (guideway wear, conical machined parts... etc)? 1. For example when the machine is not levelled, some parts have more wear because of the excessive amount of weight. 2. "Since twist compromise the geometry of your machine. It can introduce error into your machine parts..." Thank you!

[@haasautomation]

Arpad Brecska - If the machine is not leveled correctly, it can prevent chips and coolant from flowing from the machine correctly. In regards to twist, it can cause the machine to produce parts out of print and in some cases the machine can actually break tools like drills, taps… etc. Hope that helps, thanks for the comment. - Orville

[@arpadbrecska8178]

@@haasautomation Thank you very much!

[@jaypie0864]

2:39 Help me understand this... It seems as if he's leveling the level and not the machine. Shouldn't the level sit on the top of the turret or across the subspindle rails? I must be missing something.

[@powellmachineinc3179]

The machine was never leveled.... only the "twist" removed.

[@arpadbrecska8178]

If understand the process: 1. He calibrated the level by rotating it 180 degrees and check the difference compared to each other. 2. Jog the Z-axis to the middle of the stroke. 3. He put the calibrated level on the magbase, on the turret. Just tap a few times to set the magbase level too. This position doesn't need to be level at this point. 4. JOG back and forth between the Z+ and Z- positions to set the level with the screws in corners. With that he created a levelled plain/rectangular. 5. Take out the twist of the bed by set all the screws, meanwhile level the 2 screws in the middle. Until this point I don't see any mistake. Honestly, I see only one mistake: the Z-axis levelling process is missing or the smaller vial is not precise for level the machine. Maybe he didn't mentioned it or I didn't notice it. I hope it's understandable, English isn't my mother tongue.

[@Fizzy-Bubblech]

Without doing what cruch9 wrote it is Mission Impossible to level the machine correctly.

[@jerryherrin6470]

Nothing more annoying than leveling a lathe. It's exhausting and time consuming, and you get real tired of it when you work for a shop that is constantly moving machines around ;)

[@jerryherrin6470]

This is why you work for a shop that has a decent maintenance guy ;)

[@tightirl]

whoa a foreign colored....