Contact us today:
(847) 934-4500
tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
Contact us today:
(847) 934-4500
tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
ANCA is proud to announce the appointment of Edmund Boland as the new General Manager of ANCA CNC Machines. Edmund is the son of ANCA co-founder Pat Boland and brings an impressive 15-year tenure at ANCA. Pat Boland, ANCA co-founder said, “When Pat McCluskey and I founded ANCA, our primary goal was to design the best technology that solves real customer problems. I am proud that my son has joined this mission and has accepted this important leadership role in the business to continue fostering a culture of innovation.”
ANCA is a privately owned business and proud of its reputation for being first to market with technology that has proven time and again to revolutionize the cutting tool industry. Celebrating its 50th anniversary next year, Pat McCluskey, ANCA Co-founder comments that “being privately owned brings great benefits as it means that we can focus on investing and developing new innovations while maintaining our long-term view of the market to design products with longevity and customer focus.”
Edmund Boland said: “I am honored and thrilled to be a part of ANCA CNC Machines, such an exciting company in the cutting tool industry. Every day, I am amazed by the skill and prowess of our customers, who continue to push the entire industry forward. ANCA is in my blood, and our commitment to innovation is unparalleled. Throughout our extensive history, we have consistently been the first to market with new technology, investing over 15% of our revenue every year into research and development.
“Technology is truly in our DNA, for example, ANCA’s Integrated Manufacturing System (AIMS) which is one of our latest products could be considered akin to the impact of a printing press and is set to revolutionize the cutting tool industry. I am excited to lead ANCA into a future of continued innovation, growth, and success, while educating the market about the transformative power of our new nanometer control system and ensuring the success of our internal investments such as in our machine shop or our sub-micron metrology equipment.
“We take pride in hosting the only customer competition in our field, the ANCA Tool of the Year, and I am particularly excited that this year we will have a new category of Female Machinist of the Year. Together, these, and many other initiatives will contribute to the continuous growth and prosperity of our esteemed company.”
Edmund’s journey at ANCA began in February 2008, and throughout his career with the company, he has held key positions in the finance, operations, strategy, regional management and applications teams. This diverse experience has afforded him a deep understanding of ANCA’s operations and a comprehensive perspective on the company’s strategic goals.
Prior to assuming his new role as General Manager, Boland led ANCA’s European Branch with remarkable success during the unparalleled challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. His exceptional leadership and strategic vision enabled ANCA to navigate through this disruptive period while ensuring uninterrupted supply of high-quality CNC machines to customers worldwide.
As General Manager, Boland eagerly looks forward to collaborating with the talented team at ANCA to address the challenges and seize the opportunities presented by the current global environment.
Boland’s exceptional expertise and leadership make ANCA CNC Machines well-positioned to further solidify its position as a global leader in CNC machines. His strategic direction and unwavering commitment to excellence will drive innovation, enhance customer satisfaction, and foster overall company growth.
ANCA CNC Machines extends its warmest congratulations to Edmund Boland on his new role as General Manager, marking 15 years of dedicated service and expertise. The company looks forward to a bright future under his guidance and leadership.
About ANCA CNC Machines
ANCA CNC Machines is a global leader in the design, manufacture, and service of advanced CNC grinding machines. With an illustrious history spanning over 50 years, ANCA is renowned for its cutting-edge technology, innovative solutions, and exceptional customer support. ANCA’s comprehensive range of products includes tool grinders, CNC grinding machines, software, and automation solutions, catering to diverse industries such as aerospace, automotive, medical, and general manufacturing.
For further information, please contact:
Amanda Bakun
Marketing & Communications Manager – Americas
248-497-1168
amanda.bakun@anca.com
Save time with continuous production from bar stock to finished tool
By Kaine Mulder, ANCA Product Manager
Recent events have applied extreme pressure to supply chains, with labor and raw material shortages, freight delays and increased energy costs. The need to further adapt has become significantly more important, particularly as these pressures are exacerbated by demand, driven by expectation in our “instantaneous” global culture.
ANCA continually strives to work with its customers to adapt and grow along with these market changes and pressures. One such method assisting customers to adapt is blanket grinding, enabled by ANCA’s unique robot cells offered on each of our platforms.
ANCA’s blanket grinding approach allows for continuous and complete tool production from longer bar stock to finished product using an automated solution, saving time in eliminating extra processes or handling.
