Caron Engineering Demonstrates New Smart Technology for Lights-Out Machining at IMTS 2022

At IMTS 2022, Caron Engineering will feature their latest technologies for automation, cycle time reduction, unmanned operations, and total process monitoring and control for tool loading, offset adjustment, and more. With their technology outfitted on a Tsugami TMA8 live-cutting demo, they will showcase a fully automated (lights-out) manufacturing process in booth 135736.

The highlighted Caron Engineering technology will include:

• ToolConnect: Before cutting, Caron Engineering’s tool data management system, ToolConnect, will automate the process of loading tools into the machine. ToolConnect reads and processes data from presetter written RFID tags, and 2D printed barcode tags to automatically update tool information directly to the CNC control, and further prevents a wrong tool from being loaded into the machine.
• TMAC: During cutting, their adaptive tool monitoring system, TMAC, will measure tool wear and detect breakage in real-time, while simultaneously monitoring tool and spindle vibration. Using the live cutting data, its adaptive control feature will optimize the process by adjusting feed rates to reduce cycle time up to 60%.
• DTect-IT Software will extract data from a Blum Scanning probe to analyze the surface of the part and determine any dimensional anomalies, for consistent part quality.
• Blum LC50 Digilog laser will measure the rotating tools on the machine using the state-of-the-art Digilog technology which provides advanced tool measuring and analysis.
• MiConnect Technology: Their latest innovation, by way of its flowchart style programming, will control the interaction between the CNC control, a Universal Robot and a Sylvac Scan25 vision gauge.
• AutoComp Software will automatically process the measurement data from the vision gauge to calculate and compensate offsets in the control. AutoComp eliminates human error by statistically controlling tool offsets.

Caron Engineering’s products are unique in the fact that they can interface with nearly any CNC machine tool on the market, and be customized for almost any application. Their high precision sensors are infinitely scalable to accommodate all types of cutting. These solutions run standalone or work together to successfully remove operator error and confidently run unattended operations.