Software Advances
Marking UID/2D Codes on Gear and Gearbox Components
By Tom Phipps, Columbia Marking Tools, Inc.
UID/2D codes are becoming the required identification mark for the defense and aerospace industry. Recently, we designed and built a special marking machine for a major helicopter manufacturer that placed both man-readable and UID/2D or Square Dot® vision readable codes on a variety of 17 different gear and gearbox components. The identification marks include two lines of copy, plus a UID/2D or Square Dot® code (Figure 1). A third line of text can be included if there is available space in the prescribed marking location.
The machine is designed as a stand-alone marking system with industrial casters on the base so it can be easily moved around the manufacturing floor for positioning in different part production areas (Figure 2). Individual part fixtures were provided for each of the 17 different components.
The fixturing for this project presented a number of challenges:
1) The customer wanted changeover to be 5-10 minutes with minimaladjustment required. Our design concept was able to reduce that to one minute.
2) Fixtures had to locate and lock in position with the marking spindle and pin in the same mark location fixture-to-fixture.
3) Fixtures needed to locate and lock the parts with no marring or damaging of the part surfaces.
4) The different part fixtures needed to have the ability to be loaded off-the machine with an ergonomic slide-feed-chase fixture design for easy operation and positioning. The fixtures are locked into place and secured with a fixed stop.
5) The software and the touch screen of the machine PCS control needed to be programmed for each part.
The basic special marking machine design includes a heavy-duty welded steel machine base construction with a master tooling plate mounted to the top plate for use with the various fixture designs. The machine is self-contained with provisions for mounting all the machine controls, the marking unit and the hand-held vision UID/2D and Square Dot® reader.
The marking unit is a standard DPS (Dot-Peen-Scribe) CNC marker that uses a unique horizontal CNC stepper motor driven marking spindle, equipped with a heavy-duty bearing-supported extended pin housing to accommodate the varying reach requirements of the different parts (Figure 3).
The DPS marker can provide ultra-fast dot-peen marks as well as Square Dot® silent scribe marks. Marking depth control is adjustable for the preset marking area of 200 mm x 150 mm (4 in x 6 in). A carbide marking pin is provided for marking materials up to 55 Rc . A special diamond UID/2D marking pin is available for marking parts with hardness levels over 55 Rc .
The control for the machine is provided by a PCS 2000 HMI marking controller developed specifically for applying UID/2D matrix codes that require marking equipment to be integrated with electronic cameras for mark verification. In this control is a pre-installed Cognex vision/reader software that includes both hard wire capabilities and Blue Tooth? interfaces.
The control utilizes an Intel® Celeron 2.0 GHz processor with 256 MB of PC2700 DDR Ram and 30 GB of available storage. It features a 15 in TFT touch screen display preloaded with Windows® XP Pro and Signumberic 6.0 marking software. Video and on-screen programming simulation is provided as a teach aid to show the operator how to enter date codes, serial numbers, change the text location or the
orientation of the mark and numerous other useful features.
The control has two USB ports for off-line or in-line communication of serial data input as well as CD and floppy disc drives. An Ethernet port is also available for CMT-NOW instant service software, allowing Columbia service to connect directly to the PCS-2000 control via the Internet for fast and secure troubleshooting, programming assistance, software upgrades, and even making adjustments to the cameras used on UID/ Square Dot® scribe marking machines. This remote management feature allows the user to directly access vital operating system utilities such as Command Prompt, Task Manager, and Services on the host computer.
Other remote management capabilities include Change System Status and diagnostics, View Installed Applications, View Event Log, Edit System Files and Edit Registry. Easy wizard tools take the user through the setup and operation of the CMT-NOW software.
Tom Phipps is the CEO of Columbia Marking Tools, Inc., 27430 Luckino, Chesterfield Township, MI 48047, 800- 469-6275, Fax: 586-949-8401, tjp@columbiamt.com, www.columbiamt.com.
CAD/CAM helps Container Systems Grow
By Michelle Nemeth, CNC Software, Inc.
Like many manufacturers, Container Systems (Franklinton, NC) took a heavy hit after 9/11. This thriving manufacturer of heavy duty shipping containers, boxes and specialty containers for electronics and communications equipment, as well as plywood reels for the rope and cable industries, saw the previous year's sales of $8 million drop to $4 million.
Today, this company is leaner and sales are pushing toward the previous high. To stay competitive in the post 9/11 business environment, Container Systems relies heavily on automated manufacturing with a high speed router to keep pace with increased business volume using less manpower and equipment. The company purchased an Accu-Router to cut reels and manufacture parts for any containers that require precision hole cutting. At the recommendation of the router manufacturer, the company also purchased Mastercam CAD/CAM software to generate programs for the router.
Scott Parsons, vice president of Container Systems, says, "Mastercam has been a great productivity tool for us. Without it, I would be spending most of my time making drawings manually and programming the router." Parsons explains that about 25 percent of the work volume in his business is accomplished using the router and software. After a little training in both, it took just nine months for Parsons to become very proficient with these systems.
