A bar feeder is a specialized piece of workshop engineering that does exactly what the names implies, which is to feed bars to CNC machines. By utilizing bar feeders, workshops can put a CNC into continuous and unobstructed operation without having to worry about providing metal bars that constitute the main workpiece material.
Bar feeders can be connected to a CNC for automated control, or can be set to feed at a specific rate, depending on the application. They can hold many bars on their magazines and feed them to the CNC one by one. Modern bar feeders have the capability to detect if anything is wrong in the process and essentially stop automatically.
Things to consider when buying one
Bar feeders are available in various shapes and sizes as manufacturers try to offer a specialized solution for each workshop's special need. The aspiring buyer has to keep in mind that bar feeders were created to work well with CNCs, so the technical specifications are important or else the two machines could be incompatible. Find a list of the four most important things to consider when buying a bar feeder below:
Magazine Size Needs
First and foremost, machinists should consider the bar magazine size. Depending on the diameter of the bars used in an application, those magazines can hold different amounts of bars. This is very important for the determination of the maximum operation time before the bar feeder runs out of bars. Of course, the feeding rate is another important factor that affects this, so consider them both and keep in mind that frequent refilling means less productivity.
Part and Spindle Size
Is the part that you want to mill long or short in relation to the maximum bar length that the feeder can hold? How many finished workpieces is a bar going to last for? What is the length of the bar that will be held at the spindle? These are the kind of questions that a buyer needs to answer before figuring out the production efficiency of a bar feeder with precision. Sometimes, a buyer will have to spend quite some time calculating all possible configurations for a bar feeder, but if a workshop produces specific workpieces at known length, the time and effort to take those into account are worth it.
Safety of Operation
As bar feeders are required to work well for long periods of time without the presence of personnel, it is very important to have safety features that monitor the operation and check for errors in the process. Some safety net mechanisms that are used by modern bar feeders include sensors, load meters, infrared beams and streaming webcams that send video technicians remotely.
Floor Space Needs
Floor area is sometimes a workshop's most limited resource, and bar feeders are known to challenge this. As the machines get fixed on the spindle side of the CNC and since they are relatively long in almost all cases, machinists should carefully calculate whether their workshops have enough space for the addition of a bar feeder. Not only should the bar feeder fit next to the CNC, but there should also be enough space for maintenance, access to all compartments, and space to clench/unclench bolts. If the bars are loaded onto the machine with the use of a small crane, there should also be enough space to accommodate its maneuvering as well.
Bar feeders can be connected to a CNC for automated control, or can be set to feed at a specific rate, depending on the application. They can hold many bars on their magazines and feed them to the CNC one by one. Modern bar feeders have the capability to detect if anything is wrong in the process and essentially stop automatically.
Things to consider when buying one
Bar feeders are available in various shapes and sizes as manufacturers try to offer a specialized solution for each workshop's special need. The aspiring buyer has to keep in mind that bar feeders were created to work well with CNCs, so the technical specifications are important or else the two machines could be incompatible. Find a list of the four most important things to consider when buying a bar feeder below:
Magazine Size Needs
First and foremost, machinists should consider the bar magazine size. Depending on the diameter of the bars used in an application, those magazines can hold different amounts of bars. This is very important for the determination of the maximum operation time before the bar feeder runs out of bars. Of course, the feeding rate is another important factor that affects this, so consider them both and keep in mind that frequent refilling means less productivity.
Part and Spindle Size
Is the part that you want to mill long or short in relation to the maximum bar length that the feeder can hold? How many finished workpieces is a bar going to last for? What is the length of the bar that will be held at the spindle? These are the kind of questions that a buyer needs to answer before figuring out the production efficiency of a bar feeder with precision. Sometimes, a buyer will have to spend quite some time calculating all possible configurations for a bar feeder, but if a workshop produces specific workpieces at known length, the time and effort to take those into account are worth it.
Safety of Operation
As bar feeders are required to work well for long periods of time without the presence of personnel, it is very important to have safety features that monitor the operation and check for errors in the process. Some safety net mechanisms that are used by modern bar feeders include sensors, load meters, infrared beams and streaming webcams that send video technicians remotely.
Floor Space Needs
Floor area is sometimes a workshop's most limited resource, and bar feeders are known to challenge this. As the machines get fixed on the spindle side of the CNC and since they are relatively long in almost all cases, machinists should carefully calculate whether their workshops have enough space for the addition of a bar feeder. Not only should the bar feeder fit next to the CNC, but there should also be enough space for maintenance, access to all compartments, and space to clench/unclench bolts. If the bars are loaded onto the machine with the use of a small crane, there should also be enough space to accommodate its maneuvering as well.
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CNC Indexing & Feeding Technologies offers the best bar feeders the industry has to offer. Contact them today to learn more.
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