Contact us today:
(847) 934-4500
tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
Contact us today:
(847) 934-4500
tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
ANCA’s dynamic new FX-RFID automated regrinding solution runs mixed tool batches lights out
Automated regrinding solutions have gained popularity among tool service providers due to their efficiency and cost-effectiveness in saving time, manual labor, and resources.
With the ANCA RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) regrinding solution, tools of various types and diameters and from different orders can be dynamically loaded, rather than having to sort them by diameter or customer as was previously necessary in mixed batches.
ANCA recently introduced its new FX-RFID solution, extending the popular RFID workflow to the FX Linear platform, unveiling it at IMTS 2022.
Tool service providers are increasingly turning towards automated solutions for unattended regrinding. Australian tool manufacturer Carbitool, cite the process efficiencies, ease of use, and lights out capabilities gained with the automation solution. This first installation in Australia provides valuable insights into the technology and its advantages.
Andreas Sommer, ANCA Product Manager explains: “ANCA provides a range of automated regrinding solutions for mixed batches, including collet loading with Nikken collets. This entry-level solution is available on the FX5 with the AR300 robot and allows for the tool and collet to be changed together. The Loadermate software sets up a mixed batch of tools for unattended operation.”
Regrinding solutions to fit your needs
ANCA also provides the option of collet changing with RFID technology, which was previously only available on the MX platform. This feature has now been extended to the FX5 and FX7 models, allowing customers to select the regrinding solution that best fits their business needs in terms of both capacity demands and budget.
While some resharpening services aim to run their machines unattended for a brief period with only a small mixed batch of tools, many medium-sized companies seek to enhance their tool loading capacities and flexibility. ANCA’s RFID solution is designed to meet the needs of medium-sized tool service providers, enabling them to run their machines unattended for several hours, or even overnight.
How the RFID automation solution works
The FX-RFID solution uses two pallets and a pallet top with a maximum capacity of 88 tools. According to Andreas, “Regrinding an endmill or a similar cutting tool takes an average of five to six minutes. With a rate of 10 tools per hour, it’s easy to estimate the potential for unattended lights-out regrinding to increase machine utilization and productivity.”
ANCA’s Dynamic Tool Group Manager programming station enables preparation of any combination of tools from different customers for regrinding. With the RFID workflow, tools can be loaded into the machine without the need for pre-programming individual pallet pockets. The RFID and tool carrier can be placed anywhere on the RFID pallet top, and the tool holder’s RFID code is used to locate the assigned program.
Every tool will be assessed at the workstation, where skilled operators select and modify the required grinding program. The individual program reference is then encoded onto an RFID tool holder, which is placed in a pallet along with the tool for the grinding machine. Customer names and job numbers can be added to each tool holder, making it easier to identify the original customer order after grinding.
During the running schedule, tools can be added, removed, or rearranged within the pallet. The job will terminate when an empty pocket is detected, indicating the end of the pallet.
When the machine picks up the tool with the RFID tool holder, it scans the RFID code and automatically retrieves the corresponding grinding program, sets all grinding parameters, and loads the correct wheel pack. If a collet change is needed, the machine executes it automatically.
The RFID tool holder is then parked at an interchange station, and the tool is loaded for regrinding. Meanwhile, the robot picks up the next tool and scans the RFID code, all while the previous tool is being automatically reground.
Every FX machine with an RFID package comes with an extension to the machine canopy and is fitted with a Fanuc 200iD robot. The following components enable the dynamic loading:
Visit the ANCA Technology Days in Wixom, Michigan on May 9 and 10 to see their RFID technology in person.
Other highlights will include:
For further information, please contact:
Amanda Bakun
Marketing & Communications Manager – Americas
248-497-1168
amanda.bakun@anca.com
ANCA is a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines. It was founded in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia where the company still has its global headquarters. ANCA has offices in the UK, Germany, China, Thailand, India, Japan, Brazil and the USA as well as a comprehensive network of representatives and agents worldwide.
ANCA CNC grinders are used for manufacturing precision cutting tools and components across a diverse range of competitive industries including cutting tool manufacture, automotive, aerospace, electronics and medical.
