Motion Control Information System

Zoller Inc. now integrates a Sinumerik 840Di CNC, pre-loaded with the Siemens Motion Control Information System (MCIS). One module of MCIS is its Tool Data Information (TDI) suite. Siemens makes useful and immediately-accessible information about tool status available to machine tool and presetter programmers, operators and production managers alike, through MCIS.

Having such data can be extremely helpful in organizing tool strategies in production departments and small job shops and, owing to the predictable patterns of wear on various types of tooling, Siemens has incorporated a library of such information into the TDI suite. Offered to customers as a standard solution, Zoller has written an interface to connect TDI to the company's presetter, enabling data to be brought directly into the Siemens numerical control. Zoller boasts accuracy on its presetters to two thousandths of a millimeter (0.002mm) or less than eight millionths of an inch (0.00008in).

By utilizing TDI and a Zoller presetter, a machine tool end-user benefits in many ways, including faster access to tool data with no manual entry of values required. All tool data are transferred to the CNC by an automatic link in the presetter, resulting in significant cost-, time- and operator action savings. In addition, the user develops an increased understanding of tool life and tool wear patterns on various operations in the shop.

The Zoller presetter writes data directly onto an RFID chip, making transfer to TDI onboard the Siemens CNC is simple and easy. Lastly, an end-user can maintain a central server that indicates the location of any tool in the shop or factory, as well as track the status of the next tool needed to perform an upcoming operation.

Included in the Siemens TDI suite are the following:

TDI Cell/TDI Plant — grouping of existing functions on a server- and network-wide operation of client-based interfaces

TDI HMI — additional user interfaces for TDI Plant on a client PC

TDI Overview Tool — actual data image with evaluation functions for the current tool stock using filters and manual tool actual data control

TDI Planning of tool requirements based on the current tool stock

TDI Tool Handling — operator-guided loading and unloading at the SINUMERIK 810D/840D/840Di and automatic data transfer in conjunction with the interface to the tool setting station

TDI Interface — client-connection of external tool management and planning systems

TDI Ident-connection of Tool Ident Systems at the SINUMERIK 810D/840D/840Di CNCs via Profibus or V.24 for reading and writing tool data

TDI Machine Stand-Alone — a non-networkable function package for tool planning and linking to the tool setting stations for tool transfer

TDI Tool — plan generation help module for generating tool plans based on simulation of the corresponding NC programs