News

Wire EDM machine has a 40% increase in structural rigidity and includes twin-servo wire tension control reduces the number of mechanical parts by some 35%

The 600 Centre will be showing the Fanuc Alpha OiD wire EDM machine at MACH 2008. The company said the Alpha OiD has an increase in capacity, making it the largest working volume in its class. It offers faster automatic wire feed and improved thermal characteristics. An increase of some 40% to machine rigidity and the addition of twin-servo wire tension control reduces the number of mechanical parts by some 35%.

It also has ultra-modern guarding.

Available from 600 Centre of Shepshed near Loughborough, the Fanuc 'D' series of Robocut Alpha i wire edm can be specified in a compact 370mm by 270mm in X- and Y-axis strokes or 600mm by 400mm respectively.

The machine is offered in three types, as follows.

1 - Fine Wire.

2 - Standard.

3 - Lower cost production machine version introduced without automated wirefeed.

* Faster programming - in each version, the latest Fanuc FS 310 is/WA control with 15in LCD screen and touch panel provide easy to use twin-screen display giving an individual scaling mode around the wire position.

It also has the capability to be programmed on the screen at a rate some 10 times faster than the previous C-Series machine.

Also included in the development of the latest control is the ability of the wire position cursor to automatically follow the machining path.

A special OiD version can also be specified with simultaneous 5-axis control, working in conjunction with a touch trigger probe that provides a fully automated process ideal for cutting polycrystalline diamond tooling.

* Redesigned structure - Fanuc has completely redesigned its casting structure for the new machine with a large bed that eliminates any table overhang and creates a working structure some 40% more rigid than the model it replaces.

With the enlarged capacity in X and Y, the maximum workpiece size is increased to 700mm by 600mm with the Robocut Alpha OiD and 1050mm by 820mm with the larger liD machine.

An automatic drop-down door gives improved access to the working area.

* Twin-servo wire tension control - by adopting a twin-servo wire tension control, any variation in wire tension is reduced to a quarter of the previous machine design.

600 Centre told manufacturingtalk.com that precise control is maintained over the wire diameter that can range from 0.05mm to 0.3mm.

With the number of mechanical parts reduced by 35%, a very simple wire feed system is created requiring lower maintenance attention.

Fanuc has also incorporated servo control over dielectric fluid levels enabling optimised cutting to be maintained for different thickness of workpiece.

The level of fluid automatically follows the Z-axis position over the 255mm stroke on the OiD and 310/410mm on the larger IiD machine.

By incorporating a new design of automatic wire feed based on an air jet, operational time is reduced to 10s: saving some 16% from the previous machine wire re-feed time.

* 600 Centre at MACH 2008, NEC, Birmingham, UK, April 21-25, Hall 5, Stand 5130.