By Jan Irzyk, AIMS Product Manager at ANCA CNC Machines
The tool manufacturing industry embraces automation solutions at an unprecedented pace. This is a worldwide trend driven by several factors – labor shortage, increasing labor costs, the need for maximizing uptime, push for 24/7 machine availability and customers demanding shorter lead times. Manufacturers need to be more flexible and responsive than ever before.
ANCA has been providing a wide range of automation solutions for many years. One of the recent offerings in this space is our ANCA Integrated Manufacturing System, or AIMS for short. AIMS is an ecosystem of individual modules – or building blocks – which could be configured to build a tailored automated tool manufacturing system. Modularity and flexibility mean that it caters to both small and large enterprise type manufacturers. The system could be designed to be very simple, using a trolley for manual pallet and tool transfer with basic ERP connectivity. It could also be a complex, fully autonomous production solution which requires minimal human intervention.
AIMS AutoFetch robot transfers materials between integrated processes
One of the most noticeable components of a fully automated AIMS cell is AutoFetch – the AMR robot responsible for transferring pallets between the setting station called AutoSet, to the tool grinder. It also automatically transfers single tools for spot check measurements outside of the grinder. As you can imagine, there’s a lot of traffic and the AutoFetch can get very busy. An AIMS cell is typically configured within a footprint of the existing factory with adjoining areas where standard, manual operations are taking place. This is a great flexibility feature but also raises many questions about how autonomous operation can function alongside the traditional production plant with frequent foot traffic.
There’s no need to fence off the AIMS area thanks to unique technology used with the AutoFetch robot. There are generally two types of automatic vehicles used on the factory floor – AGV and AMR. AutoFetch is an AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot) which is different to AGV (Automatic Guided Vehicle). The main difference is the way both units navigate their way around the factory. An AGV always follows a predetermined route which is defined by using various guiding aids like strips embedded in the floor, or reflectors fitted to the walls around the route. The AMR on the other hand, travels from one location to another using its array of sensors and initially scanned map of the area. It doesn’t require any additional infrastructure to transfer material from A to B. You just scan and map the relevant area during AutoFetch setup, mark the load and unload positions and then the robot, using sophisticated algorithms, will find the optimal way from one point to the other.
Autonomous material transfer with AutoFetch – safety implications
One of the most common questions we’re being asked is related to safety of the AutoFetch. This is understandable since AutoFetch operates alongside personnel in the factory. The good news is the AutoFetch AMR is designed to safely operate in a factory environment where people are present. The AMR moves from one station to another using an optimized route, and it constantly scans the immediate area for unexpected objects. When an object is detected, the AutoFetch will stop and navigate around it. An array of sensors – laser scanners, 3D cameras and proximity sensors – are used for this purpose. For extra security, an AMR prohibited area could be defined on the map to exclude autonomous traffic altogether. In addition, the AutoFetch could be programmed to reduce speed in certain areas and warn nearby staff with audio warnings such as beeper, horns, or pre-recorded spoken messages.
72% of manufacturers report accidents related to using traditional means of material transport like pallet jacks, trolleys or forklifts. The use of AMRs contributes to increased safety in the factory and reduced accidents due to the elimination of human factors like fatigue, lack of focus or awareness.
To learn more about how AIMS can help in your factory, contact your local ANCA representative.
Jan Irzyk is currently focused on ANCA Integrated Manufacturing System (AIMS ). He is driving the expansion of the ANCA portfolio with ground-breaking solutions in line with ANCA’s innovative spirit of helping tool manufacturers maximize their outcomes and face current challenges.
Jan has an academic background in Mechanical Engineering that is applied in commercial and B2B professional experience, and extensive international experience across various manufacturing verticals providing automation, integration and traceability solutions. All of these apply to modern tool manufacturing with the concepts of Industry 4.0, Smart Factory and lights-out manufacturing that have been receiving a lot of traction in recent years.
For further information, please contact:
Amanda Bakun
Marketing & Communications Manager – Americas
248-497-1168
amanda.bakun@anca.com
ANCA is a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines. It was founded in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia where the company still has its global headquarters. ANCA has offices in the UK, Germany, China, Thailand, India, Japan, Brazil and the USA as well as a comprehensive network of representatives and agents worldwide.
