Product category:
Tool and cutter manufacturing
News Release from: Anca Pty | Subject: Pallet style loader.
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 13 December 2004
High capacity loader for production tool
grinding
A high capacity pallet style loader completes an automation package for optimum small to medium tool production on a tool and cutter grinder for long periods of unattended operation.
To enhance the production capabilities of the RX7, ANCA have released the PLX, a high capacity pallet style loader The PLX is the perfect addition to the RX7 and completes the package as the optimum small to medium tool production Tool and Cutter Grinder
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 29 May 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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* Product details - the PLX is suitable for loading tools from 1mm to 16mm diameter and up to 250mm in length.
The capacity ranges from 154 tools for 16mm diameter through to 1242 tools for a 1mm diameter tool.
As the name suggests the PLX uses a pallet to store the tools in the loading cell.
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Two pallets are required for each tool size, 1 pallet for the tool blanks and another for the finished tool.
These pallets are referred to as the pickup and store pallets.
Although the PLX is designed to primarily load round shank tools an option to load Nikken KM20 collets is available.
The PLX offers the following benefits: * Extremely high pallet capacity resulting in longer periods of unattended machine operation.
* Design and functionality has proven reliability.
* Small foot print.
* Ability to load KM20 collets if desired.
* Fast changeover between tool types.
* Capable of loading a wide variety of tool types.
* Large door opening providing good operator access.
How does it work? The loader is a hybrid of the current TX7+ Loader with 2 exceptions.
Firstly, it uses two pallets instead of 1.
Secondly the servo motor driven Z axis (pallet gripper E) has been replaced by a pneumatic guided cylinder.
Because the Z axis uses a pneumatic cylinder it can only stop in two positions which are at either end of the cylinder stroke.
One position is the pallet pick up height and the other is the tool retract height from the pallet.
As a result the tool pickup height from the pallet is a manually set height and cannot be changed in software as on previous ANCA loaders.
Generally there is no need to change the pick up height as all pallets used on the loader are designed so as the top plate of the pallet is at the same height.
If the pickup height needs to be changed it can be done so manually by adjusting the cylinder dead stops.
The pick up height can be altered by approximately +/-5mm.
Other than the X and Y axis which are servo motor driven, all other automation on the loader is by pneumatic devices.
The concept of using two pallets was done to facilitate very high tool quantities in the pallets.
Since the pallets are so densely packed, the tools can only be picked up by approaching it from the side and not over the top as on previous model loaders.
Tool blanks are removed from the pickup pallet from right to left and replaced in the store pallet also from right to left.
Two gripper fingers on the Z axis are used to pick and place tools from the pallet.
The gripper on the left is solely used for taking tools from the pick up pallet and the gripper on the right solely used for the store pallet.
About ANCA - ANCA was founded in 1974 to design and manufacture high technology Computer Numerical Controls (CNCs) for the machine tool and metal-based industries.
Today, ANCA has become a leading designer and manufacturer of complete, precision CNC tool and cutter grinding machines in a global niche market.
With its core values of precision, innovation, quality and technological excellence, ANCA is today an international organisation of more than 300 employees with a robust set of technological and entrepreneurial skills.
Offices are located in major cities in Europe, North America and Asia; with dealerships represented in over 25 countries.
ANCA continues to understand market demands and produce products and services to benefit its customers.
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