iTNC 530 - TNC 640 - DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH

Intelligent Machining
– Dynamic Collision Monitoring Option (DCM)
The complex motions and high traversing
speeds of fi ve-axis machining make axis
movements diffi cult to foresee. This makes
collision monitoring a valuable function that
relieves the machine operator and protects
the machine from damage.
NC programs from CAM systems may
avoid collisions of the tool or tool holder
with the workpiece, but unless you invest
in expensive offl ine machine simulation
software, they ignore the machine
components located within the work
envelope. And even then it cannot be
guaranteed that machine conditions, such
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as the fi xture position, will be identical to
those of the simulation. In the worst case,
a collision will remain undetected until the
damage is done.
In cases such as these, the machine
operator is supported by the dynamic
collision monitoring (DCM)* feature of
the iTNC 530. The control interrupts
machining whenever a collision is
imminent, thereby increasing the safety for
the machine and its operator. This helps to
prevent machine damage, which can result
in costly downtimes. Unattended shifts
become safer and more reliable.
However, DCM works not only in
automatic mode. It is also active in
manual operation. If, for example, during
setup the machine operator takes a
collision course to a component or fi xture
in the working space, the iTNC 530 detects
it, stops axis movement, and issues an
error message.
Before actually machining a part, you can
also check for collisions in the Test Run
mode, with a real datum and real tools.
* The machine and the iTNC must be adapted to these
functions by the machine tool builder.