Naperville, Illinois – NUM has launched a form compensation option for its NUMROTO tool grinding software that enables tool manufacturers to close the loop between CNC tool grinding and measurement, increasing process accuracy and consistency. The system compensates for process variables such as temperature fluctuations and grinding wheel wear for manufacturers of specialist precision tools.
Operators seeking to maximize the accuracy of tools produced on CNC grinding machines generally use a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) to obtain probed measurements of the machined part, using this information to influence the production process during subsequent machining operations. Until now, NUMROTO users processed the results from the CMM with proprietary third-party compensation software running on an external computer, before feeding a suitably corrected target profile back into the CNC machine.
Developed with several NUMROTO end users, NUM’s form compensation integrates with the company’s form cutter package and dispenses with third-party software. The data exchange between the CMM and the CNC machine can be handled by XML interface or by export/import of the DXF file via a local area network.
The form compensation software employs advanced filtering algorithms to create a smooth and precise compensation profile. The software always calculates the orientation of the grinding wheel and the path speed from the original profile, so that only the position of the contact point on the cutting edge is compensated – and not the orientation of the grinding wheel. This ensures that the surface quality of the tool is unaffected by the compensation.
NUM’s form compensation option is compatible with NUMROTO version 4.1.2 or later.
NUMROTO software is for production and re-sharpening of tools such as end-mills, drills, step drills, form cutters, and others. It is currently used on more than 6,000 machines worldwide.