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Measuring and compensating the perfect tool with ANCA and Zoller technology

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As a tool maker it is imperative to ensure your geometry is exactly right to ensure a superior cutting performance. Getting this right gives the edge over competition and is what ultimately builds a successful tool maker’s reputation. This coupled with the technological advancement in the market means there is an expectation for a finished tool to be precise to the last micron.

Thomson Mathew, Software Product Manager said: “We have been working closely with Zoller for many years to ensure their measurement machine and our software easily communicate with each other to simplify and improve tool measurement, wheel measurement, form measurement and compensation processes. This partnership provides key benefits to our customers by automating and refining the tool measurement process.”

“Traditional tool measurement required grinding a tool and then manually taking it to a separate measurement machine to verify the design parameters, such as helix, outside diameter, and rake angle. The second consideration in the process was the tool compensation to ensure what is ground matches the original drawing parameters. The risk doing these steps manually is that there will be errors in the data, causing needless grinding waste.”

“ANCA partnered with Zoller to build the infrastructure and shared systems to enable automatic communication between the Zoller and ANCA grinding machine, removing any need for manual input. I have been working with our customers to build their understanding of the benefits of setting up their machine shops to automate their tool grinding processes as it delivers significant efficiencies, guarantees a better-quality tool and reduces waste.”

“It comes down to being very granular and to ensure we intimately know each other’s product. The Zoller manufacturing and research and development centre in Germany has the latest versions of our ANCA ToolRoom and simulation software for testing during product development, and we have the latest version of their software and hardware on-site to ensure the product developments will work in union.”

“Special interfaces have been developed for communication, such as the Measurement Machine Wizard software which is automatically updates at both ends whenever there is a measurement and compensation requirement. The data can be transferred through shop’s network if the ANCA machine and Zoller are on the same network or through a USB stick.”

“We will have the Zoller Genius III at our stand at IMTS, Booth 237406 North Building, Level 3 and we often have one at our show rooms around the world. Book in with your local sales representative and learn how this partnership can benefit you,” concluded Thomson. 



Three main features that will improve tool quality and improve manufacturing processes:

Automated wheel pack measurement


To save production time customers often qualify wheel packs externally and keep this information ready to use on machines when Tool Types are changed. To achieve highly accurate measurement and eliminate those manual processes, all ANCA machine arbors are supported with adaptors on Zoller to enable direct data transfer from our wheel editor to Zoller and vice versa. This wheel pack measurement data can be automatically transferred to an ANCA machine or simulator software.

Automated design parameter measurement and compensation

When doing large volume production, verification of the design parameters is required after the first batch of cutting tools are ground. If there are variations in geometry, then corrections need to be made before proceeding with the production run.

To streamline this, saving time and effort, Zoller and ANCA have jointly designed a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to direct transfer the data from the grinding machine to the Zoller measurement technology through the network or manual transfer with a USB stick. Software capabilities are available on both systems to then select the required corrections for design parameters to compensate so that the production can begin. 

Software for automated tool contour scanning and correcting

Complex profile tools like Christmas tree cutters have very tight tolerance and the grind path or form needs to be corrected for wheel errors. After manufacturing the tool, its contour is automatically scanned by Zoller’s Lasso contour measuring. Lasso executes a nominal/actual comparison between the scanned contour and the contour as defined in the DXF file. Zoller also automatically calculates a corrected contour based on this nominal/actual comparison and transmits it to the ANCA ToolRoom software which takes the new and corrected form for the next grind.

The following parameters may be measured and communicated between iGrind and Zoller Genius III.

Flute length


• OD length 
• Diameter 
• Chamfer angle 
• Chamfer land width 
• Chamfer length (measured in X along tool axis) 
• Corner radius 
• Helix angle 
• Flute hook angle 
• Endrake angle for square end and corner radius mills 
• OD relief angle (primary, secondary, tertiary) 
• OD land width (primary, secondary) 
• Radial land 
• Endface relief angle (primary, secondary, tertiary) 
• Endface land width (primary, secondary) 
• Dish 
• Point angle 
• Flute core diameter/flute depth 
• OD taper 
• OD Backoff diameter 
• Chisel angle 
• Multi-drill S-radius

Wheel Qualification 

• Diameter 
• Toroid radius 
• Front and back face distance (width implied) 
• Chamfer angle 
• Double Chamfer Wheel midpoint distance

Profile compensation


• Ballnose 
• Corner radius 
• Profile 

 

 

24 April 2019