E-Sharp News January 2021

Owner Dieter Bachert, a tool maker by trade has continuously grown his business located near Stuttgart, Germany since 1999. Bachert Werkzeugschleiftechnik is a long-term ANCA customer, originally investing in the first ANCA RGX in 2001.

The company is well known in the region and beyond for high quality work and their ability to deliver individual customer solutions. Their ANCA RGX continues to provide reliable production results. To support business growth, the company were also seeking an automation solution, specifically for tool loading.

ANCA’s new AR300 automated mixed tool loading solution launched at EMO

At EMO 2019, Dieter Bachert found his solution investing in another ANCA tool and cutter grinder – a FX5 Linear with the new AR300 Scara robot. This machine was exhibited at EMO with the new collet loading solution for mixed batches and was subsequently installed in Bachert’s factory in the Swabian village Baltmannsweiler, in October 2019.
 
 
A tailor-made regrinding solution also offers unattended production

Dieter Bachert explains: “ANCA introduced the new automation solution for small batch regrinding and chaotic loading with the AR300 at the last EMO. This solution is tailor made for the requirements of our regrinding services. Our company offers a pick-up and delivery service for resharpening, repair and replacement of cutting tools. It’s the nature of the business that we must deal with a large variety of different cutting tools every day. With the new AR300 automation solution for small mixed batches we can load tools from different customers chaotically and I can run the machine unattended.”

“The Loadermate software allows us to program each pallet position, or one program can be used for several tools consecutively. The mix of tools and the grinding requirements in my toolroom are different every day; with the new loader solution I can sort tools by diameter or tool type or keep tools of one customer together. The volume of tools we resharpen today could not be handled with manual loading anymore.”

This added functionality frees up valuable time during regular hours for administrative tasks or for grinding special tools on the other machine. Dieter Bachert also sets the machine up to run during the lunch break.

Dieter adds: “In addition, we load the machine now more and more before the end of regular working hours, this way the machine can run for a few hours unattended without additional labour cost, increasing the productivity and revenue of the company.”
 
How does the new AR300 collet loading for small batches work?

Andreas Sommer, ANCA Product Manager for the FX range explains: “The FX5 Linear offers automation and the versatility of different loading options, to meet the needs of increased productivity. The AR300 - ANCA's designed and built robot now offers an auto collet loading solution.”
 
“Collet loading with the AR300 has been implemented on the FX5 as a regrinding solution and allows various tools of differing diameters and tool types be reground in the one setup.”
 
“The AR300 loads the tool and a Nikken collet together. Tools are placed into the pallet, with each tool having its own collet in the pallet, and the tool and collet are loaded together into a Schäublin B32/45 collet adapter and collet. The collets in the pallet are Nikken NK22 or KM20 collets.”

“Each tool in each location in the pallet can be programmed by the operator. Various tool sizes and types can be used in the one batch. The small mixed batch collet loading solution has a maximum capacity of 30 tools for automated loading using Nikken collets with an outer diameter of 20mm.”

“With Nikken collets NK20 or KM20 tools from diameter 3mm up to 16mm can be loaded, with Nikken collets outer diameter 22 mm the largest diameter tool will be 18 mm.”

“With a loading cycle of approximately 25 seconds the flexibility of loading mixed batches of tools for unmanned production, is helping companies gain productivity and is a smart factory solution that can be easily integrated into regular production.”
 

15 January 2021