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EDM machine for large components
EDM machine for large components To meet the increasing need for larger progressive dies as well as through-hole dies, Bridgeport Textron has introduced a four-axis CNC wire-cut electric discharge machining (EDM) machine, designated Y500, with a workpiece capacity up to 500 m m x 600 m m x 150 mm and 300 kg weight. The VH02X power supply enables high cutting rates and excellent surface finishes using the incorporated 'layer cut' devices. High precision is assured over the entire 500 mm x 300 mm table area, even at feed rates as high as 600 mm min -1, by use of ballscrews with pitch compensation, and linear roller guides. The smallest incremental table movement is I I~m, the actual table position being displayed on the control panel. Contributing further to machining accuracy is the precision of the diamond wire guide system, and close control of dielectric fluid temperature. The standard wire diameter is 0.2 mm, although diameters in the range 0.05 to 0.25 mm can be specified for special applications. A 'super drill' option is available for producing 0.3 - 1.0 mm diameter holes in a hardened and ground die at far higher speeds than conventional drilling. The 20 A power supply, specifically designed for wire-cut EDM, has two monitoring systems. BASCON I maintains optimum feed rate for roughing operations in material of varying thickness, whilst BASCON II optimizes skim cutting feed rates. Bridgeport Textron, PO Box 22, Forest Road, Leicester LE5 0FJ, UK
Deep holes EDM-drilled at high speed Deep, small-diameter holes may be produced at very high speeds on the NC Super Drill from Bridgeport Textron. Even holes with a depth-todiameter ratio of 100 : 1 can be EDMdrilled at speeds up to 25 mm min -~, This high speed EDM drilling machine has a conversational CNC system with a full-colour 35 cm screen. The operator needs to only select the workpiece material, electrode diameter and drilling depth
PRECISION
ENGINEERING
the latter can be up to 100 times the hole diameter in tungsten carbides, stainless steel and engineering steels. Fast speeds are combined with low electrode wear machining, made possible by the recent development of a high performance dielectric fluid. Curved as well as flat surfaces can be worked on. Maximum drilling speed in steels using a 0.3 mm diameter electrode is 25 mm rain -1 with an electrode wear ratio of 28%. Using a low wear ratio of 10%, steel is drilled at4 mm rain -1 using the same electrode diameter. With a low electrode wear ratio of 6%, drilling speed in tungsten carbide is 3 mm rain -1. Maximum electrode length is 250 mm, and the diameter can range from 0.19 to 1.0 ram. Rated at 3 kV A, with a maximum machining current of 8 A, the system can machine workpieces up to 300 mm x 250 mm x 60 mm, weighing 35 kg or less. Linear movements of the table (X) and EDM head (Y) are 250 mm and 200 mm respectively. The head has a ram stroke (Z)of 250 mm. Minimum increments of table and ram travel are 0.004 mm pulse-~ respectively. Table and ram feed speed is 420 mm min -~. The manual data input CNC system has three controlled axes with simultaneous control o f X a n d Y. Main memory capacity is 99 blocks and an additional 171 blocks (9 x 19) can be added. The colour screen displays present position, machining speed, machining parameters, machining position graphics and machine diagnostics. The operator can select material in terms of machining functions, in high or low electrode wear ratios, for steel and tungsten carbide. Functions also include copper machining, and low electrode wear ratio machining for stainless steel. Bridgeport Textron, PO Box 22, Forest Road, Leicester LE5 0FJ, UK
Advances in robotics The knowledge of robotics science and technology has grown tremendously since the beginning of the 1980s. The growth has occurred on an international scale and perhaps has been more rapid than most other major fields of engineering. 'Recent advances in robotics', edited by G. Beni and S. Hackwood, is designed to present as broad a view as possible of the general field.
It is divided into three parts dedicated to: applications, mechanics, and sensors, and has, as an introduction, an interview with the inventor if the industrial robot, George Devol, entitled 'The future of an automated factory'. In its 426 pages are chapters on: • Robots in modern industry • Robot control to help the disabled • Mechanics: kinematics and dynamics • Kinematic and force analysis of articulated hands • A vector analysis of robot manipulators • Six-legged walking robots • Three dimensional robot vision techniques • Use of optical reflectance sensors • Device organization in advance robot systems • Tactile sensing for robots The hardback volume (ISBN 0-471-88383-2) costs £39.30 and is published by John Wiley and Sons.
