Advanced Software Simplifies Control Of CNC Machine Tool Environment

NUM’s new software facility for its Flexium+ CNC platform gives manufacturers operating multiple CNC machine tools an advanced tool management system.

It is especially suitable for complex high-end milling applications, as well as HSM applications in the mould & die market.

Forming part of the latest version of NUM’s acclaimed Flexium+ software (V4.1.00.00), the new tool management facility provides a comprehensive and constantly accessible database that can either be installed on a server platform for use with multiple CNC machine tools in a large production plant, or can be used standalone on a single CNC machine tool.

The tool management software includes PLC libraries, as well as dedicated CNC functions and HMI pages. It can handle a very large number of tools of different types – including turning, milling and boring – and standard, medium or large sizes. Duplo tools with identical cutting characteristics are also supported, as are different types of tool magazines such as disk, chain or rack. New tool characteristics are managed at maximum speed and maximum feed rate, and the tool life can be monitored over time, by wear amount or by the number of operations. Pre-emptive warning messages are generated automatically, whenever specified limits are approached.

The software provides an especially comprehensive set of extensions for tool characteristics. In addition to standard items such as the name, type and number of cuts – as many as 18 of which can be specified – extensions are also provided to handle numerous other factors, including magazine size, life management, technological characteristics such as maximum speed and speed rate, and status/warning indicators.

Developed primarily as a high-end system for complex tasks in milling applications, the softwareoffers highly sophisticated NCK features such as a large block look-ahead capability in excess of 1,000, together with very short NCK cycle times. These features also make the system ideal for HSM applications in the mould & die market.