Machine Controls
To save costs, most retrofits on two- or three-axis machines leave the existing spindles in place, Pearson noted. “That way they don’t have to do a massive, full strip-down and rebuild of everything. You can use some of the existing components,” he said. “Some of the guys are looking at using the existing cabinets, and the control arms, and just mounting their stuff in there so it cuts costs.”
The new Sinumerik 808D targets the highly competitive, high-volume 230-V, three-phase and economy machine tool market, offering up to three-axis plus spindle control capability in milling or turning. The CNC is offered as a package with Sie- mens Sinamics drives and Simotics motor solutions. At IMTS, Siemens showed the 808D on a knee mill. With an embedded Linux operating system, the 808D’s standard features include a 7.5" (191-mm) LCD color display with 640×480 resolution, selectable function keyboard, rotary dials for speed and spindle override, LED tool number display, durable buffer battery and rear connection ports for USB, RS232-C, distributed and on- board I/O, setpoint to feed axes and spindle, a spindle encoder, and fast I/O for probes and handwheel operation.
The control also features 80-bit nano floating point accuracy and intelligent jerk limitation for smoother path cutting and less mechanical stress on the machine structures, helping perfor- mance whether a machinist is turning with a C-axis changeover or milling mold sections where path control is paramount. Featuring the new Sinumerik Operate interface, the control is very easy to use and set up. “This is as close to plug-and-play as you’re going to get out of the box,” said Pearson. “You could do a retrofit on those machines with an 840 or an 828, but the cost is going to be prohibitive. The 808D also has the same interface, so navigation and programming is the same, everything is pretty much the same across the board on all the controls now,” he added. “If you have a machine with an 828 or an 840, you’re going to say that this control looks exactly the same as our other machines, so people can pick up the training on it a whole lot quicker, with the continuity of the Sinumerik Operate interface.”
Automation Options Widen
A general motion controller from Fanuc, the Power Motion i-Model A, features control of up to 32 axes for robot loaders, gantry systems, automotive stamping presses and plastic injection molding press applications.
76
ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com | April 2013
As demand for general motion applications has grown, CNC developer Fanuc FA America (Hoffman Estates, IL) has targeted new controls, like the Power Motion i-Model A motion control introduced at IMTS, aimed at a wide range of general industrial applications including stamping presses, brake presses, printing, and in plastic injection molding presses. “We’ve been focused on developing optimal solutions for general motion, our new Power Motion i-Model A and the existing 35i control fulfill the needs of this market,” said Paul Webster, CNC engineering manager, Fanuc FA America. “These controls are tailored more towards general motion versus CNC machining. The Power Motion i-Model A takes advantage of the same reliable hardware as our CNC, but there’s no spindle control. It’s not made for machining appli- cations—it’s specifically for a motion-control applications.” Automated loaders, gantry systems, and printing presses are applications that need more precise motion, Webster noted, as well as automotive stamping presses, molding, and conveyor systems that need higher accuracy. “We’re seeing demand for automation equipment that ties into the CNC and ancillary equipment that is sometimes integrated into a machining line that might have traditionally used a PLC. Tra- ditionally, a machining center was a silo—it was all by itself. That’s not the case anymore,” added Webster. With overall growth in automation options, manufacturers are adding ro- bots or loaders, and other automation. The new Power Motion
Photo courtesy Fanuc FA America
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150