ENHANCED 5-AXIS MACHINING WITH LATEST GE FANUC CNCS
10 February 2005 - GE Fanuc Automation CNC Europe SA

Echternach, Luxembourg – Two models of GE Fanuc's latest i Series offer enhanced control features for high speed 5-axis machining, while ensuring very high precision. With their nano-interpolation, the controllers are suitable for machining very complex and free-form surfaced parts, moulds and dies using machines with a range of configurations.

The GE Fanuc Series 30i-Model A and the Series 31i- Model A5 CNCs can both control 5 axes simultaneously. Special new features which apply to 5-axis machining include Tool Posture Control, Tool Radius Compensation, a Tilted Working Plane Command and Work Piece Setting Error Compensation. These can be used with various 5-axis machine configurations, including types with a rotating head, or a rotating table, or a combination of both. An identical program can be used on these different configurations.

The new features enhance 5-axis machining. They include Tool Posture Control Feature which can be for side cutting. This function utilises Tool Centre Point Control, enabling the tool side to follow and cut a side plane on the work piece. The new Tilted Working Plane command ensures that the working plane is automatically defined as perpendicular to the tool axis. Even if the operator manually changes the tool axis direction, machining will take place on the plane perpendicular to the tool. The new Tool Radius Compensation feature checks and ensures that interference is avoided between the tool and other parts of the work piece during 5-axis machining. TRC can also be used simultaneously with Tool Posture Control.

Even if a workpiece is set with an error during 5-axis machining, a new work piece setting error compensation feature ensures that the setting error is automatically compensated. This function can also be used in conjunction with TCP control, TRC and the TWP command.

These 5-axis features are supported in the 30i-Model A and the Series 31i-Model A5 by high performance hardware including in-built Programmable Machine Control sequence controllers with execution speeds of 25ns/step for ladder programs. 3 ladder programs can be

executed simultaneously. Both the 30i and 31i incorporate the same new ultra high speed processor; a high speed internal bus offering transfer performances 10 times those of current CNCs; higher speed servo current control; 16,000,000rev-1 pulse coders; as well as nanometre interpolation which is executed on all contouring moves. The new technologies have enabled up to 8 times faster interpolation cycle times, up to 1000 block look-ahead for high accuracy contour control and 0.4ms block processing times.

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