Cost Effective ATC Using PorterCable 7518 Router

[havery]

A cost effective automatic tool changer has been developed and is now available which uses a Porter Cable 7518 router. The Automatic Tool Changer, 8 station Fixed Tool Pallet, 4 steel tool holders in your choice of sizes, all the components necessary for installation, and instructions cost less then $2300. The Tool Changer uses the original PC arbor chuck so the standard PC collets can still be used for bits used occasionally, large cutting diameter tools, or tools which would protrude father than 1 ½” from the bottom of the Tool Holder. This system was designed for use where most of your cutting is done with ½” cutting diameter bits or less. This system will not replace a spindle. If your application requires a spindle, buy one. There is no substitute. This system was designed for use where a standard Porter Cable router would be used.
Visit www.midwestrapidtool.com (http://www.midwestrapidtool.com) for more information. Please use info@midwestrapidtool.com (mailto:info@midwestrapidtool.com) for questions and comments.



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[richards]

Interesting concept.

[3imoh]

Looks pretty cool, though I wonder if this would be possible with the (much quieter) Milwaukee 3 1/2hp router...

[gawnca]

Rather than all the air connections and another area to fail, why not check out a much more simple but very accurate system like the one found at http://www.hightechsystemsllc.com So much cleaner and fewer avenues of failure.

[bleeth]

The high tech is an interesting and cost effective design, however I notice that the rpm limit is 10,000. That seems to put it out of consideration for much work. If this were developed with speeds to 22k (typical PC and Milwakee speed) It would be great to put it together and run with it. I bought my PRT with a Columbo 5HP spindle and if I knew now what I knew then I would have specified the tool changer type spinde and figured on developing the rest. Previous queries to Columbo suppliers have gone without response for converting my existing spindle instead of having to buy another.

[richards]

Dave,

My eyes must be failing because I couldn't find a 10,000 RPM speed limitation; however, I did find this notation about the tool holders: "At +20K rpm additional securing is required so two additional set screws have been added at 120° apart."

Can you tell me where to look for the 10,000 RPM limit?

[havery]

The 10,000 rpm limit is for the high tech system not the Midwest Rapid Tool System.

[havery]

A Tool Holder blow off feature has been added to the Automatic Tool Changer which cleans the Tool Holders with blasts of air before the router picks them up. Quite effective. A video of this feature is available at: www.midwestrapidtool.com (http://www.midwestrapidtool.com). Go to the Automatic Changer tab and click on the picture of the blow off feature towards the bottom of the page or follow the link below:
http://www.midwestrapidtool.com/video_clips.htm#Tool_Holder_Air_Blow_Off_Feature
and pick the desired resolution.

[knight_toolworks]

way cool good job. I want one but I won't give up my spindle.

[dingwall]

That's a really cool system. Great work!

If you're homing your tool locally on the fixture, how do you program the tool locations? Or should one use a master home location and temporary offsets on the fixture?

[havery]

Sheldon

I believe I use your second option. This method is the one shown on the website. Go to www.midwestrapidtool.com (http://www.midwestrapidtool.com) and click the Programming tab at the bottom of the left side navigation bar. This is the list of all the variables I use and a theroy of operation.
In short the procedure I use is to zero the machine to machine 0,0, then get the x,y locations of all the tool holders. For example the locations of the Tool Holder in position 1 are stored in variables TOOL1X & TOOL1Y; of Tool Holder 2 in TOOL2X & TOOL2Y.....ect. To machine a part, I find the local 0,0 of the part and zero the cooridinate system to this point. The difference between this point and the machine 0,0 is stored in the variables XOFFSET and YOFFSET. When a tool change is required, for example to pick up the tool holder in position 1, I stay in the local cooridinate system and run the subroutine GETTOOL1. This moves the router to the location of (TOOL1X - OFFSETX),(TOOL1Y - OFFSETY)and picks up the Tool Holder in position 1, and then returns to the point where the change was called.

Hope this helps. If not send me an email through the website with your phone and I will give you a call.

[havery]

An anti-rotation feature has been added to the MRT Automatic Tool Changer system to increase the torque required for the Tool Holder to slip inside the collet chuck on the router. This feature increased to torque from 75 in-lbs to 250 in-lbs. This allows you to run larger bits at higher feed rates. Take a look at www.midwestrapidtool.com (http://www.midwestrapidtool.com) and click on the Anti-Rotation Feature System Advantage Heading.

[dingwall]

Man Haze, that's looking even better. What's the procedure for replacing bearings? Who can do the work?

[havery]

Hi Sheldon
The only difference in the bearing replacement procedure between the Tool Changer and a standard Porter Cable 75182 router, is internal e-ring pliers are required to replace the upper bearing. Other than that, no special tools or procedures are required. Anyone with a press, an impact tool, an a T15 Torx driver can replace the bearings and brushes.