ANCA CNC grinders are used for manufacturing precision cutting tools and components across a diverse range of competitive industries including cutting tool manufacture, automotive, aerospace, electronics and medical.
ANCA Americas (Wixom, MI), long time EASTEC exhibitor and a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines, has announced that it will be returning to EASTEC in West Springfield, MA from May 16 – 18, 2023 in booth 1118.
“We’re excited to be participating in EASTEC. ANCA has a very strong and extremely loyal customer base in the Northeast, and we love introducing them to our latest innovations. We feel our MX7 Ultra will make a big impact on the market in the East, a customer base that requires an extremely high level of accuracy, and we’re excited to showcase it live at EASTEC,” says Russell Riddiford, President of ANCA Inc. Not only will ANCA be showcasing the new MX7 Ultra at EASTEC, but the company will also have an AutoMarkX the automatic laser marking system, on display at the show.
MX7 Ultra ANCA’s Premium Machine Producing the Highest Accuracy and Quality Cutting Tools in the World
The new MX7 ULTRA can manufacture large volumes of endmills and other cutting tools of the highest accuracy and quality. The size of a micron is smaller than what the human eye can see, but in becoming even more precise and moving from micrometers to nanometers, ANCA will offer the highest accuracy and quality in a cutting tool in the market. New software, hardware and design features are combined to make significant advances in surface finish, accuracy, and controlled runout, to deliver batch consistency from the first ground tool to the thousandth.
To learn more about the MX7 Ultra, visit ANCA’s website https://machines.anca.com/MX7-ULTRA-launch or check out the ULTRA tool report: https://machines.anca.com/MX7-Ultra-tool-report.
AutoMarkX: Save Time and Money with ANCA’s Automatic Laser Marking Machine
The AutoMarkX is an automatic stand-alone laser marking station replacing manual and labor-intensive processes. The operator simply loads up to two full pallets of tools and the robot performs the laser marking operations, freeing up staff to take care of other tasks in the factory. The unit can accommodate a wide range of tool sizes, making it a versatile proposition for many manufacturers.
For more information about the AutoMarkX, visit ANCA’s website: https://machines.anca.com/AutoMarkX
Visit ANCA at booth 1118 during EASTEC 2023!
ANCA has the grinding solutions you’re looking for to improve your production of precision tools. If you’re attending EASTEC, stop by booth 1118 to visit ANCA and explore the most innovative grinding solutions on the market to improve the efficiency of your production and the quality of your tools.
ANCA is a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines. It was founded in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia where the company still has its global headquarters. ANCA has offices in the UK, Germany, China, Thailand, India, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, and the USA as well as a comprehensive network of representatives and agents worldwide.
For further information, please contact:
Amanda Bakun
Marketing & Communications Manager – Americas
248-497-1168
amanda.bakun@anca.com
ANCA is a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines. It was founded in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia where the company still has its global headquarters. ANCA has offices in the UK, Germany, China, Thailand, India, Japan, Brazil and the USA as well as a comprehensive network of representatives and agents worldwide.
ANCA CNC grinders are used for manufacturing precision cutting tools and components across a diverse range of competitive industries including cutting tool manufacture, automotive, aerospace, electronics and medical.
ANCA Americas (Wixom, MI), a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines, has announced its participation at PMTS in Cleveland, OH from April 18 – 20, 2023 in booth 4077.
PMTS, focused on precision machined parts, is the perfect place to show off ANCA’s grinding technology – and for its first show, ANCA is hitting it out of the park, showcasing two machines – the FX Linear and AutoMarkX (AMX). “We’re excited to take part in our first PMTS! The precision tool industry is a big market for us. With the range and flexibility of our machines we can provide the industry with the right machine for every application. We’re excited to showcase the FX5 Linear and AutoMarkX technology to the precision tool market,” says Russell Riddiford, President of ANCA Inc.
FX5 Linear: Increased Productivity and Range
The FX5 Linear offers automation and the versatility of more options, to meet the needs of increased productivity. The FX5 Linear has a wheel spindle power of 12 kW and an automatic two station wheel changer for an increased range of wheels and tool types. With the optional automatic headstock clamping, it can provide unmanned operation and the flexibility to handle small volumes and mixed batches of tools.
