Machine tool automation news

Associated Tools, a Kolkata based Indian manufacturing company, uses BFW, LMW and Hurco machine tools, each one fitted with Renishaw touch trigger inspection probes and tool setting systems, for supplying products to the defence industry. Since adopting the machine tool probes, Associated Tools have benefited from an elimination of component rejections, and a 66% reduction in tooling set up times.

Flat surfaces and straight lines are rare among the parts produced at Triumph Fabrications in Shelbyville, Indiana, which is a key reason the company upgraded the machine tool probe on one of its high-accuracy portal mills to a strain-gauge-based Renishaw RMP600.

Measurement on multi-axis machine tools is set to take a great leap forward with the introduction of a new version of Renishaw’s Productivity+™ suite of PC-based probing software. A key improvement is a new multi-axis option that allows more creativity and efficiency in machining processes, which supported by Renishaw’s high accuracy Rengage™ 3D technology-based touch probes and new ultra-compact radio probes, gives process engineers and machinists a wide choice of flexible process solutions

Renishaw adds to its market-leading range of probe and software products with new touch probe systems for machines, including lathes, where line-of-sight issues cause difficulties for optical signal transmission.

In tough times, manufacturers focus on reducing their operating costs, but may not be able to afford to spend their way out by buying more productive machinery. With that pathway closed, what are the opportunities for radically reducing costs without replacing existing machines? This paper explores four areas where substantial savings can be found if firms are prepared to change the way they control their machining processes.

Renishaw, the world’s leading supplier of PC-based measurement software for CNC machine tools, is releasing a new version of its Renishaw OMV Pro software, a powerful package that works with touch probes to give advanced on-machine part verification and machine simulation capabilities.

Renishaw has consolidated its market leading range of PC-based measurement software for CNC machine tools with a new version of its easy-to-program 3D inspection software, Renishaw OMV. The new version now allows users of multi-axis CNC machine tools to guarantee accurate measurement results through the ability to add two or more alignments in a program. Renishaw OMV 2.02 is also Microsoft® Windows Vista® compatible and offers enhanced graphical reporting with user-configurable tools.

Mekall, a Scottish manufacturing services group, uses HAAS machine tools, each one fitted with Renishaw touch probes, to service clients in the defence, aerospace, medical and telecommunications markets.

Renishaw's Productivity+™ Active Editor Pro, which brings easy programming and a powerful macro suite to machine tool probe users worldwide, has been significantly upgraded with the release of version 1.4. The new version of Active Editor Pro dramatically increases the number of users who can benefit from its simple programming style, by adding support for CAD models from a large variety of CAD formats, and extending the range of postprocessors.

A revolutionary new approach to setting and controlling complex machining processes on sliding head lathes has been developed by Renishaw on Citizen lathes located within its Stonehouse machine shop. Currently on trial this new approach to on-machine probing is helping Renishaw benefit from dramatically reduced set times and the confidence to run ‘lights out’ on even the most sophisticated parts.

Flexible, efficient, and “totally trustworthy” part set-up taken to a new level with probing routines programmed in a CAM environment - Sikorsky supplier Alp Aviation shows how to do it

The Renishaw MP250 is an ultra compact touch probe for grinding machines that sets new standards for the precision measurement of 3D part geometries, whilst offering all the standard probing benefits of reduced set-up times, reduced scrap and improved process control. With robust construction and proven solid-state electronics, the MP250 touch probe is also suited to the harshest of machine environments.

JCB go wireless to take full control of chassis production - “…scrapping an assembly is simply not an option.”

The Renishaw RMP600 is a compact, high accuracy touch probe with radio signal transmission, offering all the benefits of automated job set-up, plus the ability to measure complex 3D part geometries on all sizes of machining centres.  With a robust construction, proven solid-state electronics and interference-free signal transmission, the RMP600 touch probe is also suited to the harshest of machine environments.

New laser-based tool recognition system gives high-speed broken tool detection