- 1). Insert the correct chuck jaws for the threading. Match the radius of the material with a set of chuck jaws that you have for your lathe. Remove the set that is on the chuck, slide the new jaws into place and tighten the two bolts on each jaw. Turn the chuck on to make sure that they are spinning concentrically, and make adjustments to their positions as necessary.
- 2). Set the tools in the lathe that are needed for threading. Place a boring bar in the tool turret as well as a threading tool and an inside diameter grooving tool to create the relief on the inside just past the threads. Teach each tool using the probe so that the machine is aware of the location of each of the tool's tips.
- 3). Create the program for the threading operation. Write the line for the boring operation, which will open up the inside diameter for the threading tool. Place a line for the grooving tool, which will create a small groove behind the threaded area for relief. Insert the line for the threading tool that will rough out the thread and finish it with the same tool.
- 4). Bring one of the tools to the outside edge of the material and reset the Z axis on the CNC control. Touch the edge of the material with any tool, place your cursor on the Z axis number, press the "0" key and press the "enter" or "input" key. The exact procedure will vary depending on the machine and its controls.
- 5). Start the program and turn the rapids down very low. The rapids dictate the speed of the tool changes as well as the approach. Lowering them will allow you to stop the operation if the tool looks as though it will crash or there is an obvious dimensional error with your program. Use a thread gauge to make sure the threads are correct before removing the part, as you can rerun it if the threads are off.
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