The FX5 Linear machine is ideal for everything from light manufacturing to regrinding and full production. Every part on the machine – from the positioning of the grinding wheel on the C-axis center line to reduce thermal influence, to the ANCA linear motors – have been designed to enhance accuracy, increase productivity and ease of machining for the operators.
For more information about the FX5 Linear, visit ANCA’s website: https://machines.anca.com/Products/Machines/FX-Linear/FX5
AutoMarkX: Save Time and Money with ANCA’s Automatic Laser Marking Machine
The AutoMarkX is an automatic stand-alone laser marking station replacing manual and labor-intensive processes. The operator simply loads up to two full pallets of tools and the robot performs the laser marking operations, freeing up staff to take care of other tasks in the factory. The unit can accommodate a wide range of tool sizes, making it a versatile proposition for many manufacturers.
For more information about the AutoMarkX, visit ANCA’s website: https://machines.anca.com/AutoMarkX
Visit ANCA at booth 4077 during PMTS 2023!
ANCA has the grinding solutions you’re looking for to improve your production of precision tools. If you’re attending PMTS, stop by booth 4077 to visit ANCA and explore the most innovative grinding solutions on the market to improve the efficiency of your production and the quality of your tools.
ANCA is a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines. It was founded in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia where the company still has its global headquarters. ANCA has offices in the UK, Germany, China, Thailand, India, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, and the USA as well as a comprehensive network of representatives and agents worldwide.
For further information, please contact:
Amanda Bakun
Marketing & Communications Manager – Americas
248-497-1168
amanda.bakun@anca.com
ANCA is a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines. It was founded in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia where the company still has its global headquarters. ANCA has offices in the UK, Germany, China, Thailand, India, Japan, Brazil and the USA as well as a comprehensive network of representatives and agents worldwide.
ANCA CNC grinders are used for manufacturing precision cutting tools and components across a diverse range of competitive industries including cutting tool manufacture, automotive, aerospace, electronics and medical.
Different types of CNC machines will appear in smart factories. Here’s what you need to know about upgrading and updating your machines.
By Russell Riddiford, President of ANCA Americas
Manufacturing has moved on from simple cutting tools. Your customers expect you to create high-quality tools from top-end materials, with little room for error. It’s now about the end-to-end process, from sourcing the best materials to providing the best customer experience, and it relies on networked machines and devices. As expectations for cutting tools have changed, so has the equipment you use to stay competitive. The types of CNC machines you use can make or break your position in your toolmaking niche.
Future factories need software as much as hardware
You may have heard of toasters that know when we’re running out of bread, or devices that know they need servicing before we do. They are the cheap thrills of the Internet of Things (IoT). But your factory can also benefit substantially from the Internet of Things, whether it’s predicting when a machine needs to be serviced, monitoring its performance or noticing when stock levels are low. (And, maybe, adding a USB-connected sandwich press to the lunchroom.)
That’s where software becomes key. Smart factories that want the benefits of the IoT rely on connectivity. Machines must have access to software that connects them to an internal network, where every part of the system is able to interact. You might even connect them to a wider network, using information from customer and supplier networks to create more streamlined processes.
Software can have an impact in other ways, too. Our latest product introduced new features to cutting tools, allowing for more complex cutting tool geometries. Some industries have different requirements. For example, aerospace and power generation use hard and soft materials requiring different geometries of cutters for machining them. We have introduced new geometries in software to manufacture special cutters for those processes.
The right software is also a vital component in having different types of CNC machines “talk” to each other. In the past, machines using different protocols, or from different manufacturers, might not have been able to interact with systems inside the factory. Software on the machines allows them to send data to a central location, where it can be distributed in a form every machine – and person – can understand.
Some types of CNC machines can come with you on the journey
We’ve found that around 95% of machines in use today are 10 years old or less. That’s good news for your factory – often they are still capable of moving to the latest software and adding on accessories that can be used in automation. For example, you might be able to retrofit:
Retrofits mean you can avoid replacing your machines wholesale. Updating them one-by-one will allow you to keep your factory running with minimal downtime and cost so your customer engagement is not disrupted.
