New - CNC Machine Classifieds
Click Here to get free $20 instant credit to list your CNC
Click Here to get free $20 instant credit to list your CNC
Best CNC Resources:
Probing checks for tool breakage, reliability
|
|
German automotive parts supplier Zelter uses Blum Z-Nano IR probe system to measure the length of their cutting tools for breakage detection and the Blum TC series for in-process reliability. As a sub-supplier for automotive industries established in 1923, Zelter supplies exhaust manifolds, hubs, parts for steering gears, brake and belt pulleys and even housings for turbo chargers Production department staff operate on three shifts of 7.5h each The company is working to full capacity with up to 20,000 parts produced every week. "From the manufacturer's point-of-view, each part is a single copy", said Zelter's production manager, Michael Kiehl, feeling the contour of a 500mm long turbo charger housing. "Nevertheless, in the end they are two of a kind - at least with regard to their crucial dimensions." For the bearings of the rotor blades rotating up to 300,000rpm, a precision of +/-0.05mm should be guaranteed. Blum-Novotest equipment keeps such production metrology tolerances concerning form and position. "Usually the dimensions of these cast parts vary by 2mm, meaning each one is different from the next," explained Kiehl. Therefore the position of the surfaces, bores and channels that must be machined vary considerably when they are clamped in one of the 34 machining centres. With machine travel distances up to 800mm, one side of the machines are equipped with the Blum-Novotest TC 51-20 probe system while the other side uses the Blum Z-Nano tool breakage control system. Before introducing Blum's technology, Zelter first milled orientation surfaces on the gas inlet and outlet of the semi-finished products within the material allowance. The disadvantage was that two machines were used with separate reference points that could cause deviations. The Blum measuring technology is more efficient. The touch probe TC51-20 is set into the toolholder of the CNC machine and detects single points of the geometry of the cast parts such as the actual data. This is transmitted by infrared transmission to the control of the machining centre. The NC compares them with the set data and calculates the position of each zero point. For example, this may be a bore, so each workpiece of the series has its own reference point. By detection, the reference points of the semi-finished parts are known and the machine tool knows where to start cutting. When the semi-finished products are set and measured, they could theoretically be finished on the same machine. However, Zelter is roughing and finishing parts on two different machines with a remaining tolerance of between 0.4 and 0.5mm. The reason is the geometry of the housings and the resulting interrupted cutting. So far, Zelter is roughing and finishing on different machines and detects the zero point on each workpiece on the corresponding machining centre with the TC 51-20. The savings, when compared with the former handling are still tremendous. By the end of the 1990s Kiehl began equipping his machines with Blum probe systems. "At that time it was the best technology on the market and this still hasn't changed today", said Kiehl Today the company uses the TC 51-20 with acceleration up to 100m/s2 and a rapid probing speed of 5m/min. Depending on the complexity, the TC 51-20 detects the reference points of parts with a length of up to 500mm within five seconds. The capacity is essentially increased and coolant and pollution have no influence. The TC 51-20 has a standard ABS-50-interface placed like a common tool in the tool magazine and moved to the working area for measurement. The probe system works bi-directionally so Zelter can carry out all necessary measuring operations. The innovative TC 51-20 probe system can detect the internal spirals of the turbine housings with precision, transmitting infrared signals without wires to the Blum receiver type IC 55. This receiver then forwards the data to the control of the machine tool. Zelter uses the Blum Z-Nano IR probe system to measure the length of their cutting tools for breakage detection and the Blum TC series for in-process reliability. Both types can be used according to the duo principle that makes it possible to use two TC systems, two Z-Nano IR systems or one TC system and one Z-Nano IR Duo on one machine tool in parallel. The detected data will be transferred to the machine control via the IC55 receiver installed in the working area. Kiehl concluded: "We have been using Blum metrology equipment for some time now and whenever we specify a new machine tool it must have the Blum measuring systems installed. The probe systems have reduced our set ups and down time, improved our productivity and above all improved our product quality and confidence in our production.". http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/blu/blu122.html |
For more information visit CNC Parts category