Looking For A Bar Feeder? Consider These Options Before Deciding
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 are considered to be a CNC extension, so they are directly connected and controlled by the latter. Operators, however, may also set a particular feeding rate that is fit for an application manually. The metal bars are held on the storage chamber and are taken out one by one to be passed into the CNC milling chamber. Bar feeders today are capable of detecting abnormal operation, stopping the feed automatically.
What to think about before purchasing
As with everything that can be found inside a workshop, bar feeders come in a lot of shapes, sizes, and different technical characteristics. Since this machine is something that is bought on the premise to work well in collaboration with another machine (CNC), buyers should be particularly cautious on what model they should choose. Here are some of the most important points for consideration:
Magazine Size Needs
The magazine size indicates how many bars of a specified diameter can be held in the bar feeder's storage chamber. This, combined with the feeding rate essentially gives out the hours of operation of a bar feeder before it required bar refilling. Although this may vary depending on a workshop's needs, a minimum operation of at least eight hours is generally suggested.
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
Unattended operation is the goal of every modern workshop out there, but this can never come without the machine being able to detect problems in time. If not, you may end up with tons of defect products, costing you a lot of time and resources. Check whether a bar feeder uses sensors, load meters, infrared beams and even webcams that can send video feed on a remote computer/device.
Floor Space
Bar feeders are installed right next to the CNC, so considering if a workshop has enough floor space for such a machine is imperative. Also, remember that it's not only about fitting a machine in a corner, but also providing for enough space for regular maintenance and access in the compartments. Finally, if a crane will be used for the feeding of the magazine, enough maneuvering space should be considered.
Bar feeders are considered to be a CNC extension, so they are directly connected and controlled by the latter. Operators, however, may also set a particular feeding rate that is fit for an application manually. The metal bars are held on the storage chamber and are taken out one by one to be passed into the CNC milling chamber. Bar feeders today are capable of detecting abnormal operation, stopping the feed automatically.
What to think about before purchasing
As with everything that can be found inside a workshop, bar feeders come in a lot of shapes, sizes, and different technical characteristics. Since this machine is something that is bought on the premise to work well in collaboration with another machine (CNC), buyers should be particularly cautious on what model they should choose. Here are some of the most important points for consideration:
Magazine Size Needs
The magazine size indicates how many bars of a specified diameter can be held in the bar feeder's storage chamber. This, combined with the feeding rate essentially gives out the hours of operation of a bar feeder before it required bar refilling. Although this may vary depending on a workshop's needs, a minimum operation of at least eight hours is generally suggested.
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
Unattended operation is the goal of every modern workshop out there, but this can never come without the machine being able to detect problems in time. If not, you may end up with tons of defect products, costing you a lot of time and resources. Check whether a bar feeder uses sensors, load meters, infrared beams and even webcams that can send video feed on a remote computer/device.
Floor Space
Bar feeders are installed right next to the CNC, so considering if a workshop has enough floor space for such a machine is imperative. Also, remember that it's not only about fitting a machine in a corner, but also providing for enough space for regular maintenance and access in the compartments. Finally, if a crane will be used for the feeding of the magazine, enough maneuvering space should be considered.
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CNC Indexing & Feeding Technologies offers the best bar loaders in the industry. Contact them today to learn more.
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