Functionality is always improving and expanding. CNC machines aren’t phones – you won’t be installing cutters or grinders that can fit in your pocket or fold up – but a machine of the same size will do more than it does now. The types of CNC machines you were installing fifteen years ago are being replaced by better, faster and more comprehensive models. For example, CNC milling machines have moved from four-axis to six-axis and have added spiralling to their capability. As the machines improve so do their cutting processes and productivity, becoming faster, more precise, and easier to monitor.
Take it one step at a time. Refit or replace machines that will give you the quickest wins, updating your factory’s capability quickly and cost-effectively.
Closed-loop manufacturing is coming – with or without you
Looking to the future is vital. Don’t upgrade or replace your CNC machines without considering what business advantages you are trying to achieve. In your smart factory, you’ll be competing not only on range and precision, but also in terms of specialization, customer experience and time to market. CNC machines that make it easier to build to order will allow you to carry less stock, lower upfront costs and reduce inefficiencies. Market-leading smart factories need to know exactly what their customers need and that’s exactly what newer machines will provide.
And then there’s complete business transformation. Over the next 5-10 years, tool manufacturers will be using their technology to completely eliminate waste – and they’re planning for it already. This ‘closed-loop’ approach to manufacturing means only ordering and using exactly what you need. Nothing will be sent to landfill or left on the factory floor. It’s a world which will be better for the environment, better for customers, and better for your bottom line.
There are many options for bringing your CNC machines into the future. Whether you retrofit software and accessories, or replace your machines with the latest models, you’re investing in a future that’s efficient, connected and more profitable.
For further information, please contact:
Amanda Bakun
Marketing & Communications Manager – Americas
248-497-1168
amanda.bakun@anca.com
ANCA is a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines. It was founded in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia where the company still has its global headquarters. ANCA has offices in the UK, Germany, China, Thailand, India, Japan, Brazil and the USA as well as a comprehensive network of representatives and agents worldwide.
ANCA CNC grinders are used for manufacturing precision cutting tools and components across a diverse range of competitive industries including cutting tool manufacture, automotive, aerospace, electronics and medical.
ANCA Americas (Wixom, MI), a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines, has announced that it will be exhibiting for the first time at the Annual Meeting for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).
The AAOS Annual Meeting will bring together orthopaedic surgeons from around the country to learn and explore the latest advancements and technologies for the industry. As a leader in the development of grinding equipment to produce implants, bone rasps, femoral balls, bone drills and taps, the team at ANCA Inc thought it was essential that their technology was on display.
“Our client base for the medical industry continues to grow, and there’s a reason for that. Our grinding machinesoffer the flexibility in their design and software for the development of Orthopaedic medical components. For ANCA, it made sense that we be at this show to allow us the opportunity to communicate face-to-face with those in the market. We’re excited to be exhibiting and showcasing our latest technologies,” says Keith Grillot, Sales Manager at ANCA Inc.
ANCA has the grinding solutions you’re looking for to improve your production of implants, bone rasps, femoral balls, bone drills, and so much more. If you’re attending the AAOS annual meeting, stop by booth 733 to visit ANCA and explore the most innovative grinding solutions in the market to improve the efficiency of your production and the quality of your parts.
ANCA is a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines. It was founded in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia where the company still has its global headquarters. ANCA has offices in the UK, Germany, China, Thailand, India, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, and the USA as well as a comprehensive network of representatives and agents worldwide.
For further information, please contact:
Johanna Boland
Group PR and Communications Manager, ANCA
M: +61 407799779
Johanna.Boland@anca.com
ANCA is a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines. It was founded in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia where the company still has its global headquarters. ANCA has offices in the UK, Germany, China, Thailand, India, Japan, Brazil and the USA as well as a comprehensive network of representatives and agents worldwide.
ANCA CNC grinders are used for manufacturing precision cutting tools and components across a diverse range of competitive industries including cutting tool manufacture, automotive, aerospace, electronics and medical.
