Get CMM & CNC Machining All In One – Conduct Quality Control Before Production Starts – Save Time & Increase Throughput!

Manufacturers employing CMM face a bottleneck problem. That’s because CNC machines outpace CMM. In the time it takes the CMM to the collect metrology data needed to verify the quality of a given part, the CNC machine may have already produced several more parts. And if the part turns out to be out of spec, chances are the manufacturer is now stuck with a whole batch of worthless parts.

But, DATRON CNC machines have CMM capability built in. By virtue of our optional Z-Surface Probe or the Renishaw TP20 6-way, kinematic, touch-trigger probe system, the manufacturer gains the ability to perform production and quality control on one machine without ever moving the part. In fact, in a shorter period of time they can perform quality control twice – once before the machining starts and again after the machining is completed.

Here’s how it works. The operator sets up the blank (or a batch of blanks) on the machining table. The integrated probe, mounted beside the machining spindle, pneumatically extends to scan the blank. At this time, the first instance of quality control takes place – stock size is automatically (without operator intervention) checked to verify that it is suitable for the job at hand and any irregularities in surface topography are compensated for dynamically. This is done when the scanning data is fed into the control software and the machining parameters are adjusted to account for variance in the surface topography.

Now the machining begins. DATRON CNC machines can mill, drill, rout, thread mill and engrave at ultra high speeds with maximum feeds of 1,000 inches per minute. The shear speed of our 60,000 RPM spindle evacuates chips, and the heat associated with them, from the cutting channel. This results in lower machining forces and less vibration – which facilitates high feed rates and improves the quality of the cut and surface finish.

When the part is completed, the probe extends for the second round of quality control and takes on the role of a true CMM. This time it scans in the X, Y, and Z co-ordinates, finds hole centers and bosses, measures critical elements and feeds collected data into ISO 9000 information chain.

Call DATRON Dynamics today to learn more!