Can you set the Feedrate Override to a Maximum of 100%

[champshire]

OK, so here is the skinny....We have an operator on an off shift that has watched too many titans of CNC videos on youtube. He likes to turn the feed rate up to 150%. Of course, tooling suffers the consequences for this, but management doesn't care since he "gets more parts out". The tooling gets blamed on the first shift guy and things get stupid.

Anyways, is there a way to limit the feed rate override knob to a maximum of 100%? Fanuc 21 control. I was trying to think of a way to program around the situation. I read in my book that I can set system parameter #3004 to different values to completely disable the feed rate override knob. I would prefer to just limit it to 100% so that there are no possible safety issues that could arise.

Other than the obvious suggestions of get rid of the guy, find another job, etc, is there a way to work this in?

Thanks in advance.

[JParis]

Hopefully one of the "machine" guys will have a better answer but I think, as you've seen that disabling or setting it are the only options....

[Matthew Hajicek]

If not, a workaround could be to set the feed rates such that they're correct at maximum override, and have the day shift run that way too.

[neurosis]

I read in my book that I can set system parameter #3004 to different values to completely disable the feed rate override knob.

Having to macro your way around a guy who won't follow instructions is just bad policy.   

Do you guys keep track of tool life etc?  Can you show history on the jobs to prove that they run worse when he is running them? 

[champshire]

I was even brain storming to using the clock on the control to set the #3004. In other words, if it's between this time and this time (off shift) set #3004= no override. Crazy I know, but that thought did occur to me.

[champshire]

Having to macro your way around a guy who won't follow instructions is just bad policy.   

Do you guys keep track of tool life etc?  Can you show history on the jobs to prove that they run worse when he is running them? 

Agreed, it's terrible policy. But it is what it is. No sense getting worked up about it, just trying to find a viable solution.

We get a tooling report every month of what gets signed out of the stock room. Guy on day shift can sign a box out and the off shift guy has access to the same inserts. Not a real good tracking system I know. I fight that battle every month.

The other thought was have day shift sign the inserts out in qty's only as needed (2 for example) to force off shift to have to sign out inserts. There would at least be record then.

[gcode]

A smack in the side of the head should fix this

[crazy^millman]

A smack in the side of the head should fix this

Just glad I am removed from this kind of drama to a point. Still have tons of fun dealing with different things, but this one I can just pack up my laptop and say see ya.

[champshire]

Just glad I am removed from this kind of drama to a point. Still have tons of fun dealing with different things, but this one I can just pack up my laptop and say see ya.

I'm not to that point yet, but working that way more each day.

[Jeff]

He likes to turn the feed rate up to 150%. Of course, tooling suffers the consequences for this, but management doesn't care since he "gets more parts out".

Are you 10000% certain that it's programmed as efficient as possible when it's at 100% ovr?
What if the 2nd shift guy is right and it's programmed too conservatively?

Of course feeding faster will go thru more tooling but you have to find where the point of diminishing return is.

[champshire]

Off shift guy went thru 8 inserts in a shift....day shift one corner. While I am a firm believer that everything can be improved upon, the machine isn't capable of running more than what it is set at. We do very similar parts on a daily basis. About the only real difference is the center to center distance on two bores.

That said, I can take the tooling out of this cat 40 machine and put it in our cat 50 and more than double the feed rates and increase the sfm. Yes the tools can be pushed harder, but not in this application. The machine is the limit, not the tooling.

The machine is on it's last legs and we are looking at revamping things and doing away with it. It's a chiron though, so it's tough to beat a free part every time you press start (dual spindle). I have been working in the cat 50 machine trying to match production. I am close using improved feeds and speeds and things like dynamic milling, just not sure if we will get there.

I hope this better explains the situation.

[RobertELee]

Sounds like it's time to start documenting the difference between shifts. Number of tools used, number of parts ran (both good and bad), downtime, etc. As well as writing up a process for each part/machine explicitly stating RUN AT 100% FEED and whatever else needs to be done. This way there is something to fall back on if the guy doesn't stop bypassing the program.

[Matthew Hajicek]

Depending on the cost per insert, time lost changing inserts, productivity difference, and profit per part, the optimal solution for maximum profit could be somewhere between the two.

[gcode]

On a current production part, I specified a pair of high feed cutters using identical face mill arbors
That way the operator removes one tool, installs the second tool and hits cycle start.
This takes 30 seconds to a minute depending on the operator.
Then he has 20 minutes or so to change out the inserts on the first cutter.
Management squawked about buying a second cutter and arbor, but I did the numbers
and told them it would save 1.5 hours on a 14 hour runtime
In practice it is saving 2+ per part. It's also preventing damaged/destroyed cutters
because the operators are changing the tool when they are supposed to instead of trying to get
another 20 minutes out of a set of inserts

[neurosis]

I specified a pair of high feed cutters using identical face mill arbors

What's your go to high feed mill if you don't mind my asking.

we've been testing several in titanium. 

We've had amazing luck with longer reach Ingersol.  We've just committed to some larger diameter dormer/pramet for titanium.