Wednesday, 23 November 2011

Precision and speed with automatic tool change

The new tool-change system of Kugler GmbH supports measures to reduce
processing costs. The latest generation of micro-Kugler machines -
machining centers Microgantry Micro and Micro Master - is equipped
with this system in order to increase the profitability of the
machines. The tool cabinet holds up to 60 tools in six magazines.
"We reduce the set-up times, which sometimes make up half of the
non-productive time, and thus achieve a direct reduction in costs," is
how Alexander Katz, Technical Director engineering, the goal of the
automatic tool change system. The tool cabinet is space-saving built
into the machine and still easily accessible. A double gripper system
ensures the speed of the changer. The new tool has been made
available, while the other gripper picks up the used tool with tool
shanks of 3 or 4 mm in diameter and shaft lengths up to 70 mm and
stores.

The tools must be positioned at the change due to the minimum opening
column very precisely. Modern high-frequency air-bearing spindles have
given the extremely high speeds of up to 100,000 revolutions per
minute on the tool shank only a direct voltage, which makes the
exchange. Therefore, Kugler has developed the solution that ensures
accurate insertion into the chuck and thus ensures a safe tool
changing process.

The ultra-precision automatic alternating processing systems with many
different tools are required. The change "shall not allow any
mistakes, he must be as safe as possible and to still be fast in
processing," explains Katz. The current cabinet holds up to 60 tools
in six magazines. The fully enclosed design with two automatic doors
allow easy switching. The magazines are mechanically coded to prevent
incorrect insertion. The new tool is clamped and then measured
optically at rated speed. This approach ensures the highest accuracy
for applications such as in the manufacture of optical surfaces and
allows to fulfill the requirements for ultra-precision micro-machining
centers.

Tool change-hydraulic sled system can do a lot

Colombo Filippetti Torino
The tool change-slide system 50 is used only CTNE electric and
pneumatic actuators, which brings considerable advantages in the
management cycle and the speed and leads to a marked reduction of the
acoustic and the environment. This benefits the manufacturer Colombo
Filippette shows at the EMO 2011 in Hannover.

The tool-change system consists of a slide changer unit mounted on a
servo motor driven carriage.

The system consists of a changer unit mounted on a servo motor
driven carriage which is displaceable by rolling on a hardened
dovetail. The change cycle (rotation by 180 °) via a precision servo
motor with reduction gearbox, while the Kegelabziehhub is controlled
by a dynamic cylinder.

Tool change-slide system used horizontally and vertically

As explained, the version (OV) to run the AC with the grips both
horizontally and vertically: In this version of the tool changer
mounted at a pivot point and is driven cylinder, tilted by 90 °. The
gripper is mechanically controlled, with locks that come on at the
moment of removing the tool from the chuck.

The unit is equipped with CTNE 50 different ring or wheel bearing
types and can accommodate 20-80 tools, depending on production
requirements. The system is suitable according to the manufacturer for
the following cone-types: ISO 45, ISO 50, BT 50, HSK 80, HSK 100,
Capto C8 and Capto C10, with tool weights up to 25 kg in the standard
version and up to 35 kg in the stronger version.

Colombo Filippetti Torino at EMO Hannover 2011: Hall 13, Stand E30

clever Tool change strategy affects availability

Tool changes are mostly oriented to the state amount. This leads to
frequent shutdowns and high availability losses. Optimized tool change
strategies, such as bundling and parallel increase of tool changes,
the economy.
Machined metal companies in the money is also at the cutting edge.
With the right strategy, the tool change machine downtime can be
minimized.

The machine tool reports a standstill. The first glance at the screen
reveals the controls: A tool has reached its life quantity. A second
look reveals a different tool has only a small amount of residual
stand. The employee starts with the change of the past die and decides
to move to the second tool also. Then run the installation again.
Wear-related changes reduce productivity tool

This situation is typical in many ways and also shows two potential
strategies of tool change:
The employee learns of the upcoming short-term tool changes.
The decision whether to switch to other tools, is intuitive.

In the area of ​​mass production machining significant productivity
losses due to wear caused by changing tools. In the few years ago
mainly for large quantities procured transfer these roads are well
within the range of 20%. But even with the new machine tool concepts
such as transfer centers are changing a cause for high availability
losses.

The reason for this is that the tools often require the change of
employee engagement in the area of ​​the machine, which necessarily
leads to a shutdown of the plant. While the race was in the context of
lean production, particularly through methods such as Single Minute
Exchange of Die (SMED) is considered intense, is the optimization of
tool changes due to wear a side issue. The approaches are technically
in the rule, for example, increasing the amount of state or chuck for
fast and reliable Wechsel.Anzeige

Until now, little organizational approaches for less downtime caused
by tool change

Organizational approaches are distributed only rudimentary. It lacks,
above all, strategies that allow an optimization of the
tool-change-related outages of the lines in terms of tooling costs,
line availability and personnel costs. Closing this gap is the goal of
the Institute of Production Management, Technology and Machine Tools
(PTW) at the TU Darmstadt.
Here are methods for determining the optimal sequence and frequency of
change of cutting tools (tool change strategies) developed and tested.

For the tool change strategy is the individual state amount of the
tools the most important determinant. The state level may be exceeded
by the tool change strategy at any time. But a very conscious level
below the maximum amount allowed, if thereby the availability of the
line is increased.
Two basic strategies for the tool change

Hence the two basic strategies arise for tool change:
Gallery
Click on a picture to open the photo gallery (7 Photos)

Strategy and tool life
Interval strategy.

In a purely volume-based strategy was every tool to achieve its
individual life quantity is changed, while for a purely
interval-related change strategy, the change in a defined interval in
conscious waiver of parts of the life are summarized. The strategies
have different strengths and weaknesses (Table 1 - see gallery).

Thus, the quantity-based strategy was purely just a large difference
in tool life with high downtime of the machine tool is connected. In
contrast, the interval-based tool change is leading to increased tool
costs by reducing the amount of unused state and thus to a larger
number of necessary tools.
Determine the optimal sequence and frequency of tool change

The three most important factors in the development of the tool change
strategy are to:
Line availability (or the loss of availability due to tool change)
Personnel (staff availability and staff costs) and
Tool (loss) costs.

The increasing availability through clustering of tool changes is thus
possible that occur during a tool change time of two components (Figs.
1 to 4 - see gallery). First, a machine-induced block of time and the
other a tool-dependent component.

The machine-induced block of time is obtained at each start and stop
the machine, regardless of how many tools are actually changed on the
machine. It typically arises in that example will open doors before
the tool change, the work area is free of chips or removed that after
the exchange work materials from the work area or happenings in the
control must be acknowledged.

Saturday, 12 November 2011