Broken Tool Detection suggestions

[Charlie Pierson]

Can anyone out there suggest a reliable broken tool detection system for a HMC ??

Renishaw Laser system on the Mazak HCN4000s didn't provide reliable detection after a few months, too many false positives !

The OEM wand system that came w/ the Tsugami horizontals is about 20-30 yrs old and all need replacing. (always had problems w/ keeping the pressure down enough so as to not chip tools or flex by the small tools).

Looking at adapting the Allora PCS100 wand system to the Tsugami's.

I don't really want to spend the time re-measuring the tools.

We would like to get some of our line to run unattended but are wary of doing that w/o broken tool detection.

 

Any suggestions ???

tia

[YoDoug®]

A lot of OEM builders use these guys for broken tool detect wands. From what I hear they are very reliable.

http://www.techna-tool.com/bk-mikro/

[GoetzInd]

We've used the BK Micros along with these:

https://cnc-specialty-store.com/broken-tool-detection?zenid=b26a706c0e486069a6dd9bf746f3b702

Mike

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

What's the cause of your false positives?  If it's chips on the tool you can adjust the detection tolerance.

[Charlie Pierson]

False positives usually caused by:

OEM Wand type: activation air pressure too low or too high, wand skips and either it flexes or the small drills flex enough to let the wand pass by.

Tried an inline valve but still could not get it controlled enough day to day.

(thinking about retrofitting PCS100 type unit or the BK Micro unit in its place

 

Laser (renishaw tp2 ???): coolant, color of tool and reflectivity of tool all have an effect on reading the laser light coming back to the detection unit.

tried an air blow on the detection unit's lens w/ marginal results.

[jaydenn]

BLUM Lasers are pretty amazing.

Crazy accurate tool measuring and equally good broken tool sensing.

I have a few "pop up" style and a few that live completely open, covered in coolant, and both of them work great.

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

I've been doing breakage checks on drills on a Renishaw contact probe.  My only false positives have been from chips stuck to the tool, and I can deal with that by running the coolant a bit longer after the tool is done.

[Charlie Pierson]

Thanks to all

[CEMENTHEAD]

This made me chuckle. back in the early 80's a co-worker set up a cam type spring arm to hit cycle start from inside the machine. touching with the tool would spring load a lever to cam the mechanism outside to cycle start, if the tool wasn't there couldn't tap the arm to cycle the button. "broken tool detection" lol    yeah if i had a pic it would have been a polaroid.

[Guest]

I know all of our Mazak HMC's, including the newer HCN4000's all have a Renishaw contact tool setter....TS-27R I think

It's not too often I hear about false positives...