Seventh AIPC proceedings Thirty-five papers have been published in the proceedings of the seventh international conference on automated inspection and product control. The conference was held on 26-28 March 1985 in Birmingham, UK simultaneously with Inspex. The six sessions at the conference were: • • • • • •
Profiting from quality Computer aided inspection Vision I Vision LL Geometric adaptive control Sensors and new techniques
Among all the interesting papers presented were: Poulter, K.F. Computer aided dimensional engineering metrology, advantages and disadvantages Treywin, E.T. Processing of measurement to control production Reid, G.T. Rixon, R.C., Marshall, S.J. 3-D machine vision for automatic measurement of complex shapes McKeown, P.A., Perkins, D.R. Adaptive control grinding of high precision cam profiles Lira Teow Ek, Goh Ah Bee Calibration of coordinate measuring machine versus laser interferometer The softback volume is available from IFS (Publications) Ltd, 35-39 High Street, Kempston, Bedford MK42 7BT, UK
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Deep holes EDM-drilled at high speed Deep, small-diameter holes may be produced at very high speeds on the NC Super Drill from Bridgeport Textron. Even holes with a depth-todiameter ratio of 100 : 1 can be EDMdrilled at speeds up to 25 mm min -~, This high speed EDM drilling machine has a conversational CNC system with a full-colour 35 cm screen. The operator needs to only select the workpiece material, electrode diameter and drilling depth
PRECISION
ENGINEERING
the latter can be up to 100 times the hole diameter in tungsten carbides, stainless steel and engineering steels. Fast speeds are combined with low electrode wear machining, made possible by the recent development of a high performance dielectric fluid. Curved as well as flat surfaces can be worked on. Maximum drilling speed in steels using a 0.3 mm diameter electrode is 25 mm rain -1 with an electrode wear ratio of 28%. Using a low wear ratio of 10%, steel is drilled at4 mm rain -1 using the same electrode diameter. With a low electrode wear ratio of 6%, drilling speed in tungsten carbide is 3 mm rain -1. Maximum electrode length is 250 mm, and the diameter can range from 0.19 to 1.0 ram. Rated at 3 kV A, with a maximum machining current of 8 A, the system can machine workpieces up to 300 mm x 250 mm x 60 mm, weighing 35 kg or less. Linear movements of the table (X) and EDM head (Y) are 250 mm and 200 mm respectively. The head has a ram stroke (Z)of 250 mm. Minimum increments of table and ram travel are 0.004 mm pulse-~ respectively. Table and ram feed speed is 420 mm min -~. The manual data input CNC system has three controlled axes with simultaneous control o f X a n d Y. Main memory capacity is 99 blocks and an additional 171 blocks (9 x 19) can be added. The colour screen displays present position, machining speed, machining parameters, machining position graphics and machine diagnostics. The operator can select material in terms of machining functions, in high or low electrode wear ratios, for steel and tungsten carbide. Functions also include copper machining, and low electrode wear ratio machining for stainless steel. Bridgeport Textron, PO Box 22, Forest Road, Leicester LE5 0FJ, UK
Advances in robotics The knowledge of robotics science and technology has grown tremendously since the beginning of the 1980s. The growth has occurred on an international scale and perhaps has been more rapid than most other major fields of engineering. 'Recent advances in robotics', edited by G. Beni and S. Hackwood, is designed to present as broad a view as possible of the general field.
It is divided into three parts dedicated to: applications, mechanics, and sensors, and has, as an introduction, an interview with the inventor if the industrial robot, George Devol, entitled 'The future of an automated factory'. In its 426 pages are chapters on: • Robots in modern industry • Robot control to help the disabled • Mechanics: kinematics and dynamics • Kinematic and force analysis of articulated hands • A vector analysis of robot manipulators • Six-legged walking robots • Three dimensional robot vision techniques • Use of optical reflectance sensors • Device organization in advance robot systems • Tactile sensing for robots The hardback volume (ISBN 0-471-88383-2) costs £39.30 and is published by John Wiley and Sons.
Seventh AIPC proceedings Thirty-five papers have been published in the proceedings of the seventh international conference on automated inspection and product control. The conference was held on 26-28 March 1985 in Birmingham, UK simultaneously with Inspex. The six sessions at the conference were: • • • • • •
Profiting from quality Computer aided inspection Vision I Vision LL Geometric adaptive control Sensors and new techniques
Among all the interesting papers presented were: Poulter, K.F. Computer aided dimensional engineering metrology, advantages and disadvantages Treywin, E.T. Processing of measurement to control production Reid, G.T. Rixon, R.C., Marshall, S.J. 3-D machine vision for automatic measurement of complex shapes McKeown, P.A., Perkins, D.R. Adaptive control grinding of high precision cam profiles Lira Teow Ek, Goh Ah Bee Calibration of coordinate measuring machine versus laser interferometer The softback volume is available from IFS (Publications) Ltd, 35-39 High Street, Kempston, Bedford MK42 7BT, UK
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