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Who is DSI?

Who is Design and Software International (DSI)?

DSI serves the United States and Canada as an Autodesk Gold Partner offering sales, online and on-site training, personal and enterprise support, post-processors, and custom automation development services. Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or part of a large organization, nothing beats having experts available to help achieve your goals. DSI’s team of 14 dedicated applications engineers cover a wide range of specializations.

Founded in 1990, DSI remains a privately-held business invested in long term customer satisfaction. Setup for Success with DSI and Autodesk Fusion 360.

Learn More About DSI

Fusion 360 Post Processor Error: DSI Fixes Probing with Multiple WCS Error!

Our Fusion 360 Okuma Post Processor worked great for Probing an Angle along X (or Y) using the G11 (aka G68) style coordinate shift rotation!

BUT – it would NOT work when posting to multiple WCS offsets! We got the error “WCS offset cannot change while using angle rotation compensation”. This error seemed bogus, but I wasn’t comfortable fixing it, so we reached out to Dr. Phil from DSI to help get it working!

Watch along as Dr. Phil (@the_dr.phil_experience on IG) from DSI troubleshoots and corrects our post-processor issue! This video gives a behind the scenes look into the Fusion 360 support and post processor development services that DSI offers.

Learn more about DSI here!

How to Align Shapeoko 4, Pro, & HDM Fixture Tooling Plates

Setting up SMW fixture plates on your Shapeoko 4, Shapeoko Pro, or Shapeoko HDM router?

Take a look at our guide below showing you how to prepare your Shapeoko, secure the fixture plates, and align each one using a 1-2-3 block, dial indicator, or our 3D-printable alignment jig.

Downloads

Inch Alignment Jig

Metric Alignment Jig

*STL files are both saved in mm for ease of use with most slicer programs

Tormach 24R

Routers are typically designed to cut softer materials like wood, Delrin, and acrylic BUT how far can we push this Tormach 24R?

While we loved the Datron NEO…it was more machine than we needed for our acrylic fixture plate protectors. In the shop, we primarily cut aluminum and steel, so naturally, we wanted to try cutting those materials on the 24R. Let’s compare aluminum cuts on the Tormach 24R and Tormach 770M using the same speeds and feeds. Next, we’ll see if the 24R can cut steel. Throughout this video, we’ll discuss machine specs, helpful upgrades, and things to be aware of.

How to set up & use the Tormach ETS

Grob: A CNC Machine Tool Brand You Might Not Know About

There are many CNC machine manufacturers, but few offer as capable – and unique – of a machine as GROB.

GROB has one of the largest machine tool facilities in Europe where they build large automated manufacturing and assembly lines. There’s a good chance that many of the parts in your car were touched by a GROB!

 GROB’s Universal line of horizontal 5-axis CNC machines are incredible machines that are gaining in popularity amongst job shops and manufacturers.   We visited GROB Headquarters in Germany a couple years ago and saw some really interesting machine tool engineering.

But, GROB also has a U.S.-based factory in Bluffton, OH.

Again, the right tool for the job is always the most important standard to follow. For instance, our friends at Area 419 use a GROB G350, which provides 5-axis horizontal machining capabilities, among their army of other machines, but there are some unique features of their GROB that the company uses to their advantage – like the tunnel concept, where the spindle actually recedes into a tunnel on the machine, allowing you to fully utilize the machine’s work envelope, even with really long tools. Jon Addis, CEO at Area 419, told us it can use up to a 500 mm tool and still cut the largest part that fits in the envelope.

The Universal Line of machines offer great operator access and part visibility.  The horizontal orientation means they can even machine parts upside down!  They are one of best machines to film – take a look at this Eiffel Towel demo: 

Fixturing Recap – Unique and Clever Workholding We’ve Used

Series Introduction

Week 1 - Vises & 2-4-6 Blocks

CNC Vises & 2,4,6 Blocks

Workholding and fixturing are arguably one of the most challenging parts of being a machinist. Through the years, we’ve learned and shared several different ways to think about holding onto parts. In this video, we’ll cover several different ways to use CNC vises and 2,4,6, blocks. Hopefully this provides solutions or helps you generate new ideas for job shop parts or prototyping!

Week 2 - Soft Jaws

Soft Jaws

Soft jaws are an excellent way to hold workpieces and reduce the amount of setups when using a CNC milling machine! Soft jaws are extremely versatile and are often able to be reused. This workholding technique has been one of our go-to methods when there isn’t a good place to hold onto the part for Op2.

Week 3 - Workholding Round Parts

Holding Round Parts

Expanding mandrels, chucks, and 5C Collets are great ways to hold round material in a CNC mill in a vise, mounted directly to a fixture plate, or a 4th Axis! Let’s walk through various fixturing examples we’ve used and hopefully help spark new ideas for holding your CNC projects.

Week 4 - Machining Large Parts

Fixturing methods for parts too large for a traditional 6″ vise.

