Roland MDX-540 4-Axis Mill

Description

The MDX-540 is a 4-axis milling machine with a 4-tool automatic tool changer.

Manuals

MDX-540 Manual

Material Setup Considerations

• The smallest diameter the standard vise jaws can grip is ~0.8"
• The thinnest barstock that can be gripped is ~1/2"

Machine Setup and Workflow

• Turn on the machine.
• Open Vpanel
• Select RML or NC-code depending on how you want to control the machine.
• Press enter on the jog pendant.





• Check to tools loaded in the tool positions. (The cover on the ATC can be manually moved to look at the tools).





• If you need to modify the tools, you can unsnap the toolholder from the plastic clip and change the tool using the steel toolsetter to hold it.





• New tools must be measured!
• in VPanel, go to Magazine --> Measure (for the respective tool)
• Make sure the ground cable is attached to the z-sensor (the post sticking out of the build plate).
• The machine will very slowly lower the tool to the sensor. You can speed this up by manually moving the jog pendant until the tool is close to the sensor and then let it resume at its slow pace.





• Tools can be attached and detached by clicking the "Attach/Detach" button.
• Select the appropriate tool and then hit replace. (or just return the current tool to the ATC)
• To set the base point, hit the "Base Point" button.
• If using the 4-axis:
• set y-origin to center of rotation
• set z-origin to center of rotation
• make sure a tool is loaded.
• as above, make sure the ground cable is connected to the z-sensor post.
• the machine will now touch the tool off on the sensor and set the z-origin.
• Jog to where the x-origin should be and the hit Apply next to "set x-origin here"









• To run the job, go to "Cut"
• For some reason the "open" dialog doesn't work for NC-code files.
• instead, just drag the gcode file into the output list.
• If necessary, before running the job, you can spot drill the end of your workpiece for use with the live-center by hitting "Drill-workpiece"
• remove the live center and insert the spot drill into the tailstock.
• the machine will spin the workpiece and let you drill a small spot for the live-center

External Resources

• "Roland University Training"

Generating GCode with HSMWorks

• In job setup/preferences, you need to tell HSMWorks that the machine has an A-Axis





• Toolpath as you would normally...
• Use the Roland Generic ISO to post-process the nc-code.
• Make sure the export units are set to millimeters