Software Automates Tracking of Tool Wear and Reduces Operator Costs

Automatically Track Tool Wear and Control Tool Offsets with AutoComp

Wouldn’t it be great if your CNC machine could automatically control tool offsets – eliminating operator error from manual adjustments? What if you wanted to upgrade to electronic gages or a robot-loaded machine with automatic gaging, but are wondering how to process gage data efficiently? What if you want to gage parts at the machine or run a lean manufacturing operation – can your CNC machine handle it? What if you could monitor tools, your spindle wear and coolant flow – all at the same time?

Caron Engineering’s PC compatible AutoComp and Tool Monitor Adaptive Control (TMAC) system software application can complete all of these loops! From processing of the gage data, updating the tool offsets automatically and providing error-free tool control to monitoring spindles, coolant, and much more, the two programs can cut labor costs and increase your bottom line!

Working seamlessly with the OSP-P control, AutoComp software utilizes the data from a wide variety of devices such as electronic gauges, CMMs, vision systems and many other types of measuring apparatus to calculate correct offset amounts without manual intervention! Using a running average of the data and user defined compensation limits, the software calculates the correct amount to offset each tool and sends this information to the CNC control automatically. This process eliminates the error of operators inputting the wrong offset amount. All of the measured data is stored for later analysis.

Another important feature of AutoComp is the ability to track tool wear. Each time a tool is compensated, the amount of the compensation is saved for that tool. When the tool has been compensated more than a user defined amount, a wear limit is issued, informing the operator that the tool needs to be changed. A signal can also be sent to the CNC control so that a redundant tool can be called automatically or the machine can be stopped before the next cycle.

Protect Your CNC Machine and Reduce Operating Costs!

If you are interested in protecting your CNC machine while providing valuable information about your cutting process, Caron Engineering’s TMAC7 application is a tool monitoring adaptive control application created to monitor spindle horsepower in real time during the cutting cycle. It is capable of dynamically adjusting axes feed-rate to maintain an optimum torque curve for each cut, thus maximizing tool life and minimizing cycle time. The application’s interface is also capable of monitoring coolant flow and pressure to insure the proper coolant delivery for each tool.

The TMAC program learns the tools and their respective horsepower through a “Learn Mode.” You can then program the horsepower limits (extreme, wear, and undercut), enabling the adaptive control if required. TMAC can then monitor and recommend corrective action such as:

• Feed hold
• Job/Cutting interruption
• Tool retraction
• Adaptively control the feed rate
• Other customized actions

With the data collection features of the Caron Engineering TMAC7, the user can now look back at historical data collected during the cutting process to calculate and adjust the relevant variable of the machine, the tools and coolant to increase overall efficiency and reduce tooling and operation costs. Because success depends on a shop’s ability to meet the customers’ requirements for repeatability, accuracy and speed, Caron Engineering’s TMAC7 and AutoComp software solutions become a win-win for everyone interested in growing their bottom line and protecting their CNC investments.