Initially, it took him five or six hours a day to write programs for the router. Now he spends only one or two hours a week writing new programs or tweaking existing ones. Instead of being overwhelmed with the new technology, it has given Parsons time to create more container designs and seek new business opportunities.
Today, instead of using traditional band saws, Container Systems cuts with the router. Automatic cutting is faster and more accurate. Where it once took an hour or so to change over to a new job, the transition is now almost instantaneous. "We change things on the fly. If a customer calls and says, 'hey stop running 12 in reels, now I need 14½ in reels', we just press a button," adds Parsons.
Container Systems manufactures around 10,000 reels per week. There were once 14 people working in this area. Today, with the CAD/CAM software and the router, there are only ten. Besides making it possible to relocate four workers to other manufacturing tasks, the software and the router replaced three pieces of conventional manufacturing equipment (including two older manually programmed CNC systems) that are now used only for overflow production needs.
Parsons remarks, "We have 45 guys in the plant. Those who were working on the reels moved to other jobs in the plant. No jobs were lost and we grew our business." In terms of increased productivity, he added that Mastercam would pay for itself in less than a year and also provides a subtler dividend: "Now when a potential customer comes in and sees that machine running, we show them how we can do their program on Mastercam. It's a powerful sales tool."
Michelle Nemeth, CNC Software, Inc., 671 Old Post Road, Tolland, CT 06084, 860-875-5006, Fax: 860-872-1565, michellen@mastercam.com, www.mastercam.com.
New Interactive On-Machine Metrology
By Ken Woodbine, Wilcox Associates, Inc.
Interactive capabilities eliminate major sources of manufacturing process uncertainty. For years, users of spindle probes have struggled with limitations in the functionality and capabilities of CNC probing software. Now, new PC-DMIS NCi (Numerical Control Interactive) dimensional measurement software provides real-time feedback to their machine tools based on measurements taken as they produce their parts.
PC-DMIS NCi sets up a bi-directional link between the metrology software and the machine tool's controller. Because of this, users can take full advantage of PC-DMIS's sophisticated tools for interactive alignments and relative measurements. The software also updates work offsets (X, Y, Z and rotational) and probe offsets based upon the evaluation of measurement data, and allows for the writing and reading of data to and from the controller.
Users develop inspection routines directly off CAD models using point-and-click programming techniques unavailable in other software. This CAD integration makes creating inspection programs quick and easy. During measurement, PC-DMIS NCi uses data captured from on-machine measurements to compare actual results to the CAD model. First time analyses of critical features are available as the part is being manufactured to eliminate major sources of uncertainty from the manufacturing process.
With PC-DMIS NCi, programmers have access to the full set of PC-DMIS reporting and evaluation tools. In addition, the product includes Data Page/RealTime SPC software that allows continual analysis of machine tool performance. New PC-DMIS NCi is currently available for a wide range of machine tools equipped with either Siemens or Fanuc controllers. It also includes support for most articulated wrists and rotary tables. Interfaces to additional controllers and devices are under development.
Ken Woodbine is the vice president of sales and marketing, Wilcox Associates, Inc., 847-343-3599, kwoodbine@wilcoxassoc.com, www.wilcoxassoc.com.
Windows® Control Software for 60,000RPM High-Speed Machining
By Robert Murphy, Datron Dynamics, Inc.
The new Version 8 of Windows®-based control software adds industry-first capabilities to the controller for the Datron line of 60,000 rpm high-speed machining centers. A User Administration function creates users and groups. The specific rights defined for each user group can be applied to individual users – making it possible to restrict access to critical functions for certain users or groups. For example, a particular operator (or shift) could be allowed to load and execute macro programs but not modify them.
A new Libraries function allows operators to create their own libraries consisting of multiple macros. The libraries can be directly accessed via the menu bar, or by using shortcut keys, or from the main menu. The library is useful if operators use certain functions repeatedly but don't want to include them in their main program.
Since Version 8 makes use of Ethernet, communication increases from 300 vectors per second to 2800 vectors per second. An optional second Ethernet port is able to perform Remote Diagnostics to solve service issues quicker, and training can be conducted via Internet using Netviewer®.
A New Start/End Macro runs automatically before and after the execution of a program. For example, on projects that require vacuum workholding, the macro can insure that the vacuum pressure is checked before the machining begins and turned off when the part is completed. In Version 8, tool changing cycles have been optimized. Machine data is automatically backed up at the start and end of a program or whenever the program is altered – and multiple consecutive states can be saved.
The Version 8 software features a Macro Polygon function that defines a measuring zone with restricted areas that are ignored during the probing or measuring process to allow surface scanning of complex shapes and odd-shaped parts. By avoiding areas with geometry-like pockets and cavities, the time required for surface scanning and measurement can be reduced.
Two additional functions are geared to on-the-fly engineers, programmers and operators. There is a Search and Replace function in the macro editor, and Math Algorithms can be performed within each command line and input field (this includes conversions for mm to inches and visa versa).
Robert Murphy, Datron Dynamics, Inc., 115 Emerson Road, Milford, NH 03055, 888-262-2833, Fax: 603-672-8067, rmurphy@datrondynamics.com, www.DatronDynamics.com.
