Thursday, June 20, 2024
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As ANCA CNC Machines reaches a significant milestone of 50 years in the industry, the company is set to make a powerful impact at IMTS 2024. Known globally for their precision tool grinding and automated manufacturing technologies, ANCA celebrates its half-century legacy by unveiling their latest advancements and hosting special events.
Highlighting this momentous occasion, ANCA will introduce the MicroX ULTRA, a state-of-the-art high-precision tool grinder, and AIMS Connect, the next evolution in integrated manufacturing technology. These innovations are poised to set new standards in the industry by offering unparalleled precision and efficiency in tool production.
The celebration extends beyond new product launches. ANCA’s enduring commitment to providing best-in-class solutions is underscored by the grand opening of their newest Tech Center in Temecula, California. This facility aims to support the rapidly expanding market on the West Coast, ensuring that customers receive the highest quality tools and services.
Pat Boland, ANCA’s co-founder, reflects on the company’s journey, stating, “For 50 years, ANCA has been at the forefront of transforming the cutting tool industry. Our presence at IMTS 2024 not only marks this milestone but also reaffirms our dedication to innovation. We are eager to showcase our latest developments and engage with our customers and partners.”
Edmund Boland, General Manager of ANCA CNC Machines, emphasizes the significance of IMTS 2024 in the company’s celebratory year, adding, “This event is a highlight for us, providing a platform to present our newest products and cutting-edge technologies. Our focus on efficiency and cost-effectiveness in tool production is embodied in our latest release of ToolRoom software, RN35, which enhances productivity and streamlines operations.”
A Glimpse into ANCA’s Future: Autonomous and Smart Manufacturing
The latest advancements in ANCA’s portfolio, including ToolRoom RN35 and AIMS (ANCA Integrated Manufacturing System), represent a leap towards highly productive and autonomous manufacturing. These solutions address critical challenges such as labor shortages and the need for consistent, high-quality production processes. The ULTRA technology now facilitates micro tool production, regrinding, and small batch manufacturing with the MicroX and FX7 ULTRA, catering to the evolving needs of the industry.
From its humble beginnings with a minicomputer and teletype in Pat Boland’s home to becoming a leader in CNC and machine tool design with Pat McCluskey, ANCA’s history is marked by continuous innovation. The company introduced the industry’s first touch probe, soft axes, and 3D simulation, consistently pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in tool grinding.
Software and Automation: The Pillars of ANCA’s Innovation
Central to ANCA’s 50th-anniversary celebration are the latest updates in their software and automation capabilities. The new ToolRoom RN35 software significantly enhances performance, with features that optimise feed rates, reduce cycle times, and improve surface finishes while extending wheel life. It also integrates material removal rate calculations, enabling automated parameter settings for consistent removal rates and reduced air time.
Moreover, ANCA’s Statistical Process Control (SPC) software facilitates comprehensive analysis and evaluation of part characteristics, streamlining manufacturing processes. The introduction of profile fluting further enhances the capabilities of ANCA’s proprietary software, elevating the precision and quality of tool production.
As ANCA commemorates five decades of “thinking outside of the box,” the company remains focused on inventing and delivering groundbreaking technologies that redefine the future of cutting tool production. The IMTS 2024 serves as a testament to their ongoing journey of innovation and excellence.
Experts will present these and other upgrades to IMTS visitors, plus further exciting news in CIM3D simulation software.
The Future of Automation in Tool Production IS here today…AIMS
The ANCA Automated Manufacturing System (AIMS) is an advanced, highly integrated automation solution that combines machining, metrology, and materials handling with data management to create a cutting-edge ecosystem for the unattended production of tools used across a wide range of industries.
ANCA’s AIMS (ANCA Integrated Manufacturing System) represents the forefront of smart manufacturing for cutting tool production, allowing manufacturers to connect, automate, and innovate like never before. This modular system includes both hardware and software components for automated, closed-loop manufacturing. The AIMS Server oversees production processes, and AutoComp, the intelligent compensation module, automatically maintains part quality. The newly introduced AIMS Connect function encompasses job management.
Recently showcased at GrindingHub in Germany, AIMS Connect allows visitors to witness the potential of digital production control and modular automation, now available for existing systems. This system has demonstrated in real-world applications that it empowers manufacturers to explore new opportunities, products, and features, while maximising productivity and quality.
AIMS is gaining traction because it offers flexibility for both small workshops and large production facilities, enabling them to integrate machining, metrology, and materials handling into a cohesive ecosystem with comprehensive data capture and management capabilities.
Machines and technology for highest quality and lowest cost tools
ANCA’s GCX machine and gear tool technology are set to revolutionise the production of skiving cutters through a comprehensive turnkey solution package. To address the complexities of gear tool manufacturing, this offering includes capabilities for designing gear cutting tools, production, and integrated tool measurement, as well as providing the necessary setup parameters for skiving machines.
At the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), attendees will witness live demonstrations showcasing how this configuration enables rapid setup times, simulation, and monitoring. Additionally, features that enhance quality, such as the ANCA Motor Temperature Control (MTC) and integrated balancing system (iBalance), ensure exceptional long-term grinding profile accuracy, maintaining precision within +/-0.0015mm. This turnkey package makes it easier for businesses to enter the gear tools sector while guaranteeing top-tier results.
ULTRA Technology: the platform for highest precision and micro tool work
ANCA’s revolutionary ULTRA technology combines nanometre-level control, servo-controlled algorithms, and mechanical stiffness enhancements to achieve unprecedented precision. The FX7 ULTRA and MicroX ULTRA exemplify ANCA’s dedication to accuracy, enabling the continuous batch production of tools as small as 0.03mm, thereby setting new benchmarks in tool manufacturing.
Unveiled at EMO 2023 and subsequently released to the market at GrindingHub, the MicroX ULTRA offers micro tool manufacturers all the benefits of ULTRA technology coupled with ANCA’s advanced Machine Intelligence. This unit is specifically designed for micro applications. As the only micro tool grinder featuring nanometre control, an optimised mechanical layout, enhanced axes travel, integrated tool measurement, and advanced automation, this six-axis grinder is the perfect solution for the mass production of tools down to 0.03mm.
Customer-centric solutions enable enhancements
The new EPX-SF stream finishing machine, unveiled at GrindingHub, is ANCA’s cutting-edge solution for advanced edge preparation and surface finishing. Designed to meet productivity goals and deliver exceptional cutting tool performance, the EPX-SF excels in precision-critical industries. Its design is primed for seamless integration into automated tool manufacturing systems. Featuring 11-axis automation and sophisticated recipe fine-tuning, this machine, crafted by tool experts, optimises media usage while ensuring precise edge control. Capable of reducing edge roughness to less than 100 nanometres and refining edge radii to mere microns with controllable K-factor, the EPX-SF achieves nano-smooth surfaces and micron-honed edges in record time.
The EPX-SF’s cyclic mode with pulse rotation effectively combats surface burrs and edge imperfections. Its spindle, with adjustable positive and negative angles, follows the optimal cutting path, enhancing potential chip flow and reducing the surface roughness of the cutting workpiece. Within ANCA’s automation ecosystem, the EPX-SF integrates effortlessly into production lines, operating autonomously with round-the-clock robotic assistance for tool loading and unloading.
The CPX blank preparation machine exemplifies how customer feedback is integral to product development. Tool manufacturers globally provided their ideal solution for blanks requiring high material removal rates, application versatility, and integrated quality control. With features such as statistical process control and achieving top surface finishes below 0.2Ra, the CPX Linear allows manufacturers to attain high productivity at minimal cost. Additional capabilities for various applications will be showcased at IMTS.
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