Utilizing ANCA’s machine platforms with a robot cell, blanket grinding offers flexibility across a range of tool sizes and applications. Blanket grinding allows for full automation of tools of similar geometries, by consolidating all tool grinding processes into one single machine. A batch of complete finished tools can be produced without interruption directly from lengths of ground bar stock with no operator intervention. Ultimately this gives you the flexibility to respond to customer demands in a dynamic and agile manner. All you need to do is simply load a pallet of ground bar material into the cell, and the machine will take care of the rest.
Blanket grinding is great for:
Beginning with the full 330mm bar stock material loading into the collet; the blank and tool geometry is ground, including any features (such as rear chamfer, for example), before the finished tool is cut off. The tool is then removed by the robot and loaded into the finished pallet. This program continues along the remaining bar stock until all useful raw material is consumed. To complete the automation process, waste is handled by the cell, before new bar stock is loaded into the collet.
ANCA’s machine platforms with the addition of a robot cell, can be utilized to implement the blanket grinding process. Tool size and application will determine which machine is right for you.
The two main features offered by the TX, beneficial in performing the blanket grinding function are the large working envelope and the high torque spindle. These attributes not only allow work on longer bar lengths, but also enable production of a larger range of tool sizes and geometries without limitation, including tools which require a high material removal.
The TX platform also fits any of ANCA’s robot cell solutions, including RoboMate, and the dedicated TXcell offering, which offers large format cell automation, many standard options and the flexibility for automated custom solution.
The nimble RoboMate cell is offered on both TX and MX platforms and offers customers a low barrier to entry for blanket grinding and production automation.
Customers are increasingly demanding products that are more unique and with higher complexity – but more importantly, with immediate response and shorter delivery time; when meeting these expectations, costs take a back seat, while focus is on delivery.
Using ANCA’s robot automation solutions in blanket grinding enables you to realize these demands with minimal disruption to existing production lines, less planning, reduced manual handling and increased utilization and efficiencies. These benefits can compound to deliver an overall value proposition and increased return per tool.
Blanket grinding may also offer a reduction in floor space by removing separate machines and consolidating processes into a single footprint to produce the same tool. The process consolidation allows changes in parts and features to be easily handled. For example, grinding of shank features (Weldon flats or coolant slots) and the handling of very small parts can be made simpler by adding many features in a single setup.
Become more agile
You can provide a quick response to customer requests without the need for re-tooling or disruption to high volume production lines, while also guaranteeing highest quality across the batch.
Reduce costs
Applying blanket grinding will go a long way to improving cost recovery, through increased utilization and efficiencies as well as removal of manual labor and setup times. There is also a benefit in reduced footprint through process consolidation into a single machine.
Blanket grinding can reduce costs through:
Reduce lead times
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 will showcase the latest products and industry-specific grinding and automation solutions and will announce the Tool of the Year Winner of 2023
CNC grinding technology pioneer ANCA will showcase their latest products and industry-specific grinding and automation solutions at EMO at Booth F52, Hall 6 in Hanover, Germany in September. The eagerly awaited winner of the renowned Tool of the Year competition will be announced live Wednesday, September 20th at 4.30pm (GMT) – and all are welcome to join the celebrations and witness for themselves the ultimate range of cutting tools.
Edmund Boland, ANCA CNC Machines General Manager said, “We are excited to bring not one but several world premieres to EMO, promising premium value, higher productivity and extended capabilities. Visitors can see firsthand ANCA’s latest technology that spans tool precision, integrated manufacturing systems, industry focus applications and optimization across the process chain.”
Martin Winterstein, General Manager of ANCA Europe said, “EMO is the global leading manufacturing technology show, it is where the current market trends and innovations are on display. Our setup in Hanover really shows hands-on opportunities for tool manufacturers, with new application and automation solutions tailored to industries’ needs. I am excited to show visitors our enhanced portfolio to include micro tools with the FX ULTRA, according to the high demand from this growing segment. Experts from ANCA and our partners will be on-site to show and discuss individual requirements at the booth.”
ULTRA value
Never ceasing in their commitment to creating the highest quality product, years of continuous refinements at ANCA have made the ULTRA technology possible. ANCA’s unique vertical integration is key to its success – where machines, controls, drives and precision components are all designed and manufactured in-house. Successfully introduced to the industry last year on the MX machine platform, it boasts the highest accuracy and quality cutting tools in the world. The MX7 ULTRA achieves one nanometre axis resolution, and can maintain better than +/- 0.002mm line form accuracy of any profile which includes ballnose and corner radius endmills.
