Milling machine X and Y axis out of square

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Gray,

With the greatest repect; may I refer you to Warco's page about the WM-18

• Every milling machine we supply is fully checked and tested by a member of our qualified team, and is supplied with an individual accuracy test report.

As for ISO 9001 ... Although nothing's impossible; I would be rather surprised if Warco was accredited certificated and did not prominently advertise the fact.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 14/02/2014 20:16:46

Edit: corrected terminology.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 14/02/2014 20:25:35

Gray,

I don't want to argue semantics

Let's just wait until Keith posts the certificate and/or gets a response from Warco.

MichaelG.

I do not believe for one minute that the suppliers of " budget" machinery check each machine and issue a test report. It would be too costly to do so, if they received a complaint from someone who had the knowledge and skills to realise the m/c had a problem I imagine they would replace said m/c with no questions asked.

Tony

The problem in just quoting whether a company is ISO9000/9001 certified relevant to a process/product does not define the accuracy to which a product is manufactured to but the processes involved to establish the quality the manufacturer wishes the product to achieve. This is highlighted by a quote from a page in Wikipedia on the subject as follows;-

' xxxxx argues that ISO systems merely gauge whether the processes are being followed. It does not gauge how good the processes are or whether the correct parameters are being measured and controlled to ensure quality. Furthermore, when unique technical solutions are involved in the creation of a new part, ISO does not validate the robustness of the technical solution which is a key part of advanced quality planning. It is not unheard of for an ISO-certified plant to display poor quality performance due to poor process selection and/or poor technical solutions.'

So it really just ensures that a company can repeatedly produce a product to their own standard and that the staff and quality procedures aim to maintain that standard, no smiley for tongue in cheek.

Martin

PS

Tony

Whether one believes them or not both my Chester lathe and Warco mill came with test reports and the latter identified the machine by serial number, test date, inspector's ID and both were completed by hand. This seems to be a lot of effort to go through if no measurements were actually made. Pays your money and takes your choice as they say.

Edited By Martin W on 14/02/2014 23:32:56

I don't take any certificate of accuracy with a grain of salt they are not worth the paper they are written on.

Back to the OP,

I see you have the cube clamped down to the table - take them off and try again .

The surface of the table may not be perfectly flat it may have a small burr or it may be bowed or twisted so clamping the cube is trying to make it confirm to the top of the table .
I would put little blue on the cube and give it a rub across the table where you want to set it up and see if there are any high spots on the table .
Try using a plain old angle plate set on its end , the cube has a much larger area of contact with the table and any indescrepencies will be magnified.
If you must use a clam to hold it down to the table only tighten the nuts finger tight.

You want to be 100% sure that the problem is not how you are measuring it before you try to get the supplier to exchange or repair it .

Even though it is out of warranty and not by years I don't see why Warco would not try to help you as it would be a machining fault that a customer could not easily identify -it's not like you got it home , opened the box and found a dirt big crack in the table that is easily seen .

If all else fails strip it down and take a look at it one of the dovetails may just have a high spot or a burr .

Ian

Hello I am back again.

Have again carried out more cross checks on the squarness issue and however I conduct these checks I always get the almost the same results, so it has to x and y out of square.

After trying for over a week to get a reply from Warco I have finally managed to make contact with them and found their help to be excellent. Firstly they wanted to exchange the whole machine....but as my machine is installed on the first floor of my workshop it is almost impossible to get back down I know that's my problem, not theirs but after explaining this to them they are going to order and send me the part to correct this fault, I assume this will be the cross slide casting.

I will post the forum again when I have fitted the new part and of the result it gives. Again many thanks for all your posts and many thanks to Warco for their action on this issue.

Keith

QED

Comments on this interesting and lively thread:

1. I have had numerous good buys from Warco over the years and also a rotary table which I asked them to exchange and a bench grinder which they agreed to take back; on both occasions they were entirely cooperative. I agree that good communications are vital if you want happy customers. It is worth remembering that the purchaser is not limited to the seller's warranty and may well have a statutory remedy after its expiry.

2. ISO 9001: my then employers put us through the process of certification some years ago. I agree with the Wikipedia comment.

3. I have some fellow feeling for the OP who has installed heavy equipment and is not now sure he can get it out again. One of the first jobs for my new combination woodworker was the making of new workshop doors ...

I look forward to a happy ending.

Keith, how is the mill after the replacement part was installed?.

Neil