Tool Presetting & Nikken – The Facts
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Why preset Tools?
Nikken and presetting.
Elbo Controlli.
Points to Consider.
THE LINE UP.
1) Why preset Tools?
1) Why preset Tools?
• Tool Presetting is a essential necessity for the effective operation of a machine tool.
• Whether customers say they preset or not - they actually do! All machines require offset values
for the length & diameter of each tool.
• Normal practice is to establish offsets (in the machine) using various methods - the component,
some form of gauge or a probe/laser.
• This operation, whatever system is adopted, consumes valuable cutting time!
• Setting using the component:
• This operation involves bringing the tool down onto an object of known height, between the
component and the tool, then ‘feeling’ for contact to establish the length.
• Time for each tool = around 45 seconds.
• Setting using Height Gauge (e.g. HP100):
• This operation involves bringing the tool down onto an indicator gauge and measuring a
definite zero to establish the length.
• Time for each tool = around 25 seconds.
• Automatic Setting using Probe/Laser:
• These operations are automated cycles using the machine controller to measure and load the
offsets.
• The tool is still loaded and positioned using the machine.
• Time for each tool = around 15 seconds.
• Summary:
• All these operations obviously take valuable time away from the effective operation of the
machine.
• Machines are usually charged at an hourly rate.
• Even with automatic setting – twenty tools take around five minutes to set. For one machine
budgeted at £80 per hour – this is £7 (8.75%) on tool setting alone !! IT SOON ADDS UP!
• Consider the implications:
Based on one machine:
• 20 Tools set using component = £20 (25%)
• 20 Tools set using a gauge = £11 (13.75%)
• 20 Tools set with auto measuring = £7 (8.75%)
One machine over 232 working days per year:
• using component = £4,640 per annum.
• using gauge = £2,552 per annum.
• with auto measuring = £1,624 per annum.
- IT IS ARGUED THAT PRESETTING IS HARD TO JUSTIFY!
- THESE FIGURES ARE BASED ON ONLY ONE MACHINE TOOL
- 20 TOOLS PER DAY, NOT PER HOUR!
- EVERY MACHINE POTENTIALLY INCURS THIS LOSS!
• Solution:
Bring the presetting operation out of the cutting area:
• Machine tools earn money by cutting metal.
• NOT setting tools.
• The only competitive solution ‘on the machine’ is to use Automatic Setting systems – these
cost anything between £2,000 & £4,000 per machine. Before any tools are set!
• Tool presetting machines remove the setting of tools from the cutting area.
• This presetting can be performed ‘in cycle’ whilst the machine tool earns its money.
• One tool presetter serves many machines.
2) Nikken and presetting
2) Nikken and presetting
• It is often misconceived, however, Nikken have always offered numerous options for the
presetting of tooling.
• For many years Nikken have provided solutions to the industry for both on the machine and
offline tool presetting.
• Unfortunately the range & technology was dated and leaving Nikken behind the competitors.
HP
NMP
NTP
• HP100/HP150
• Still sold and quite popular – allows setting of both tool length and work offsets
on the machine tool.
• NMP40N/NMP50N
• Nikken’s original ‘entry level’ presetter for offline tool setting – extremely basic
vernier system.
• Manufactured by Trimos and still sold by them today!
• NTP300,NTP400 & NTP500
• Nikken’s deluxe and expensive offline tool presetter.
• Very accurate and solid construction with shadow graph, digital readout and
printer.
• No longer sold but still in use at customers.
• The Lyndex Nikken connection:
• During 2002 Nikken purchased outright American tooling distributor - Lyndex Corporation.
• This ‘take over’ was to provide Nikken with a direct sales arm in the states where before all
business was achieved through distribution.
• Lyndex, as part of their portfolio, were selling a range of presetters manufactured in Italy by
Elbo Controlli.
• During discussions with Elbo Controlli it became clear they were considering new strategies in
Europe.
• In late 2002 Nikken UK were appointed exclusive UK agent for all Elbo Controlli tool
presetters – With Nikken’s worldwide network able to cover several other nations including
Japan.
