BK Mikro tool break check system?

[Slixmix]

Techna-Tool is the company. Has anyone ever used or seen these work? Pro's, con's? We're looking to add tool break detection to our Mori NH-5000's. We have quotes for Renishaws's laser system, Mori's magazine side tool break detection, and the "jack in the box" manual system. Here's a link to a video of a system on an NH-5000: http://www.techna-tool.com/bkmikro-videos.html

[Guyinthedesert]

I wonder if it can be programmed to swat flies?

 

I have to wonder how it would hold up the first time an operator reaches in there with a rake.

[Zoober]

It looks similar in action to our Makino BTS system.

Works really well for catastrophic breakage, but it is really only accurate for tools missing more than 3.5mm of the tool end.

That is a problem for our tiny tools that may only have 1/8 of flute. Also doesn't pick up chipped corner, or one flute gone, if it is on the under side of the wand hit.

That system may be different, but those are the cons for ours.....

The biggest pro, is it is tied into tool mgmt, and does it outside the machine in the carousel area for free. Doesn't increase cycle time like the in machine ones.

[Mr. M]

I haven't used one in a production environment, but I did integrate one into a Genos M560 so it will check the tools once the TC back into the magazine. I still need to do more testing on the minimum length it will see, but with the unit set to the tightest tolerance setting it looks like it will do pretty well. I have a customer that wants to put one on a Multus and the tools of concern are about .1' LOC. I'll try and remember to update you on what I see with my tests. 

[Joe788]

If I remember correctly, Tim Johnson here on the forum uses them. Might want to try and track him down.  I'd like to know what they end up quoting you for the complete integration. It's the install that always jacks up the cost of stuff like this.

 

When I watched this video on their site:

 

(Turn sound up)

 

This is all I could think of

 

[Tim Johnson]

Slixmix found me   Our oldest flyswatter appears to have been around for 6 1/2" years and our newest has been around since tomorrow on our new Kitamura. The smallest drill I know we use is 1/2mm and the smallest end mill would be a 1mm four flute long neck with no BK Micro issues. As Zoober says this system is for breakage only but the checking is quick at around one second (for us, BK should have looked for a faster machine to video) and very reliable. Tool breakage dectection for us is in the ±.060" range. The range varies more for the very long or short tools. I don't remember the exact price but the BK9 is in the $6~7k neighborhood.

[specv]

We have in machine tool probes, it does cost cycle time but if you break a drill you know it before the tap,reamer,bore will go in that same hole. If its outside the machine by the time it checks the drill the next tool will be piled up on the first one as fast as our machines are. We had the Botsoma (external detection) and that one was garbage. 

 

the one you posted looks much faster than the Botsoma that we had.