IMTS 2022 Machine for highest accuracy and quality cutting tools to take center stage at IMTS

After a long four-year wait since the last IMTS, Anca will showcase the next generation of cutting technology on a brand-new stand. The company has not been idle between shows — Anca has industry-first innovations launching in Chicago this year again, and will be presenting technology that helps solve the challenges faced by many manufacturers in the market.

Cutting tools continue to be an essential component across many industries, as these industries expand their own product range and complexity, manufacturers increasingly demand high-quality cutting tools that meet unique requirements. For cutting tool manufactures, deciding what technology to invest in should be driven by business goals and at IMTS, Anca will present the grinding tech to tackle now.

The Anca Integrated Manufacturing System (Aims) optimizes cutting tool production through streamlined manufacturing, automation, and connectivity. With Anca and Aims, customers can achieve continuous, unattended production that dramatically reduces non-productive machine time, with smart automation that connects sequential tool production processes and offers connectivity across the whole factory.

The technology considers a factory as a single machine, rather than separating it into many different process elements. This is a powerful concept that brings together one ecosystem and builds it to be as efficient as possible. Aims, being a modular solution, can be deployed in stages, allowing for easy, gradual, and smooth transition from traditional to automated and integrated manufacturing.

A fully operational manufacturing cell will be displayed at IMTS, demonstrating a fully automatic process of tool manufacturing, from blanks to ground tools. Included will be Anca’s latest premium machine MX7 Ultra capable of manufacturing high quality cutting tools, along with an Autoset job preparation station, Auto Line for pallet and tool transfer as well as Auto Fetch — a robot responsible for material transfer between processes — pallet and individual tools between job preparation, grinding and tool measurement on Zoller measuring machine.

Aims can be configured in many ways but at IMTS visitors can see an unattended manufacturing workflow of two varieties of endmills on one MX7 machine. An important part of this workflow is closed loop measurement and compensation process using Zoller Genius as a measurement station. Depending on an individual customer’s requirements, the system can automatically transfer a tool from the ground batch, clean it, measure required geometries and transfer the results to the respective grinder where grinding parameters compensation is taking place to achieve required dimensional tolerance of the batch.

Tool of the Year winners announced

The fifth #AncaTooloftheYear2022 competition winners will be announced live at IMTS. The ‘Oscars’ of the cutting tool industry, the contest celebrates the deep experience and creativity of tool manufacturers across a highly skilled grinding industry.

Pat Boland, Anca Co-Founder said: “Reviewing Tool of the Year entries I am always in awe of the passion and talent of customers that push our machines to their limits and create tooling masterpieces.”

CPX In-Process measurement system

The CPX in-process OD measurement system is a quality control system that monitors and controls the OD of ground blanks within a batch production.

Batch grinding on a CPX with high material removal rates and to tight tolerances is a basic function of the machine, the OD measurement system takes it further by utilizing the Statistical Process Control (SPC) feature that comes standard with the OD measurement software. SPC is user defined, the tolerances along with the Cp and CpK values are constantly monitored, controlled, and reported to the user.

The OD measurement system is permanently mounted inside the machine and only called upon when required, based on the set tolerances and the frequency of measurement, an accurate in-process measurement and compensation is applied to maintain the blank OD to the nominal diameter.

The system is flexible with the ability to handle multiple diameters in one setup, making it perfect for complex blank geometries/shapes and longer batch runs.

Automatic laser marking station

Automark X is an automatic stand-alone laser marking station replacing manual and labor-intensive processes. It is Aims Ready, which means it can be used as a standalone machine but could be easily integrated to your lights out, unmanned Aims manufacturing cell with automatic pallet transfer using Auto Fetch robot.

The Automark X eliminates the need for manual laser marking which is a repetitive and labor-intensive job which could be automated and therefore saving you money. By avoiding manual handling, tool quality is protected by eliminating risk of chipping.

This system accepts up to two full pallets of tools, which means you can mark a large batch of tools unmanned. Flexible marking means the message could be etched on a single side of the shank or, using the AMX’s new rotary workholding on opposite sides of the shank as well as at the end of tool. This new feature will be demonstrated for the first time at IMTS. This latest laser marking option is particularly useful for applications where a unique tool identification code (e.g. Datamatrix) needs to be etched on the tool. Codes like Datamatrix are usually etched on the shank where they risk the exposure to excessive surface wear, rendering them unreadable. The end of tool is the best location to etch this type of code to overcome this issue.

New Tool Room RN35 and CIM3D preview

Besides demonstrations on Anca’s Tool Room and CIM3D software, visitors will have a special preview of the upcoming RN35 release.

Tool Room RN35 focuses on productivity and cycle time improvements especially machine running costs. New process optimization features help to enable reduction in cycle time which in return provides better quality tools and wheel life. This includes automated reduction in air grinding time and gaps calculated based on tool simulation models. Some of the major enhancements include:

• Feedrate optimization – Integration of Q-Prime feature in Tool

• Room software to achieve constant Material Removal Rate (MRR) based on wheel manufacturers specifications. This is done by calculating and controlling non-constant feedrate where applicable to achieve better cycle time and extended wheel life.

• Airtime Reduction – Automated reduction in airtime by optimizing gaps based on tool simulation models and wheel shapes.

• Statistical Process Control (SPC) – Gives control of your production process during high volume manufacturing by monitoring the variations due to wheel wear and other process-controlled activities. Process capability data can be graphically displayed or stored for future QC purposes or further evaluation. It also helps customers to control critical tool dimensions like diameter by updating wheels at regular intervals.

• Profile Fluting – Gives the ability to control and maintain hook/rake angle along the trajectory of the cutting edge on a given profile. Increases cutting performance and life of the tool due to uniform hook/rake angle along the edge.

• Other features include in-process measurement of tool geometries, enhancement to profile software as well as several more.

FX7 RFID and Laser Ultra

The FX7 is fitted with Anca’s Dynamic Tool Loading System, which is ideal for customers manufacturing or regrinding a wide and varied range of tools in small to medium size batches. The tool management system with RFID links unique tool programs to the correct tool in a loader pallet. This works in conjunction with automated Schunk collet changing to allow unattended grinding of random tool diameters and types.

The FX7 robot loader also changes wheel packs based on the individual tool grinding program linked to the RFID coding. With a six-station wheel changer and the ability to change collets the Anca FX7 with RFID is the ultimate automation package.

The FX7 is additionally fitted with new Laser Ultra, for automated post process tool measurement within the grinding machine itself. Measuring cutter profile and diameter to +/-0.002 mm, Laser Ultra can provide compensation feedback to ensure accuracy and consistency with unattended tool grinding operations.

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