Caron Engineering Inc  

TMAC is a real-time tool wear detection system that uses high-precision, multi-range sensors to determine if a tool is worn or broken. Caron Engineering sensors are 10 times more sensitive than other sensors on the market, allowing TMAC to cover a wider range of tools. TMAC has a separate high-speed processor that collects data at 200 times per second, and directly interfaces with any CNC control, to react instantly to wear and extreme conditions.

TMAC 3.0 has been completely redesigned with an intuitive streamlined user-interface that offers numerous configurations for viewing tool monitoring and sensor data.  The TMAC system processor now houses its own web server, making the HMI (human-machine interface) browser-based, which enables real-time monitoring from any network connected device. Users (with assigned permissions) have live access to all TMAC systems on a shop floor from a single browser.  Securities and permissions can be customized for each user to assign system access based on their user role and job function.

TMAC has an adaptive control mode that optimizes cutting with changing conditions due to wear, variations in material hardness, consistency, and depth of cut. Using a power sensor to monitor motor power, TMAC overrides the machine tool feedrate to maintain a constant spindle motor power during cutting. This enables TMAC to increase the feedrate with low power cuts and decrease with high power cuts, and as tools wear. No operator intervention is necessary when TMAC is monitoring and controlling, making it ideal for unattended operations. Users will see an immediate increase in productivity, extended tool life, and overall reduction in cycle time (up to 60%). Cycle time savings are most significant with hard and difficult to machine materials.

In addition to power, TMAC monitors sensors for vibration, strain, coolant pressure and flow, and spindle speed. The newly enhanced HMI has expanded the monitoring capabilities with TMAC. Users can customize views to show up to 4 sensor channels simultaneously in a single view.  For example, the user can set up a single (split-screen) view to monitor power, vibration, spindle speed, and coolant for a specific tool and section at the same time; and have unique limits for each sensor and channel.  A user can create unlimited views to show data in a variety of ways, and easily toggle between views during monitoring.  Using a vibration sensor TMAC also monitors spindle bearing health, with the analysis initiated by calls in the CNC program.

The TMAC data viewer and event log stores all cutting data and events. Any number of data files can be opened simultaneously to easily view graphical differences and allows overlaying cutting data to compare and analyze cuts.

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Caron Engineering’s DTect-IT was first introduced in 2016 as a product primarily used for detecting vibration levels and irregularities anywhere on a CNC machine tool or fixture; with featured applications of bearing analysis and barfeeder vibration detection (and correction).

DTect-IT has become even more versatile since its inception, now capable of communicating with multiple sensors, including vibration, strain (to measure force), high precision power, and analog (which allows connecting any sensor with a 0 to ± 10 VDC analog signal, and 4 – 20 mA current signals). DTect-IT software has multiple analysis options allowing the user to monitor and scrutinize sensor data in various ways.

Using limit analysis, the user can set limits to monitor any of the compatible sensors.  DTect-IT has a new learn mode to automatically set limits based on the acquired (learned) sensor data or limits can be set manually using adjustable sliders.  When a defined limit has been met or exceeded, alarms and notifications occur.

Barfeeder vibration detection has been a widely used application with limit analysis. By attaching a vibration sensor to the barfeeder, limits can be set to detect excessive vibration levels due to imperfections in the bar.  DTect-IT can signal the CNC to reduce spindle RPM until the vibration levels are acceptable to make good parts or even stop the machine if extreme vibration levels are detected.  This application is greatly reducing scrap rates and decreasing spindle damage due to excessive vibration by detecting and compensating for imperfections in real-time instead of machining a whole (bad) bar of parts.

With bearing analysis, DTect-IT analyzes the velocity and acceleration signatures of a vibration sensor (attached to the spindle) to monitor spindle bearing health. Results are displayed within 5 seconds, and reports are automatically generated and saved for future analysis. Using the built-in data viewer, users can trend bearing data over time to establish maintenance schedules.

Fault detection analysis can be used with any sensor to identify an excessive condition, such as machine impact, overheating, extreme vibration, etc. DTect-IT recognizes when upper and lower limits are exceeded and records data on either side of the fault for analysis.

The newest analysis option with DTect-IT is frequency analysis. DTect-IT can monitor the frequency levels of any sensor and set magnitude limits to monitor and detect anomalies within specific frequency bands.  Alarms and notifications are generated when magnitude limits (in decibels) are exceeded.

The combination of sensor options and analysis options (of which multiple can be run simultaneously for each sensor), make the applications for this product almost limitless. Many of the more prominent applications, include the abovementioned barfeeder vibration detection and bearing analysis, but DTect-IT is also widely used to for tool wear and breakage detection, yoke strain detection, tapping operations, coolant and temperature monitoring, machine health, preventative maintenance, and more.

DTect-IT offers a lot of functionality and features ideal for a smart manufacturing environment. It is best for monitoring up to four tools.  It can run as a standalone application or easily connects to the CNC to command start and stop variables. DTect-IT can set sensor levels and alarms with variables that can be used by the CNC part program to make adjustments. DTect-IT has a data collection analysis to collect raw data from any sensor (up to 62,500 data points/sec). 

The latest release of DTect-IT includes a new analysis viewer.  All monitored data is stored and can be accessed via the DTect-IT Viewer for inspection, review, and analysis. The MTConnect compatibility allows users to interrogate sensor information on various levels and provides seamless communication with shop floor automation systems. 

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Caron Engineering offers a retrofit tool identification and data management (ToolConnect) system that automatically reads and writes tool presetter data between the machine control and RFID tags embedded in tool holders. 

This system uses a customized RFID read station and an intuitive interface tailored to the user’s tool load and unload process. The ToolConnect HMI displays all user-specified tool and process info, along with a tool image to easily verify that the correct tool is being loaded.  The system can automatically index to the correct magazine position for further error-proofing of the process on some machine tools.

Improve Operator Efficiency

Caron Engineering’s ToolConnect system can be added to nearly any machine tool as a means to provide a common user interface for every CNC machine on the shop floor, irrespective of builder. This alleviates the inefficiencies of using OEM-specific tool identification that each have their own unique user interface; which might require operators on the shop floor to be educated on multiple different systems, all largely performing the same function. Operators that use ToolConnect only need to be familiar with one type of system with the result being an increase of productivity on the shop floor.

Flexible and Customizable Design

Unlike the rigid specifications of OEM tool identification systems, ToolConnect offers a flexible design that can easily accommodate changes to a process. The system is built specifically to the customers’ requirements, from the (drag and drop) design of the UI to the overall process and functionality of the system. The infrastructure of ToolConnect allows processes to be adjusted and additional functions can be added at any time.  Updates can be made by a technician in the field or via remote access by a certified technician. Additionally, ToolConnect offers a large support network through Caron Engineering’s worldwide representation of certified systems integrators.

Compatibility

ToolConnect works with nearly any tool presetter that can write to an RFID tag.  ToolConnect easily adapts to new RFID systems, which OEM provided systems are currently not capable of doing.

Benefits

ToolConnect reduces setup time by automating the process of loading and unloading tools into the machine. As an added failsafe, if an operator tries to load an incorrect tool, or a tool in the wrong pot, ToolConnect will alert the operator. This system eliminates the initial in-machine tool measurement and manual entry of tool geometry and wear offsets, providing more chip cutting time. ToolConnect also removes the need for post processors between the tool presetter and CNC.

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