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Diversify your wood tool grinding on ANCA FX machines

ANCA machine innovation and software combine for a complete package for producing woodworking tools, reducing set-up times

By Simon Richardson, Product Manager, ANCA

ANCA is well known for offering standard and special custom solutions for their customers. When ANCA designs a custom solution, we give our customers tailored and diverse options with shorter set-up times. In an increasingly challenging market, companies grinding tools are always looking at innovative products and diversifying into different sectors using existing or new machinery.

On the affordable FX grinding machines, ANCA has developed a new product which provides more flexibility and capability for unattended production of wood tools. Special tooling systems for FX5 and FX7 machines offer the ability to easily change automated production between woodworking profile blades, used to form skirting boards and architraves, and solid round shank tools such as routers and drills used in production of furniture and cabinetry. In addition, companies focusing predominantly on engineering tools can consider adding woodworking blade profiles to their product portfolio. 

Versatility to cover very different tool types starts with the work holding, where two options are offered: a blade chuck to hold flat profile blades, or a PremierPlus collet chuck for holding round shank tools.

Both systems are actuated with the same pull stud mechanism, so switching between the two systems is done in minutes.

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Robot automation, too, has been configured to allow easy change between profile blades and round shank solid carbide tools including spirals, compression routers and drills. All without having to change grippers or re-teach robot positions. Simply change over the pallets to suit the tool type and size, and you are ready to start unattended production! Automated loading of blades up to 80mm wide x 40mm high is possible, while with hand loading, blades up to 120mm x 40mm high can be accommodated.

FX is offered with grinding spindle power options from 12kW up to 19kW, giving the ability to grind solid routers or drills comfortably up to 12mm, and perform heavy stock roughing on thicker profile blades. Flexibility is enhanced with 2 wheel packs as standard, but options for up to 6 are available. This ensures the right wheel pack configuration is ready to use, with zero downtime when changing between tool types. Additionally, separate touch probe solutions are offered to allow fast and accurate measurement of your profile blade datums and round shank tools.

LaserPlus is a recommended option for those making solid routers and compression routers where diameter control is a critical element of your tool quality. Mounted inside the machine, LaserPlus is a non-contact system for automatic measurement and compensation of tool diameter. For compression routers, it will even measure both up and down cut sections to ensure they are consistent.

ANCA completes the package with a suite of flexible and user-friendly software options to cover diverse tool production needs. 

• Blade grinding software includes blank and finished profile definition with DXF import, slice roughing for fast removal of bulk stock material before the final profile relief passes. 
• Compression router software gives complete flexibility to program up and down cut sections ensuring correct overlap on two or more flutes.
• Standard endmill and drill software packages are easily adapted to wood cutting tool geometries including up and down cut spiral routers and drills.
• Profile software opens scope to also manufacture brazed carbide profile routers.
• CIM3D, ANCA’s leading simulation software allows offline checking of tool geometry and the grinding process before starting actual tool production.

ANCA’s wood tool production package for the FX5 and FX7 offers outstanding flexibility for unattended production on ANCA’s most affordable tool grinding machine.

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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.