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.
While bar feeders are usually operated by the CNCs control units, a machinist can set feeding rates manually as well. They feature bar pallet holders that are taken one by one and placed on the feeding chamber from where they find their way inside the CNC milling area though the spindle. Nowadays, bar feeders can also monitor the operation and immediately stop if anything goes wrong.
Consideration when selecting bar feeders
There are many different bar feeder models in the market today, offering different production qualitative and quantitative characteristics. As these machines are destined to work together with CNCs, compatibility and sizing are especially important when considering buying one. Here's a list with the most significant factors to consider before making a bar feeder choice:
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 Lengths
To minimize material wastage and maximize the production efficiency, machinists should consider the following values: total length of the bar, length of the bar that is held on the CNC spindle, and length of the bar needed to produce one item. This consideration is not only about saving material from avoiding to generate a lot of unusable pieces of bars every day, but also about saving time as less frequent bar changes will be required.
Operational Safety
Bar feeders are machines that are left to operate by themselves for many hours, or even days in some cases. For this reason, they should boast advanced safety features that ensure their good operation while workshop personnel is busy doing something else. Some of those features could be sensors placed in key points, load measurement equipment, and infrared beams that check the position of the bars. Modern bar feeders can even have webcams used for remote monitoring.
Floor Space
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.
While bar feeders are usually operated by the CNCs control units, a machinist can set feeding rates manually as well. They feature bar pallet holders that are taken one by one and placed on the feeding chamber from where they find their way inside the CNC milling area though the spindle. Nowadays, bar feeders can also monitor the operation and immediately stop if anything goes wrong.
Consideration when selecting bar feeders
There are many different bar feeder models in the market today, offering different production qualitative and quantitative characteristics. As these machines are destined to work together with CNCs, compatibility and sizing are especially important when considering buying one. Here's a list with the most significant factors to consider before making a bar feeder choice:
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 Lengths
To minimize material wastage and maximize the production efficiency, machinists should consider the following values: total length of the bar, length of the bar that is held on the CNC spindle, and length of the bar needed to produce one item. This consideration is not only about saving material from avoiding to generate a lot of unusable pieces of bars every day, but also about saving time as less frequent bar changes will be required.
Operational Safety
Bar feeders are machines that are left to operate by themselves for many hours, or even days in some cases. For this reason, they should boast advanced safety features that ensure their good operation while workshop personnel is busy doing something else. Some of those features could be sensors placed in key points, load measurement equipment, and infrared beams that check the position of the bars. Modern bar feeders can even have webcams used for remote monitoring.
Floor Space
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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