Caron Engineering News

TMAC and AutoComp at Morris South's Productivity Improvement Day

As seen in Manufacturing News Southeast

October 2009

Caron Engineering - TMAC and AutoComp Tool Monitoring

Caron Engineering National Sales Manager, Mark Munroe, presented a seminar on the company’s software called AutoComp for automatic toolwear compensation.

The software works in conjunction with a “driver” from gaging devices such as Mitutoyo, Renishaw, Brown & Sharp, and others. It requires Ethernet protocol and a PC. The Okuma Thinc control and others have integrated PCs.

AutoComp prevents errors caused by manual measurements and manual tool offset adjustments. It works efficiently if you already perform gaging of parts on the machine or if you have a robot performing automatic gaging. AutoComp will process the gage data and update the tool offsets automatically for better tool control. The tool offset status indicates when tool life is reaching its limit. With AutoComp the part is machined, the part is measured, AutoComp determines if compensation is required and tool offsets are adjusted.

Caron Engineering also offers Tool Monitoring Adaptive Control (TMAC).The system protects a CNC machine while providing valuable information about the cutting process. “The system reduces the high cost of replacement tooling, lost production and rejected parts by measuring tool wear in realtime,” said Mr. Munroe. “It operates on the principle that the horsepower required to cut a part increases as a tool’s cutting edge deteriorates. Adaptive Control reduces cycle time and optimizes cutting conditions to improve tool life. It regulates the machine’s feedrate override, maintaining a constant spindle motor horsepower during cutting.”

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