For more information on m&h products visit http://www.mh-inprocess.com.

Both in small businesses and in middle or large-scale production, workpieces are not only aligned, but geometries are inspected while still on the machine. Touch probes facilitate daily work, reduce manufacturing time and costs and increase the possibilities of modern machines.

With m&h touch probes, deviating angular positions of workpieces can be exactly determined and automatically compensated. Thus, the time-consuming axially parallel adjustment of workpieces becomes obsolete and precision is increased.

By touching either on a workpiece edge or two bores or cylinders, the touch probe precisely detects any possible inclination error of the workpiece. Depending on the machine specification, the workpiece can be adjusted by rotating the coordinate system in the control, or by turning a rotary table, thus considerably shortening set-up times.

Complex workpieces often require a spatial adjustment in several axes. Using the “Best Fit Algorithms” of the m&h software 3D Form Inspect, the zero points of the machining program are spatially shifted in a way to optimally match with the actual position and adjustment of the workpiece.

Advantages through adjustment of the workpiece:

• Shortening of set-up time
• Making optimum and easy use of machine possibilities
• Increasing precision at the workpiece
• Avoiding rejects and rework 

Tool measurement

The tool data is automatically transferred to the tool table of the control. Periodic tool checks for broken tools or wear create additional production safety. The Toolsetter from m&h will do this job, saving time and increasing reliability.

Tool measurement on the machine provides more precise and up to date tool data, since it takes into account the clamping forces of the tool holder and the thermal conditions inside the machine. With proven measuring cycles inside the control or from m&h, measuring is both quick and safe, this saves set-up time, avoids non-machining time and gives high operation and process reliability.

Measuring tools on the machine tool provides substantial advantages:

• Measuring of exact tool diameter, taking the centrifugal forces into consideration
• No transmission errors caused by manual input of tool data
• Immediate measuring in the machine environment ensures highest precision
• Production downtime and rejects are avoided by checks for broken tools
• Cost and time-saving solution
• Allowance for linear expansion of the measuring axis

For more information on m&h products visit http://www.mh-inprocess.com.