ULTRA-TECH FACETING MACHINE CONTROLS

 

The Ultra Tec Faceting machine—celebrating 45 years of excellence and prize-winning performance—is a machine for serious hobbyists and professionals.  Its simple “elegant” design provides the faceter with the pleasure of stones approaching perfection—and with maximum yield and value.

THE MAST controls the position of the stone—radial angle, axial angle, and vertical position.  The accuracy of each of these facet settings, and the faceter’s ability to obtain precise REPEATABILITY results in the exceptional overall quality of an Ultra Tec cut stone. 

THE MAST’S CONSTRUCTION, FIRMNESS, and STURDINESS are prime features—necessary to the precision and repeatability that faceting requires.  All metal components of the Ultra Tec are precision machined to extremely exacting micron tolerances, on computer controlled equipment—no castings, no stampings.

Unlike “floating” designs, which give way to the wedging action of the stone against the lap, the Ultra Tec Mast is completely resistant to undesired movement—even for angles as shallow as 3 or 4 degrees (of the sort increasingly popular in modern gem designs). 

 

THE ANGLE DIAL sets the axial angle—the most critical of the controls.  Ultra Tec offers a choice —a Digital Angle Dial, with its 0.01degree precision (featured on the V2D), or the Analog Angle Dial with 0.1 degree (featured on the V2R).  The long-proven mechanical design of both, geared in a 6 to 1 ratio, allows for the extreme precision seen on the readout.  They are both constant read-out devices, telling you the angular position at each moment.  The Fine Adjustments Knob permits the “dialing-in” of the exact angle.

 

·          THE DIGITAL ANGLE DIAL (on the Ultra Tec V2D).   The Digital Angle Dial, introduced in 2008, provides exceptional ease and accuracy in setting angles to .01 (hundredth) degree accuracy (you will notice that recent gem diagrams specify .01 settings).  Repeatability is precise to the .01 degree setting—the Digital Angle Dial using a state-of-the-art tested Encoder and circuitry.  It has a Beeper signal that is optionally on.  Easy on the eyes and nerves, it is a time saver, the need to check and recheck the setting eliminated. More details on the DAD, including an installation guide and video for upgrading analog machines can be found here.

               

THE ANALOG ANGLE DIAL (on the Ultra Tec V2R).  For those who prefer the world of analog we continue to offer the Analog Angle Dial.  The vernier scale allow the repeatable setting of .1 (tenths) of a degree--the fine adjustment feature lets you “dial it in”.  No parallax angle.  The single angle spacings are equivalent to a ten-inch diameter protractor.

            

VERTICAL SETTING ACCURACY--The vertical setting is performed with the Vertical Knob. The Mast is continuously calibrated, on a metric scale. The stainless steel lead  screw sets the position, and the top readout shows increments of .02mm (less than .0008 inch).  There is no backlash and no locking device to fail or cause distortion---you set the position, let go---it’s there.  Its repeatability is exact.

THE INDEXING SYSTEM controls the radial position.  The machine is delivered with a 96 Index Gear. The one most commonly used in gem designs.  We also offer among our accessories, a 32, 64, 72, 77 (shown below), 80, and 120 index gears.  The Index Gear is a true involute gear, and the detent that locks the position is a true involute gear segment.  This assures accurate centering and accurate rotation during use of the index vernier. The index vernier provides a single dial control with increments of .1 degree, again providing exceptional accuracy and repeatability. 

DOP ALIGNMENT---The Dop, which holds the stone while you work on it, can be removed and later accurately reinserted.  It is keyed for both rational position and depth of insertion.  A Calibration Bar is provided to maintain precise keying alignment if the Index Gear is changed.  (All of this makes it an ideal machine for school or family use.  It allows interruption of the work, while someone else uses the machine---or while you use the machine for another stone---and allows getting back accurately to the previous position. 

READABILITY OF CONTROLS--  All scales provide ease of readability.  The backgrounds are black and the numbers are contrasting white.  The dials are flush, eliminating any parallax problems.

POSITIONING ON BASE--  The head is easily positioned with approximately 9 inches of horizontal movement.  The base lock holds the position firmly.  The head can be easily removed for transportation or cleaning purposes.

TABLE GRINDING AND POLISHING--  The Tabling Adapter provides exceptional firmness, gripping the outside diameter of the Spindle, and placing the stone very close to the end of the Spindle, thus minimizing the sideward pressures that bother traditional inside-gripping tabling adapters.

 

THE BASE PLATE --  The Base plate is made from cast aluminum tooling plate and is Blanchard ground after machining to assure flatness and line-grained for smoothness.  The half-inch thickness, unlike thinner plates, does not bend under leaning pressure, maintaining angular accuracy.  Importantly, the Base plate is fully hard anodized, to the hardness of sapphire, to avoid wear (it is not just a thin decorative coating).

THE PLATEN  -- The critical subassembly which holds the lap provides exceptional accuracy--.0003 inch maximum vertical run out.  The width of the platen—4 inch diameter on the Ultra Tec—is also important, providing broad support for 8 inch laps.  The platen is machined of bar, not plate, to assure that there are no warping stresses.  The platen/base plate relationship is adjusted, calibrated, and certified during final testing.

 THE POWER SYSTEM: (available for 110V or 220V operation)

THE SPEED CONTROL - - The Speed Control is an infinitely variable, SCR type.  It steps up to 1400 RPM, and has a separate on-off and directional control.  An electronic feed-back increases voltage as pressure against the lap increased, maintaining consistent speed and good torque, even at slow polishing speeds.

THE MOTOR AND DRIVE --  The motor is 1/5 peak HP, DC PM type.  Made to Ultra Tec specifications, it is industry rated at 10,000 hours—so you are assured of long service.  External brush mount provide lifetime serviceability. The drive is a resilient cone type – no noisy or inconvenient belts.

SPLASH GUARD --  The rubber Splash Guard protects gems in the event of accidental bumping.  Being flexible, insertion or removal of laps requires no special tools and the flexible wall clips down for girdle grinding.  The Splash  Guard, which is easily removed for cleaning, drains into a funnel in the Base plate and then into a hose.

WORK STATION SIZE- The 4 ½ inch height of the base means that it can be operated conveniently on a table top.  Set into a work table, there is plenty of leg room.  Its convenient size and weight make it easily portable.

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ACCESSORIES & SUPPLIES

SPARE PARTS

 New: 09/09/2009

 

Since 1988 Nation Enterprises, and since 1993 Lapidary Rock Shop has been providing the highest quality products and services to the lapidary market.
1-800-820-3612
E-MAIL: russ@rnbrockshop.com
Copyright©  1998/2011 ®NATION ENTERPRISES
Owned and operated by Russ & Betty Nation
NEW: 08-24-1998
Completely Revised: 11-12-2000
COMPLETE REVISION 05/2007
REV: 01/13/2011