subject: Optimization Of Older And New Mining Machines [print this page] A purchaser of a new machine might question the wisdom of optimizing a new machine, but there are many reasons optimization would be beneficial. New commodity machines are reliable, accurate, and well tuned straight from the factory. But the same machine tool purchased by one shop for mold and die making can also be used for high production mill-drill applications, or high accuracy aerospace or medical applications. In order to meet all these requirements and also maintain product standardization, the machines are tuned to best fit the variety of applications the machine was designed for. Optimization helps to tailor your machine performance to meet the particular application requirements of your industry. Through specialized tuning and the addition of features, CNC optimization for new machines can capitalize on the mechanical capabilities of your machine. Before attempting the optimization of a new machine tool, check with your machine tool builder to avoid any issues, which may affect your warranty. Also check with your machine tool builder to see if they offer any optimization services. Older machines are prime candidates for optimization for a wide variety of reasons. Very often these machines are critical to production and costly to replace. As a machine is used, it wears and parts become loose. As a result, an older machines tuning and accuracy no longer meets factory specifications. Servo tuning was based on original machine specifications and may be too aggressive for the current machine conditions. This could lead to instabilities, poor surface finish and the inability to achieve machining speeds of which the machine was once capable. Compensations will most definitely need to be readjusted. Accuracy is affected by worn mechanics. Periodic compensation adjustments will keep the older machines accuracies to within tolerances. The addition of new types of compensation may be required as your machine ages (e.g., adding bidirectional pitch error or straightness compensation). Features can be added to the CNC to allow the user to work around some of the mechanical deficiencies of an older machine and still provide optimal performance. Optimization allows your older machine to operate with the best possible performance within its mechanical capabilities. Another consideration for older machines would be a complete CNC retrofit. This should only be considered for machines in good mechanical shape or machines that would be difficult to replace, but the controls and servosdue to their ageare incapable of providing the performance and reliability of which the machine is capable. A thorough assessment of your older machine should be done by a qualified service person before attempting to optimize your machine. Screws, racks and ways need to be in good condition and not excessively worn or damaged. The machine positioning must be repeatable (it does not have to be accurate, inaccuracy can be compensated for, but that inaccuracy must be repeatable every time the machine returns to that position). If your machine is not repeatable, you have a much deeper problem that cannot be compensated for at the CNC level. Do not attempt to optimize a CNC on your own. Seek the advice of your machine tool builder or the CNC manufacturer. Optimization should only be performed by factory trained personnel. With its high quality products such as sand maker and professional Raymond mill, Hongxing Machinery has ascended in the front rank of the world in the exporting of mining equipment.
