Features Added to Tool Monitoring System
January 1, 2017
Caron Engineering's TMAC (Tool Monitoring Adaptive Control) now has the added capability of monitoring spindle bearing health.
"Currently used worldwide, TMAC has become the standard tool monitoring system on many CNC machines. TMAC maximizes tool life by monitoring true power, with immediate machine stop and retract when a tool breaks to minimize damage," said a company spokesperson.
TMAC is designed for unattended operation. The adaptive control feature automatically adjusts the feedrate to maintain a constant tool load, which reduces cycle time with difficult to machine materials. Additionally, TMAC can monitor vibration, strain, coolant pressure, coolant flow and spindle speed.
Caron Engineering recently added bearing analysis to the features list for TMAC. A Caron Engineering vibration sensor is attached to the spindle and then hardwired to TMAC. The vibration signal is analyzed for the acceleration signature, which tells the health of the bearings and the velocity signature, which detects misalignment, imbalance and looseness.
The bearing analysis is initiated through the CNC part program. Results are displayed within five seconds and TMAC saves reports to a file for analysis. A visual color indicator on the TMAC screen shows the result of the most recent analysis. The icon appears green when the bearings are in good or excellent health, yellow for "needs attention" and red for "needs immediate attention." Clicking the icon will display the detailed results of the analysis and the comprehensive event log.
"Bad spindle bearings that go undetected can lead to excessive chatter and ultimately spindle failure. TMAC's bearing analysis feature identifies when bearings need attention to help avoid costly problems," said the spokesperson.
For more information contact:
Caron Engineering, Inc.
1931 Sanford Rd.
Wells, ME 04090
207-646-6071
www.caroneng.com
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