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Methods Machine Tools Inc. has announced they have introduced the new FANUC RoboCut. C400iA and C600iA wire EDMs. These EDMs include several important upgrades including the new FANUC 31iWB Control which is loaded with new features for improved accuracy and finish, especially in high-taper 4-Axis cutting. The Ai Pulse Control II now offers better straightness and faster cutting speeds for both roughing and finishing in interrupted cuts. And the FANUC Auto-Threader offers enhanced reliability, including when threading soft wire while submerged and in the cutting gap.
"The C400iA and C600iA lines provide our EDM customers with the latest in proven FANUC technology with major upgrades to optimize productivity," said Mr. Stephen Bond, National Sales Manager for FANUC RoboDrill, RoboCut and EDM Products, Methods Machine Tools.
The new FANUC Wire EDM Series also features several new control enhancements designed to reduce overall operational costs by monitoring electrical component usage for minimizing power consumption. Costs are further reduced with the new "Eco Mode," which reduces wire consumption up to 30 percent. And the PCD power supply has been upgraded to allow for more efficient burning in difficult-to-cut materials such as CBN and some carbon fibers. Also, cutting technology is available for machining complex, detailed graphite electrodes up to 6 inches thick with a super fine finish. Significant upgrades have been made to RoboCut Link i cut monitor software that is standard on RoboCut machines for monitoring and operating the machine remotely.
A new user-friendly interface is now available for Apple iPad's and other remote smart devices. Like the FANUC iE and iD EDMs, the new FANUC RoboCut C400iA and C600iA wire EDMs are capable of manufacturing complex components and offer seven-axis simultaneous machining as an option.
Related Glossary Terms
- burning
burning
Rotary tool that removes hard or soft materials similar to a rotary file. A bur’s teeth, or flutes, have a negative rake.
- cubic boron nitride ( CBN)
cubic boron nitride ( CBN)
Crystal manufactured from boron nitride under high pressure and temperature. Used to cut hard-to-machine ferrous and nickel-base materials up to 70 HRC. Second hardest material after diamond. See superabrasive tools.
- electrical-discharge machining ( EDM)
electrical-discharge machining ( EDM)
Process that vaporizes conductive materials by controlled application of pulsed electrical current that flows between a workpiece and electrode (tool) in a dielectric fluid. Permits machining shapes to tight accuracies without the internal stresses conventional machining often generates. Useful in diemaking.
- inner diameter ( ID)
inner diameter ( ID)
Dimension that defines the inside diameter of a cavity or hole. See OD, outer diameter.
- polycrystalline diamond ( PCD)
polycrystalline diamond ( PCD)
Cutting tool material consisting of natural or synthetic diamond crystals bonded together under high pressure at elevated temperatures. PCD is available as a tip brazed to a carbide insert carrier. Used for machining nonferrous alloys and nonmetallic materials at high cutting speeds.
- threading
threading
Process of both external (e.g., thread milling) and internal (e.g., tapping, thread milling) cutting, turning and rolling of threads into particular material. Standardized specifications are available to determine the desired results of the threading process. Numerous thread-series designations are written for specific applications. Threading often is performed on a lathe. Specifications such as thread height are critical in determining the strength of the threads. The material used is taken into consideration in determining the expected results of any particular application for that threaded piece. In external threading, a calculated depth is required as well as a particular angle to the cut. To perform internal threading, the exact diameter to bore the hole is critical before threading. The threads are distinguished from one another by the amount of tolerance and/or allowance that is specified. See turning.
- wire EDM
wire EDM
Process similar to ram electrical-discharge machining except a small-diameter copper or brass wire is used as a traveling electrode. Usually used in conjunction with a CNC and only works when a part is to be cut completely through. A common analogy is wire electrical-discharge machining is like an ultraprecise, electrical, contour-sawing operation.