3) Elbo Controlli
3) Elbo Controlli
• Elbo Controlli s.r.l. was established in 1983 by a group of technicians who had acquired, in
several companies, a great deal of experience in the field of CNC Controls, development and
applications.
• The exchange of this knowledge and expertise together with continuous research and
development has allowed the company, in only a few years, to grow rapidly becoming well
established throughout the world.
• The fundamental difference between Elbo Controlli and their competitors is the unique
structure of the company:
• Mechanical
• Design, development and assembly of all machine components and mechanical systems.
• Electronics
• Design, development, testing and assembly of Electronic components – also service and
repair of competitor electronics.
• Optical
• Design, development, testing and assembly of Camera Systems, Optical Systems and
Measuring Scales.
• Software
• Software creation and development – in house.
• Why have everything ‘In-House’?
• Elbo Controlli are 100% focused on the market and the constant update and improvement of
their products.
• The ‘In-House’ structure allows them to advance and develop their products with no third
party complications.
• Take for example the patented ‘X’ axis movement system for the E348,E458 & E578 Machines:
• The system allows controlled axis movement below
1µm.
• No Backlash is possible – two opposing leadnuts.
• Pressurised automatically during micro-adjustment
positioning.
NO COMPETITOR HAS THIS FOCUS OR CAPABILITY
4) Points to Consider
4) Points to Consider
• Basic Philosophies
• One Manufacturer, one source.
• All components used by Elbo Controlli are designed, developed, tested and assembled ‘In-House’.
• Everything is specifically developed for the tool presetting application – competitors utilise ‘off
the shelf’ items which could be classed as multi-use or multi-application parts.
• Many competitors share components. For example - PWB (Royal), DMG Microset and Kelch
offer exactly the same camera with their own logo on it!!
• To be or not to be?
• An important factor to consider on any presetter is where does the accuracy come from? All
Elbo Controlli machines are manufactured using solid granite, the accuracy is a physical part of
this construction – at no point on the machine is there linear error greater than 8µm.
• Competitors utilise Steel, Cast Iron and Aluminium in their construction. Very unstable
materials which greatly affect accuracy. Software compensation is adopted – Any alignment
errors are compensated for using software. Therefore accuracy is electronic not physical!
• Imagine the consequences of a failure of these electronics – all alignment compensation is
potentially lost. The presetter could require complete re-calibration.
• A heavy burden!
• The camera system has to be very stable and very accurate. Construction is normally quite
substantial – this results considerable weight moving up and down the column.
• This weight requires a system of counterbalancing. The method of counterbalance tends to be
standard across all presetters – one heavy moving weight is compensated for with an opposing
similarly heavy weight. This compensating weight causes deflection and vibration on the
column.
• Elbo Controlli have eliminated counterbalances – they adopt a simple, constantly tensioned,
Archimedes Spiral Spring. This very effectively supports the camera using tension.
• No deflection and absolutely no vibrations!
• All Change!
• The spindle is the most important part of any tool presetter.
• Most competitors supply machines with integral 50 taper spindles – a physical part of the
presetter.
• For additional sizes the preferred solution is to offer reduction sleeves to fit the main spindle.
• This results in two or more taper locations being used between the tool and the main spindle.
• All Elbo Controlli presetters feature fully interchangeable, one piece, spindle cartridges.
• These are very accurate and competitively priced.
• One piece construction is the best solution.
• The more pieces introduced between the tool and the presetter - the greater the risk of
accumulative error.
• What a load of Balls!
• Measurements from any tool presetter are based on reference values. Differing methods are
adopted to establish these important values.
• Zoller, for example, use a system of two steel bearings mounted on the side of the spindle
housing, one for the ‘X’ and one for the ‘Z’.
• This in itself seems a very effective method – it is however slightly flawed: The bearings are
mounted on the outside of the spindle – absolutely no relation to the internal taper where the
tool is located. Any taper damage or contamination can deflect the tool making the
measurement incorrect. If the reference bearings are rechecked the presetter will still appear to
be correct.
• No ball games here!
