A Centroid CNC synchronizes the motion of three servo-controlled axes (two linear and one rotary) with the continuous vertical oscillation of the shaper head. Unique "M" codes and PLC programming, developed by EMI, enable this customer to write programs for operations that, formerly, required systems of cams and gears. In the photograph a hexagonal hole is being cut.
Before:
This 4-station, 3-spindle drilling, chamfering and tapping machine was originally controlled by a PLC and "smart" drive. Change-over to any of the family of parts run on the machine required editing the parameters of the drive and setting appropriate switches on the control panel. EMI replaced the entire control system with a Centroid CNC, enabling the customer to call up any part-program with a few keystrokes. Programs are written using special "M" codes that interact with the custom PLC software provided by EMI, and generally take the operator just a few minutes to create. This customer reported nearly an order of magnitude improvement in dimensional tolerances and a 50% increase in production with the new control system.
Shown under construction in this photograph is the control for automatically setting the positions of seven adjustable stops, saws and sanders for a wood-panel processing line. EMI integrated seven Giddings and Lewis BRU series "smart drives" with a programmable touch-screen controller to replace seven handwheels and dials. Standard configurations were programmed as recipes in the controller, with the positions of all axes on the touch-screen for operator override and verification.
Emi delivered a turn-key solution for batch processing some small, difficult-to-fixture parts. The machine was constructed from a Servo Impact-2 3-axis CNC milling machine, Tsudakoma rotary table and controller, NSK high-speed spindle and controller, Koyo PLC, Bimba pneumatics, and mechanical assemblies designed and fabricated by EMI. The parts, snapped into pockets on removable pallets, are automatically placed into custom jaws on the rotary table, machined, and ejected into a collection bin.
