Prime Turning, Should You Use It?

[@jestephens]

I will add, as a Sandvik rep, over the last few years since Prime Turn was release we have grown our own competence tremendously. After all, it challenges nearly every convention for turning. I wasn't successful in every application early on; it seemed finicky and hogged available Hp. With experience and new insert geometries, Prime has really come within reach for every-day applications. The window of success is much bigger!

[@chrisking6543]

I've been using Prime on and off for the last 3-4 month's. It definetely is job specific as to its effectiveness. In almost every application we've been able to save at least a little time. It certainly took some tweeking to get each job dialed in correctly to get the effectiveness. I wrote my own Macro for the roughing cycle so I could have the ability to adjust things without having to rewrite the code. As of my last conversation with Tim Baust(The Sandvik Prime Turning Guy in the States) only certain CAM softwares can properly generate the code to use Prime properly. A definite drawback and why I wrote my own cycle. Just my $.02 worth

[@kuei12]

I almost always finish from left to right with a VNMG, except for long shafts where it tends to chatter from the increased downforce. The biggest downside of roughing this way is DOC. Sandvik says .08DOC where I generally rough about .2-.25DOC without having to slow the initial lead in feed.

[@Sketch1994]

Prime Turning inserts have a funky edge that has two extra angles compared to a DNMG insert and they, and their chipbreaker is supposedly designed for this lead angle and feed rates. It's something like a DNMG insert body with a CNMG insert tip to strengthen it and probably with some wiper action going. For the holding a tailstock will suffice (and crashing out might be easier too as it will prevent the toolholder slipping deeper and rather it will pull it out) but slender parts will be a problem, and Sandvik has an NC-generator which for what I understand is a post processor thing for the CAM, but I don't know if it can be integrated to the Controller's cycles.

[@McCoskeyPrecision]

I agree. On programming you would need to use a CAM system. I don't know of a controller that would generate that type of cycle.

[@McCoskeyPrecision]

Here is a good video explaining lead angles kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHrYc6yHl92bba8 The lead angle does increase cutting forces but allows for faster feed rates.

[@TommiHonkonen]

imagine this you have x speed and feed for normal tools then you add another revolver to balance cut and double your output then you change to a prime that uses 2x feeds then you add the second revolver to 4x your output or something along the lines, obviously you'd get most out of this if you had larger parts that require great material removal and in large batch size.

[@jarisipilainen3875]

3:12 i have G71 replacement makro that reduce long chip forming. this would not be hard do makro. wh need cam its slow and do only RED RED collision. why cm do collision LOL DONT cut inside selected figure. how hard it is? and 10000 lines than simple G71 cycle and measures from drawing. its same fast write program hand than start drawing cam. not need desing part again someone allready do it and give me pare with measures i just type in LOL. and it was funny i made bit complicated figures and cam did longer program than cnc have memory, but i made same part 100 lines with makro LOL LOL

[@McCoskeyPrecision]

Yes, Macros are great. Especially if you are making similar parts or doing similar tasks routinely and only need to change a few variables to make a different part or adjust the task done. In the past some cam system weren’t reliable with the post and code they put out. This meant you had to pay attention each time you ran a new program. It’s also true that cam systems will put out a lot of code that it would be much shorter using canned cycles or macros. However, some current cam systems are reliable with posting good code and the long code they put out isn’t an issue as you make changes to the program in the cam system and re-post. Both ways of doing it have their place and benefits.