Let’s cover how to use low profile mod vises, super glue fixturing for large parts, brass toe clamps, mid-machining fixture repositioning, how to add manual NCs in Fusion 360, and more!

Week 5 - Machining Multiple Parts at Once

CNC machining multiple parts for production.

Let’s cover workflows with Fusion 360 CAD, CAM, and various workholding strategies to machine multiple parts in each setup!

Week 6 - Custom Fixtures

Custom workholding fixtures are great for production.

Designing fixtures that hold multiple parts ensures process reliability, fewer setups, and operations.

Week 7 - Thin Parts

CNC Machining Workholding strategies for thin material and parts!

Thin parts will often flex if clamped in a traditional vise, so we need to use other methods such as clamping to a fixture plate, vacuum workholding, or superglue.

Week 8 - Superglue Workholding

Super Glue Workholding Techniques!

This strategy provides access to all sides of the part without introducing flex. This video covers how to use this workholding technique on various materials, tips, tricks, and more!

Week 9 - Tabbing & Window Machining

Window machining and using tabs gets me excited!

In this workholding technique, the raw material becomes the fixture, which means flipping for Op 2 is a breeze. This strategy can works great for 3-Axis, 4-Axis, and 5-Axis machines. Let’s cover what window machining is, why it’s a great strategy, and how we’ve used it. Hopefully this inspires or helps you create even better ways to hold your parts!

Week 10 - 4th & 5th Axis Workholding

In 4 and 5 axis machining, workholding size matters.

Choosing workholding that is too large for the machine or the part can prevent the spindle, tool, or toolholder from reaching the part or worse–the spindle may come into contact with the workholding device or machine table. Let’s cover using collets, chucks, combining workholding devices, tabbing, window machining, and how to hold complex parts without datums!

Full Project Videos

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Machining a Geocache for Challenger Deep

CNC Milling Titanium with Small Tools & Embossing

Milling titanium, Tormach 770, Tips for Machining Text in Fusion 360 with small tools, & More.

Not only can this project help with machining titanium, it’s also a geocache headed for the deepest part of the ocean in the world: Challenger Deep of the Mariana Trench! In addition to this titanium block, we also machine its syntactic foam marker on the Hass UMC-750. What are geocaches and geocaching? Geocaching is basically a worldwide scavenger hunt! Random items a.k.a. geocaches are hidden and tagged with their coordinates often accompanied by puzzles, log books, and codes to “claim” them. There are likely lots of geocaches around you right now! How cool is that!?

Check out the hydroforming die Michael machined on his Tormach 440, designed to work at the bottom of the Mariana Trench: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1012118402208518/permalink/3750461708374160/

You can also view his post on LinkedIn about the expedition: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/michaeldubno_in-2-weeks-ill-be-on-the-exploration-of-activity-6764920043382874112-Lk_s/

Finally, here are some pictures from the expedition! https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10159251134387430&set=a.60886877429

Related Products

Cordless Vacuum

Programming Dual Spindle Lathes

How to program a dual spindle Haas ST-20Y CNC lathe in Fusion 360! Dual spindle lathes are incredible – and one of best ways to get into “automation” – but the key is having a reliable and efficient way to program them. By using part placeholders, templates, and user parameters in Fusion 360, we’re able to program this simple part quickly and with confidence!

1.) Insert your part into the Part Placeholder component.

2.) There is a Joint Origin in the Stock Main Spindle Component called Part to Stock. Use this to place the part within the stock.

3.)  Change these parameters to suit your needs: Main Stock Diameter, Main Stock Length, Front Stock Offset Main Spindle, Front Stock Offset Sub Spindle, Distance to chuck on part for Sub Spindle, Width of Cutoff Tool

4.) The Part Length will have to be measured and put into the parameters for each part.

5.) Add or change operations as needed.

6.) Do not change anything with the secondary spindle chuck, secondary spindle return, or the cut off operations.

G54 is face of main spindle collet. G54 B0 is face of main spindle collet to face of sub spindle collet. G55 is face of sub spindle collet.

GROB CNC Machines

Grob: an industry leader in designing and building production and automation systems for aerospace, automotive, and many other industrial sectors.

Established in 1926, the values and foundations of their company still continue to be keys to their success today. In 1983, a piece of German manufacturing made its way to Bluffton, Ohio and we got a chance to visit!

The Grob Universal line of 5-axis CNC machines, including the G150, G350, G550 and G750 are some of the most unique 5-axis CNC machines.   Their horizontal spindle design offers numerous benefits, including increased rigidity, tool changes that occur outside of the work envelope, and the ability to machine with the part upside down!

A Quick Look at GROB

GROB Shop Tour

Eiffel Tower Machining

Basketball Hoop Machining

Haas Lathe Spindle Temperature Check

Our ST-20Y – like any machine tool – is susceptible to changes in temperature. We have found that once the machine (particularly, the spindle) is up to temperature our lathe is much more consistent and accurate, so how can we ensure that our lathe doesn’t start making parts until the spindle is up to temperature? Take a look at this quick tutorial to find out!

Downloads:

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