ANCA Americas (Wixom, MI) a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines, has announced that it will join the list of exhibitors at EXPO MANUFACTURA in Monterrey, Mexico. EXPO MANUFACTURA will bring together technology leaders revolutionizing the manufacturing process for the Mexican market, in the heart of the manufacturing industry for Mexico in Monterrey.
FX5E Inner shot
ANCA WILL SHOWCASE THE FX5E AFFORDABLE LINEAR GRINDING MACHINE
ANCA, known for bringing innovative products to the market, will be showcasing an FX5E Linear at booth 2128. The FX5E is ANCA’s affordable tool grinding package and is an economical choice for a quality elemental machine for small to medium grinding of cylindrical tools.
The FX5E is all-pneumatic with a pneumatic headstock and a new CAM-drive pneumatic two wheel-pack changer. The wheel changer is mechanically guided on a circular path. The pneumatics ensures smooth arrival and accurate positioning at its end position after each wheel change motion.
The AR300 automatic tool loader, designed and manufactured by ANCA has a fast tool loading and unloading cycle time of 15 seconds and enables unattended operation. An innovative feature of the FX5E is a unique swing table pallet design to load and unload AR300 standard pallets. The swing table is easily accessible directly from the operator door without the need for a separate loader door.
For more information on the FX5E Linear, visit ANCA’s website: https://machines.anca.com/Products/Machines/FX-Linear/FX5E-Linear.
ANCA’S COMMITMENT TO THE MEXICAN MARKET
For ANCA, the purpose of this show is two-fold — to showcase its innovative grinding technology, and to demonstrate the company’s commitment to the Mexican market. ANCA is focused on continuing to grow its presence in Mexico and be a partner for its customer base there.
During 2023, ANCA will be opening a showroom facility in Queretaro, Mexico with its dealer partner, Fravic-Daunert. This showroom will not only have a demonstration machine on site to introduce new customers to ANCA technology, but it will also open the door for onsite training opportunities and will be the home base for new applications engineer in Mexico. On ANCA’s commitment to the Mexican market, ANCA Inc President, Russell Riddiford said, “With new companies and industries relocating or starting a new business in Mexico and local companies looking to invest in CNC Tool & Cutter Grinders, ANCA is pleased to continue investing and developing our business in Mexico. With many multiple ANCA users in Mexico today and as new industries continue to also invest in Mexico, it is an exciting time for our existing and new customers to invest in ANCA tool Grinders.”
VISIT ANCA AT BOOTH 2128 TO SEE THE INNOVATION LIVE!
Don’t miss the opportunity to see ANCA’s innovative grinding solutions live at EXPO MANUFACTURA February 7 – 9, 2023 in booth 2128.
For further information, please contact:
Johanna Boland
Group PR and Communications Manager, ANCA
M: +61 407799779
Johanna.Boland@anca.com
ANCA is a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines. It was founded in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia where the company still has its global headquarters. ANCA has offices in the UK, Germany, China, Thailand, India, Japan, Brazil and the USA as well as a comprehensive network of representatives and agents worldwide.
ANCA CNC grinders are used for manufacturing precision cutting tools and components across a diverse range of competitive industries including cutting tool manufacture, automotive, aerospace, electronics and medical.
ANCA Americas (Wixom, MI), a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines, has announced that it will be exhibiting for the first time at the SHOT Show Supplier Showcase in Las Vegas, NV from January 16 – 17, 2023 in booth 52510.
SHOT Show is America’s largest professional event for the sport shooting, hunting and outdoor industry and will take place January 17 – 20, 2023 at the Venetian in Las Vegas, NV. The Supplier Showcase works in conjunction with this event and is focused on those that produce equipment and tools for the shooting industry. This includes hunting, law enforcement, and the defense industries.
Although ANCA has been a trusted partner and supplier to the industry for many years, this is the first time that they will be joining over 500 exhibitors at the SHOT Show Supplier Showcase. Russell Riddiford, ANCA Americas President is excited for the event and for ANCA to continue to grow in the industry. When asked about the choice to exhibit at SHOT Show, Mr. Riddiford said “We have many customers that have been exhibiting in the SHOT show. Showcasing their finished products with either tooling or components made on their ANCA machines. We are excited to be participating along with them at SHOT Show 2023.”
