NUM has released a new software facility for its latest-generation Flexium+ CNC platform that places a tool management system at the disposal of manufacturers operating multiple CNC machine tools. It is suitable for complex high-end milling applications, as well as HSM applications in the mold & die market.
Forming part of the latest version of NUM’ Flexium+ software (V4.1.00.00), the tool management facility provides an 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.
NUM’s new Tool Management Software simplifies control of multi CNC machine tool environments.
The tool management software includes PLC libraries, as well as dedicated CNC functions and HMI pages. It can handle a 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 a 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 system for complex tasks in milling applications, the software offers highly sophisticated NCK features such as a large block look-ahead capability in excess of 1000, together with very short NCK cycle times. These features also make the system ideal for HSM applications in the mold & die market.
NUM’s new tool management system requires no special software tools. Users employ NUM’s Flexium Tools software to extend the scope of their project to the database server. A full set of API functions is included to implement all necessary tool operations, together with a number of dedicated functions in NCK firmware. The system also includes different logical HMI list pages for spindle and magazine view, tool view and tool data table, enabling users to visualize the complete content of tool information and current status.
For more information, visit NUM website.