Grinding technology for automated factories
07.04.2022
At Grinding Hub from 17th to 20th May 2022 in Stuttgart, Germany, Anca will showcase their technology range cutting tool manufacturers need to remain agile, improve quality and grow capacity.
The CPX in-process OD measurement system is a quality control system that monitors and controls the OD of ground blanks within a batch production. (Source: Anca)
At Grinding Hub Anca will present its technology range at a newly designed stand that enables customers to grow capacity, improve profit margins and gain efficiencies.
The CPX in-process OD measurement system is a quality control system that monitors and controls the OD of ground blanks within a batch production. Batch grinding on a CPX with high material removal rates and to tight tolerances is a basic function of the machine, the OD measurement system takes it further by utilising the Statistical Process Control (SPC) feature that comes standard with the OD measurement software. SPC is user defined, the tolerances along with the Cp and CpK values are constantly monitored, controlled, and reported to the user.
The OD measurement system is permanently mounted inside the machine and only called upon when required, based on the set tolerances and the frequency of measurement, an accurate in-process measurement and compensation is applied to maintain the blank OD to the nominal diameter. The system is flexible with the ability to handle multiple diameters in one setup, making it perfect for complex blank geometries/shapes and longer batch runs.
Anca’s Integrated Manufacturing System (Aims) optimises cutting tool production through streamlined manufacturing and connectivity. With Aims, customers can achieve continuous, unattended production that dramatically reduces non-productive machine time, with smart automation that connects sequential tool production processes and offers connectivity across the whole factory.
With Anca and Aims, customers can achieve continuous, unattended production. (Source: Anca)
The technology considers a factory as a single machine, rather than separating it into many different elements of design, blank preparation, grinding, laser marking, washing, packing and shipment. This powerful concept brings together one ecosystem and builds it to be as efficient as possible. Being a modular solution, Aims can be deployed in stages, allowing for easy, gradual and smooth transition from traditional to automated and integrated manufacturing.
An Aims manufacturing cell will be displayed at Grinding Hub, demonstrating a fully automatic process of tool manufacturing starting from the pallet with blanks and finishing with pallets with ground tools.
Auto Mark X is an automatic stand-alone laser marking station replacing manual and labour-intensive processes. It is Aims-read, which means it can be used as a standalone machine but could be easily integrated to your lights out, unmanned Aims manufacturing cell with automatic pallet transfer using Auto Fetch robot.
The Auto Mark X eliminates the need for manual laser marking which is a repetitive and labour-intensive job which could be automated. By avoiding manual handling, tool quality is protected by eliminating risk of chipping.
Auto Mark X is an automatic stand-alone laser marking station replacing manual and labour-intensive processes.(Source: Anca)
Auto Mark X accepts up to two full pallets of tools, which means you can mark a large batch of tools unmanned. Flexible marking means the message can be etched on a single side of the shank or on opposite sides of the shank as well as at the end of tool. The last option is particularly useful for applications where a unique tool identification code (e.g. Datamatrix) needs to be etched on the tool. Codes like Datamatrix are usually etched on the shank where they risk the exposure to excessive surface wear, rendering them unreadable. The end of tool is the best location to etch this type of code to overcome this issue.
Automated small batch and regrinding solution
The requirement to continuously reduce cost within the production processes is a particular challenge in smaller production batches of complex tools and in regrinding process. To address this challenge Anca has developed a flexible solution utilising RFID technology, our Laser Ultra closed loop measurement and barcode reader interfaced into our iGrind and end-customer's ERP system. This system will be demonstrated on the FX7 Linear platform. The demonstration will highlight how to set up a tool for regrind utilising a barcode reader and QR code, how to easily make adjustments within the company's software, what inputs are possible in an ERP system, setting up the RFID to allow mixed diameter automation and the actual grinding process itself. The FX7 Linear machine will be fitted with the Pop-Up Steady, Auto Stick, Auto Wheel Qualification and iView.
The standalone MX7 Linear with Robo Mate loader will be demonstrating Anca’s solution for grinding and auto loading of indexable inserts. The machine and loader will be installed with workholding, grippers, pallets and interchange station specifically for the manufacture of special inserts. Accessories fitted on the machine include the 4-station Auto Stick, Auto Wheel Qualification and Laser Ultra.
Gear up for skiving
Driven by the automotive industry's electrification and the general rise of e-mobility, the demand for skiving cutters has seen 30 percent year on year growth. The GCX Linear provides a complete solution for customers to tap into this rapidly developing market, including the ability to produce skiving cutters, shaper cutters and regrinding of hobs. It offers advanced stand-alone software to design and optimise the tool, neatly interfaced with the gear tool package inside Anca’s Tool Room software. The machine is designed for accuracy with features including all axes with LinX linear motors and an enhanced headstock. GCX Linear also added a series of technologies: AEMS dressing, MTC on grinding spindle and dresser spindle, integrated gear tool measurement and direct compensation — setting the new standard for producing skiving tools that achieve the highest DIN AA quality class.
Due to the skiving tool's novelty, many gear measurement machines still don't have the correct mathematical model for evaluating the quality of the cutter. To this end, the company developed the world-first integrated gear tool measurement system, which enables the grinding-measuring-compensation all done in the machine, as the only practical closed-loop solution.
At Grinding Hub, the GCX Linear will demonstrate the skiving cutter production process assisted with the industry-first integrated gear tool measurement system.
Source: www.etmm-online.com