Product category:
Plantwide control
News Release from: NEE Controls | Subject: AMC-B
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 14 April 2005
Controller interface sparks machine
advance
When a simple e-mail sparked an idea for the Managing Director of special purpose machine manufacturer iCAM Mechatronics, the result was an innovative laminate cutting and printing machine.
When a simple e-mail from NEE-Controls sparked an idea for the Managing Director of special purpose machine manufacturer iCAM Mechatronics, the result was an innovative laminate cutting and printing machine that not only saved iCAM's customer a significant amount of money, but also delivered unprecedented flexibility Based in New Zealand, iCAM Mechatronics is the country's foremost manufacturer of CNC routing machines for both nested based manufacturing and individual component processing
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 31 Mar 2000 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Controller-only PCB for systems integrators
The new AMC-E series controller is a natural progression from the AMC-B controller for OEM customers.
Servo controller speeds prosthetics production
Ortho Europe has developed a novel carving machine for producing customised sockets for artificial limbs.
As a long time advocate and user of multi-axis motion control solutions from NEE-Controls on his machines, iCAM's Managing Director Troy Cundy naturally receives regular product updates.
One in particular got him thinking.
"NEE-Controls have always been adept at integrating third-party equipment as part of their control package, and I received an e-mail update from the company saying they had now added a part marking inkjet printer interface to their control systems", he explains.
"By coincidence, I had received an enquiry from a distributor of laminate material about producing a machine to cut credit card sized sample tags of laminate out of large sheets".
"I knew that, along with the cutting of the tags, one of the problems the company was having was with the printing of data onto the tags, and I began to wonder if we could develop a machine that would kill two birds with one stone".
Further reading
Printer integrated with machine controller
NEE-Controls has added a part marking inkjet printer interface to its range of machine and motion control systems as supplied to Exact Technologies.
Precise laser power control using PWM outputs
NEE Controls has added a PWM output to its AMC-E servo range of motion control systems.
High-speed USB keeps motion control data running
NEE Controls has added a USB2 interface to the AMC range of motion control systems.
The laminate sample tags, supplied to the likes of DIY stores and builders' merchants, provide prospective customers with ideas of the range of colours and styles available.
Each tag is printed with name, colour and branding code data to give customers an easy order reference.
But the printing the data on the tags was something of a problem.
The distributor had tried using stick-on labels, but they tended not to be noticed when stuck on the back of the tag, and spoilt the effect of the tag when stuck on the front.
In addition, although it had the advantage of being a low cost solution, it was really only suited to short runs and tied up manpower.
The distributor had also screen-printed the data onto the laminate prior to cutting the tags.
Although this looked more professional, it did require whole sheets - or even multiple sheets - of laminate to be processed every time, even if only a few tags were needed, raising costs whilst compromising flexibility.
"The distributor came to us initially because it was having problems accurately cutting the tags from the laminate sheets", says Cundy.
"But when NEE-Controls told us they had developed a control interface for a part marking print head, it occurred to us that we could enhance the tag cutting machine with the ability to print the required data onto the tags at the same time".
The machine developed by iCAM is built around NEE-Controls' AMC-B three-axis machine controller, programmed with the company's WinAMC software.
WinAMC also provides a flexible PC-based operator interface, and NEE-Controls provided the required graphics panel as part of the overall solution, along with the servo motors, servo drives, gearboxes and even the wiring harness.
"NEE-Controls have always been very helpful in developing applications with us - tweaking standard controllers and integrating third party equipment to meet our requirements", says Cundy.
"The printer interface in this application is a good example; the standard interface wasn't compatible with our preferred print head, but NEE-Controls were quickly able to modify the firmware of the interface to provide full compatibility".
"How many other control companies would be able to offer that level of customised functionality cost-effectively?".
The machine is designed to work with laminate sheets measuring 3660 x 1530mm, and approximately 1.0mm thick, from which a maximum of 600 tags can be produced.
The printing and cutting data are all held in a single CNC file in the AMC software, and the appropriate file is called up for a given laminate sheet, with the user selecting the number of tags required and the sise of the tags.
The sheet is held on the machine bed using vacuum, activated by the AMC-B3.
The controller first initiates the printing cycle, printing the data for tags.
With the printing complete, the controller switches the machine into cutting mode for the routing of the tags.
The vacuum holds the tags firmly onto the machine bed for accurate cutting, and is reversed at the end of the process for easy tag removal.
"A complete cycle to process a full sheet of 600 tags takes about two hours, but the big advantage of the system is that the company can print and cut exactly the number of tags required", says Cundy.
"Sometimes only a few tags are needed, usually on a fast turnaround".
"Our machine makes it possible to throw in a part-sheet, and produce exactly what's needed".
"So the machine has not only reduced the cost per tag, it has also delivered vastly improved flexibility".
The CNC market in New Zealand may be relatively small, but the machine requirements are nonetheless challenging - perhaps more so than in larger markets where OEMs can afford to specialise in particular areas.
"Our business depends on being able to find innovative solutions to a raft of different application requirements", says Cundy.
"NEE-Controls have always proved a valuable design resource for us".
"In this particular case, the printing aspect was a learning curve, but NEE-Controls helped us through each stage of the development".
"As a result, we've added another string to our bow which will stand us in good stead as we address the machine design challenges of the future".
• NEE Controls: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Engineeringtalk email newsletter
• Engineeringtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
