Multiple clamping with ShopMill
Effective Use of Tools
The machining space of a machining center can be utilized even more effectively by using several clamping fixtures. In some cases, however, the advantage that users gain by using several vises may be lost again due to the number of tool changes. Furthermore, it also requires increased effort to program this clamping arrangement.
Siemens, in collaboration with Walter Bautz GmbH, has developed a function called "multiple clamping", which optimizes the tool change in such a way that, to begin with, all the operations on all the clamping fixtures are processed using the tool currently inserted before the next tool is inserted into the spindle. As a result, even clamping cubes or reversible clampings can easily be programmed on the Sinumerik using menuprompted input – regardless of whether the workpieces are identical or different.
The number of workpieces is limited only by the 99 zero offsets. In real shopfloor situations, however, this seldom if ever represents a limitation.
Further informations will be shown at the page 20-22 on the CNC4you shopfloor magazine, edition february 2012.