At EMO, visitors will find out how ANCA spreads the ULTRA advantages to further fields of application, including smaller batches, regrinding and tools with small diameters.
Launching the FX7 ULTRA, the latest game-changing innovation that revolutionizes precision grinding for small tools down to 0.1mm
The FX7 ULTRA introduces cutting-edge technologies, including ANCA’s unique nanometer control, that revolutionizes precision grinding for small and micro tools down to 0.1mm diameter. This significant technology breakthrough is already redefining the standards for tool and component grinding with the highest levels of accuracy and surface finishes.
New software, hardware and design features significantly improve surface finish, accuracy, and controlled runout, ensuring batch consistency from the first ground tool to the last. These advancements ensure that the FX7 ULTRA is the go-to solution for precision grinding in industries that rely on small tools, including electronics, telecommunications, medical devices, aerospace, automotive, diemold, and general machining.
The ultimate value – ANCA’s premium one stop shop for peel and geometry combined with blanket grinding
From blank to a finished high-quality tool, all on one machine – ANCA’s ultimate single setup solution for complete machining of cutting tools will be demonstrated on the MX7 ULTRA at EMO. Following a legacy of machine efficiency, this latest solution combines peel grinding and tool grinding on the one platform, enhanced with additional power to extend capability. The MX7 ULTRA’s remarkable spindle power of 26kW can handle demanding tools like larger taper ballnose endmills, step drills, and aerospace components ranging from 0.1 to 25.4 mm. This leads to reduced cycle times and increased productivity. Short setup times, optional collet change and proven blanket grinding processes round out the capabilities.
By utilizing the latest innovations in peel grinding technology, ANCA guarantees exceptional stability, accuracy and value, all achieved on a single machine. Manufacturers can now produce high-quality tools with confidence, knowing that the MX7 ULTRA delivers outstanding results.
Smart automation enables unattended cutting tool production
ANCA has further developed its AIMS system for automated tool production. At EMO, visitors can see examples from the field, with systems operating completely unattended over extended period, manufacturing tools.
The AIMS automation package is a modular and growing system, spanning across the tool production process. ANCA is set to include additional operations like blank preparation or laser marking in the automated process. The system’s intelligent design allows for progressive steps of automation, including an automated laser marking station AutoMarkX. The versatile laser marking station is tailored to meet the needs of tool manufacturers. It provides reliable and high-quality marking, ensuring traceability, identification, and branding of tools, while eliminating repetitive tasks to free up time for skilled staff.
The AutoMarkX’s new, retrofittable rotary workholding system allows for unlimited index marking around the tool, with automatic Z-axis focus and compatibility with tool shanks from 3 to 32mm. Moreover, the AIMS Autoline Basic, the standard interface for easy loading at the AutoMarkX enables customers to experience smoother material transfer between machines. By utilizing a manual trolley system, combined with AIMS pallet carriers, Autoline Basic streamlines the transfer of heavy tool pallets between machines, reducing labor-intensive processes.
From blanks with a surface finish better than 0.2Ra, to ANCA’s GCX Linear which has set the new benchmark for skiving cutter grinding
ANCA’s expertise in grinding solutions extends to blank grinding and integrated complete machining of gear tools, including in-process measuring and compensation. The CPX blank preparation machine will feature productivity-enhancing features in Hannover, including automated loading of tools up to 32mm, a flip station for grinding from both ends, tailstock, and extensive probing enabling statistic process control. The machine has been designed to give users high material removal rates and save time and money with unattended production.
The rising demand of gear cutting tools has led ANCA to enhance its product program with the GCX, the turnkey solution for manufacturing and resharpening gear cutting tools. The Integrated Gear Tool Measurement (IGTM) and ANCA’s expertise in grinding wheel dressing gives customers the benefit of full control over the high precision skiving cutter grinding process. First skiving cutter in tolerance, is the motto. ANCA’s widely spread area of grinding applications, can be covered with the versatile GCX and its numerous optional accessories like the LaserUltra for profile tools.