• Elbo Controlli adopts a different system.
• Spindle Gauges or Test Rods are supplied (as an option) with each spindle size.
• These gauges are calibrated and certified to a known length and diameter. The important
difference between the two systems is that these gauges are relative to the spindle taper.
• Any errors are instantly recognised with a quick check on the gauge.
• The gauge can also be loaded into machine tool spindles - any errors in individual spindles
accommodated for using separate calibrations on the presetter (up to 99 machines).
• Everything on the machine tool is referenced from the taper cone and gauge line of the tool –
surely the best method is to replicate this in the presetter?
• What you see is what you get!
• Camera systems are another variable for presetting machines.
• Competitors offer fully automatic edge detection and measure functions to achieve tool sizes.
• This is very fast and also available on Elbo Controlli machines.
• However, micron errors can be introduced.
• This depends where in the screen the tool is located each time it is measured.
• The cause is a small tangency error introduced between the lens and the display screen.
• Elbo Controlli, as standard, offer a secondary system.
• Fixed position measuring.
• This system eliminates errors and ensures repeatability as the tool is always measured in exactly
the same position.
• Were focused - are you?
• The focus (high spot) of the tool is critical to achieve accurate measurements.
• Most competitor’s seem to prefer to utilise focus indicators for the ‘X’ axis only (radius
position)!
• The focus of the ‘Z’ (length) position seems to be considered irrelevant?
• Consider an end mill with an exaggerated rake/helix angle, it is impossible for the focus on the
radius to be in the same position as that of the length!!
• All Elbo Controlli presetters, constantly display both the ‘X’ and ‘Z’ focus positions.
• This is achieved using easy to visualise increasing/decreasing graphic scales.
4) THE LINE UP
E238 PULSAR
Entry Level Spec
• Mechanical
•
•
•
•
•
•
Max. Diameter 280mm
Max. Length 380mm
Granite Base & Column
Moving Column System
Archimedean Spiral Spring
Interchangeable Spindle
• Electronic
•
•
•
•
•
Panvision Digital Camera
Optical Scales 1µm
Menu with Icons
Two RS232 Serial Ports
Flash® Technology
E450 TWINVISION S
High Spec, Mid Range
• Mechanical
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Max. Diameter 400mm
Max. Length 500mm
Granite Base & Column
Moving Column System
Air Braking of Axes
Archimedean Spiral Spring
Interchangeable Spindle
Vacuum Clamping
• Electronic
•
•
•
•
•
Twinvision S Digital Camera
Optical Scales 1µm
Menu with Icons
Two RS232 Serial Ports
Flash® Technology
E458/E578
Top Range Models
• Mechanical
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
E458 Max. Dia. 500mm, Length 600mm
E578 Max. Dia. 600mm, Length 800mm
Granite Base & Column
Moving Column System
Servo assisted Axes
Archimedean Spiral Spring
Interchangeable Spindle
Vacuum/Mechanical Clamping
• Electronic
•
•
•
•
•
Twinvision L or Panvision Digital Camera
Optical Scales 1µm
Menu with Icons
Two RS232 Serial Ports
Flash® Technology
Toolive
• Data to machine tool
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Packaged as standard with every model.
Complete Tool Management system.
Printing of complete tool setting sheets.
Converts measured tool data to CNC format.
Communicates via DNC system.
Supplied with 60 post-processor files as standard.
Includes post-processor editor for quick creation/editing.
• Only available from Elbo Controlli.
• Competitors often charge for development of individual post-processor files.
Summary of Sales Points
• Mechanical
•
•
•
•
•
Granite Construction.
Accuracy is a fundamental part of construction.
No Counter-balance – Archimedean Spiral Spring.
All components single source – Elbo Controlli.
Interchangeable, one piece spindle system.
• Electronic
•
•
•
•
Dual Function Cameras – Manual or Auto measure.
Two Systems – Panvision and Twinvision.
Flash® Technology.
Simple, Icon driven menu’s.
• Toolive software as standard.
Three Models – Three Objectives
Consistency, Accuracy & Repeatability