ANCA has the grinding solutions you’re looking for to improve your production of firing pins, chamber reamers, reamer blank production, bullet dies, and so much more. If you’re attending SHOT Show, stop by the SHOT Show Supplier Showcase and booth 52510 to visit ANCA and explore the most innovative grinding solutions on the market to improve the efficiency of your production and the quality of your tools.
ANCA is a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines. It was founded in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia where the company still has its global headquarters. ANCA has offices in the UK, Germany, China, Thailand, India, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, and the USA as well as a comprehensive network of representatives and agents worldwide.
For further information, please contact:
Johanna Boland
Group PR and Communications Manager, ANCA
M: +61 407799779
Johanna.Boland@anca.com
ANCA is a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines. It was founded in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia where the company still has its global headquarters. ANCA has offices in the UK, Germany, China, Thailand, India, Japan, Brazil and the USA as well as a comprehensive network of representatives and agents worldwide.
ANCA CNC grinders are used for manufacturing precision cutting tools and components across a diverse range of competitive industries including cutting tool manufacture, automotive, aerospace, electronics and medical.
It all begins with a solid base… and a secret recipe.
What do tool and cutter grinders and buildings have in common? The importance of having a solid foundation.
An essential component of achieving good accuracy and repeatability when grinding a cutting tool is the base. Having a stable foundation for a machine is paramount to achieving stable production. As part of ANCA’s commitment to vertical integration, in the late 1980s Pat McCluskey decided to replace the bases that were then outsourced with an ANCA designed and manufactured base.
McCluskey’s research was conducted primarily in Europe in conjunction with Aachen University who had carried out some research in polymer concrete in machine tool applications. He worked with German and local consultants to develop ANCA’s recipe for concrete base manufacture. The base molding technology they developed has since been an important part of the rigid ANCA bases.
The first base was poured in late 1989. Further pouring and testing followed until everyone was fully satisfied. Now called ANCAcrete, this technology would provide the best possible foundation for precision CNC grinders, reducing vibration and increasing the overall rigidity of the machine.
Since 1991 we have been using the polymer base technology which forms the stable foundation base of all ANCA machines. Customers often ask us to explain the benefits of polymer concrete and we explain that polymer concrete by its very nature has a high thermal mass, so our bases are good at absorbing a lot of heat.
That means that throughout the production processes, their growth and contraction are very controlled and it takes a long time which means that the process is very, very stable. The second main part of polymer concrete is that when we designed the mix over 20 years ago, it was made to mimic the expansion thermal coefficients of cast iron very closely. This means that as our machines heat up and cool down, we can control the expansion and contraction of the machine – which in turn, gives us control over the production processes to make sure that the machine aligns to how we want it to react.
Between the large thermal mass, the very closely linked thermal expansion coefficient to cast iron and also the vibration absorbing characteristics, ANCAcrete significantly contributes to the overall rigidity of the machine. For our customers this translates into highly accurate tools with a superior surface finish.
This is the first in a series looking at the range of ANCA technology that we have developed and refined over the years so that we can offer the best in class to the market. At ANCA we have fully embraced the benefits of vertical integration and are the only tool and cutter grinding machine company in the world that designs and manufactures the complete machine, including building the CNC, precision motors and spindles, and of course our ANCAcrete polymer concrete bases, in-house.
This means customers enjoy the benefits of a manufacturer that understands their product completely, stands behind the quality of every element, and is uniquely positioned to custom design both hardware and software to suit individual needs.
ANCA is a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines. It was founded in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia where the company still has its global headquarters. ANCA has offices in the UK, Germany, China, Thailand, India, Japan, Brazil and the USA as well as a comprehensive network of representatives and agents worldwide.
ANCA CNC grinders are used for manufacturing precision cutting tools and components across a diverse range of competitive industries including cutting tool manufacture, automotive, aerospace, electronics and medical.
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Growth in the animal health industry saw the company invest in a FX5E to keep up with demand
Based in Bendigo, Victoria, The Edge Equine is an Australian manufacturer of equine dental products, primarily rasps for manual horse dentistry. The company also provides commercial industrial sharpening services for the central Victorian region – specializing in high precision sharpening such as broach drills, annular cutters, saw blades, and router bits for local commercial cabinet makers, sawmills, and food processors.