The Premier Cutting Tool Award
One of the most eagerly awaited events at ANCA’s booth will be the winner announcement of the Tool of the Year 2023 competition. This prestigious competition brings together tool manufacturers from around the globe, who compete for the title of the best real and virtual tools. The judging process, overseen by a panel of ANCA and external experts, evaluates precision, surface roughness, creativity, and practical use. The award ceremony promises to be a highlight of the exhibition, recognizing the industry’s most innovative and exceptional tools.
EMO 2023 offers an exclusive opportunity for industry professionals to explore ANCA’s latest advancements in grinding technology, witness revolutionary world premieres, and engage with experts from the field. Visitors will also experience exclusive product launches to be revealed at the show. ANCA invites all attendees to visit their booth in Hall 6, F52, where they can experience firsthand the cutting-edge solutions and industry-specific grinding innovations that are shaping the future of manufacturing.
Strategic Partnerships with Industry leaders
ANCA’s commitment to excellence is further emphasized through strategic partnerships with industry leaders. At EMO 2023, ANCA will collaborate with Mitsubishi, presenting their EDM machine at the booth, and GDS clamping technology, presenting a cohesive ecosystem of solutions that streamline processes across the process chain.
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, a leading global manufacturer of CNC grinding machines, proudly announces the launch of its first Female Machinist Award. This prestigious accolade aims to recognize and honor the outstanding achievements of female machinists in the tool and cutter grinding industry. By promoting gender diversity and equality, ANCA is dedicated to fostering an industry that excels in every aspect.
Johanna Boland, ANCA Group Strategy & Communications Manager and member of the judging panel, says: “Recognizing and celebrating the contributions of women in the tool and cutter grinding industry is a vital step towards unlocking the industry’s true potential. By embracing and empowering women, we discover a wealth of diverse perspectives, fresh ideas, and extraordinary talent. ANCA is committed to shining a spotlight on these remarkable individuals, because we believe that their success fuels the success of our industry as a whole.”
The Female Machinist Award is open to women of all skill levels who are actively working with ANCA technology in the tool and cutter grinding industry. We are searching for individuals who exhibit unwavering passion for their craft, demonstrate a commitment to excellence, and contribute to the advancement of the industry.
A panel of experienced professionals from the tool and cutter grinding industry will serve as judges for this award. Submissions will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
The winner of the Female Machinist Award will be rewarded with a fully funded ticket to attend a prominent trade show where ANCA is exhibiting. This invaluable opportunity will enable the winner to connect with industry professionals, gain insights into the latest technological advancements, and build valuable relationships.
The winner will have exclusive access to the ANCA team, including top-tier leadership, skilled engineers, and renowned product experts. The prize also comes with opportunities to network with like-minded professionals and participate in educational seminars and workshops.
If you or someone you know embodies the qualities of a talented female machinist deserving of recognition, we strongly encourage you to apply for the Female Machinist Award today!
To learn more and apply, visit www.anca.com. The application deadline is August 31, 2023.
For further information, please contact:
Amanda Bakun
Marketing & Communications Manager – Americas
248-497-1168
amanda.bakun@anca.com
About ANCA CNC Machines
ANCA CNC Machines is a global leader in the design, manufacture, and service of advanced CNC grinding machines. With an illustrious history spanning over 50 years, ANCA is renowned for its cutting-edge technology, innovative solutions, and exceptional customer support. ANCA’s comprehensive range of products includes tool grinders, CNC grinding machines, software, and automation solutions, catering to diverse industries such as aerospace, automotive, medical, and general manufacturing.
New MTC technique offers dramatic improvement in CNC machine tool stability
By Pat Boland, ANCA, Co-Founder & Managing Director
Introduction
Melbourne Australia based machine tool builder ANCA has been granted a U.S. patent for Motor Temperature Control (MTC), a technique that dramatically improves the stability of precision machine tools.
Problem to be solved
A key element of machine tools is the spindle which holds and drives the cutting tool which machines the workpiece. Any dimensional errors in the spindle will be reflected as dimensional errors in the workpiece. A common technique in modern machine tools is to use motorized spindles where the driving motor is an integral part of the spindle. ANCA’s patent is a way of maintaining the motorized spindle at a constant temperature. A significant problem in the use of precision machine tools is the impact of changes of temperature particularly in the temperature of the spindle. Changes in temperature of the machine tool can be caused by changes in ambient temperature, coolant temperature, run time, spindle rpm and spindle load.