The company’s focus on manufacturing equine dental products stemmed from a local horse dentist’s request to sharpen his equine dental blades. Today, it is a point of differentiation as The Edge Equine has concentrated on a more traditional product while other manufacturers have moved to the electronics industry.
The Edge Equine pride themselves on providing prompt service, made possible with on-site manufacturing capabilities that enable them to ship products within 48 hours. The company sells directly to over 40 countries, with distributors in the US, UK, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Tim McMahon, Managing Director of The Edge Equine said, “Our relationship with ANCA started in 2005 when we purchased a second-hand TG4. Over the years we grew to have three TG4s on the floor. ANCA were fantastic, they helped us write our programs, get the machines up and going and then when we swapped to our first FX3, ANCA developed the programs to make our products which was absolutely fantastic.”
“We invested in the FX5E in 2020. We were after another machine, as our demand for product had grown to the point where the FX3 and the remaining TG4 couldn’t cope. Jake [Farragher], ANCA Asia-Pacific General Manager recommended the new FX5E as having some features that would certainly help us grow, part of that being its future ability to be automated as our growth continued. It’s been a pretty seamless transition with having the FX3 and FX5E on the floor.”
The Edge Equine mainly produce dental rasps and floats, devices that are used for maintenance of horses’ teeth. “The average cycle time is approximately 14 to 16 minutes depending on the rasp profile that we’re grinding which is two blades per cycle so it’s roughly eight minutes, seven to eight minutes per blade,” Tim said. “Most of our clients around the world order on an as needs basis so a prompt manufacture and supply is important to us and our customers.”
The future is bright with ANCA FX5E
Tim said, “With the implementation of the FX5E, it has given us new scope to look at more high precision grinding in the industrial regrinding market. We do a lot of granular cutters, annular cutters or broach cutters. We’re also looking at new products once again in the veterinary space. These are sectioning burrs for basically cutting out teeth that’s inside the horse’s head. As you can see, they’re quite a long burr. So there’s a lot of growth in using the capabilities of the FX5E.”
“The FX5E has the capacity to have robotics fitted and it will be something to look at in the future as our market grows and with the help of ANCA, we’ll develop a process to automate the process of blades. At the moment, we manually feed the machines, which still works well for us, but we have the opportunity to grow further on the automation stage.”
“The other major benefit of the FX5E is its flexibility. It gives us the capacity to change from manufacturing our rasps through to grinding tools within a matter of minutes. As with the FX3, we do jig setups, change things over, change wheels. It becomes time-consuming. But the flexibility we have now is outstanding, we can go from one job to the next without losing any time.”
“The FX5E is probably the first opportunity where we’ve had the capacity and the wherefore to branch out into different products and it’s also given us a lot more flexibility of sharpening our own mills within our own processing.”
Tim recognizes that the company’s two-hour location from the ANCA headquarters is a major advantage. “Whenever we’ve had issues, there’s always someone on the phone to talk to and usually they’ll have a technician up here within 5 hours or the next morning. As our customers expect customer service from us, our expectation from ANCA is to have a high level of customer service – and they certainly provide.”
Tim is confident that the company will see continual growth in the animal health industry, enabling The Edge Equine to be a leader in the manufacture of manual tools for equine dentistry. He envisions using the FX5E along with ANCA’s technology to manufacture other products within the veterinary space in the next 10 to 15 years.
“Prior to COVID, we would do three or four conferences a year within the USA, at least one in the UK, and Germany. We are and we’ll always be looking at what the world needs and what the industry needs as far as these types of tools,” Tim concluded.
ANCA is a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines. It was founded in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia where the company still has its global headquarters. ANCA has offices in the UK, Germany, China, Thailand, India, Japan, Brazil and the USA as well as a comprehensive network of representatives and agents worldwide. ANCA CNC grinders are used for manufacturing precision cutting tools and components across a diverse range of competitive industries including cutting tool manufacture, automotive, aerospace, electronics and medical.
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