Solution
ANCA’s solution is to actively control spindle temperature by varying the electrical losses in the motor element while simultaneously maintaining spindle motor speed and load. This is accomplished by using special firmware in the spindle drive amplifier. Although simple in concept, this in practice is a major step forward in manufacturing technology.
Examples of the application of MTC
Faster Warm Up time
A near universal approach to precision machining is to run the machine in a warmup cycle to bring all the elements of the machine to some level of thermal stability. Typically, this warmup cycle will take approximately half an hour. Using MTC, this time can be reduced to around 5 minutes. Figure 1 shows the impact of MTC on actively heating the spindle to reach working temperature quickly.
Stability in batch grinding of endmills
Figure 2 shows the results in grinding two batches of 6mm diameter endmills, with and without MTC.
Grinding a Skiving Cutter.
Electric vehicles incorporate a high-speed gear box in their drivetrain. The accuracy of the components of this gear box will impact on lifetime, efficiency, and noise of the electric vehicles. Figure 3 shows a typical skiving cutter which is used to manufacture internal and external gears and will determine their accuracy. ANCA manufactures a special machine, the GCX, for grinding this class of tools. MTC is a key enabling technology for this machine to produce cutters to AAA class. Firstly, it is used to control the temperature of a dressing spindle which is used to create a high accuracy profile on the grinding wheel. MTC is also being used to control the main grinding spindle temperature during up to 12 hours of continuous grinding. Figure 4 shows the measurement results for contour accuracy of a tooth and index accuracy for all the teeth.
Summary
Motor Temperature Control (MTC) is a major innovation in machine tool technology. It improves the accuracy and stability by controlling the temperature of motorized elements of the machine by special software in the spindle drive amplifier. It drastically reduces the time required for a machine to reach working temperature.
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.
Beginning with the full 330mm bar stock material loading into the collet; the blank and tool geometry is ground, including any features (such as rear chamfer, for example), before the finished tool is cut off. The tool is then removed by the robot and loaded into the finished pallet. This program continues along the remaining bar stock until all useful raw material is consumed. To complete the automation process, waste is handled by the cell, before new bar stock is loaded into the collet.
ANCA’s machine platforms with the addition of a robot cell, can be utilized to implement the blanket grinding process. Tool size and application will determine which machine is right for you.
The two main features offered by the TX, beneficial in performing the blanket grinding function are the large working envelope and the high torque spindle. These attributes not only allow work on longer bar lengths, but also enable production of a larger range of tool sizes and geometries without limitation, including tools which require a high material removal.
The TX platform also fits any of ANCA’s robot cell solutions, including RoboMate, and the dedicated TXcell offering, which offers large format cell automation, many standard options and the flexibility for automated custom solution.
The nimble RoboMate cell is offered on both TX and MX platforms and offers customers a low barrier to entry for blanket grinding and production automation.
Customers are increasingly demanding products that are more unique and with higher complexity – but more importantly, with immediate response and shorter delivery time; when meeting these expectations, costs take a back seat, while focus is on delivery.
Using ANCA’s robot automation solutions in blanket grinding enables you to realize these demands with minimal disruption to existing production lines, less planning, reduced manual handling and increased utilization and efficiencies. These benefits can compound to deliver an overall value proposition and increased return per tool.
Blanket grinding may also offer a reduction in floor space by removing separate machines and consolidating processes into a single footprint to produce the same tool. The process consolidation allows changes in parts and features to be easily handled. For example, grinding of shank features (Weldon flats or coolant slots) and the handling of very small parts can be made simpler by adding many features in a single setup.
Become more agile
You can provide a quick response to customer requests without the need for re-tooling or disruption to high volume production lines, while also guaranteeing highest quality across the batch.
Reduce costs
Applying blanket grinding will go a long way to improving cost recovery, through increased utilization and efficiencies as well as removal of manual labor and setup times. There is also a benefit in reduced footprint through process consolidation into a single machine.
Blanket grinding can reduce costs through:
Reduce lead times
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.
Using ANCA technology, SJ Tools can manufacture complicated tools for their clients with a reduction in cost and delivery time
Founded in 2015, SJ Tools is a Mexican company in Saltillo, Coahuila state that designs and manufactures cutting tools, tooling, special and standard inserts. SJ Tools offers solutions for milling, reaming, interpolations, drilling, endmills (spherical, toric, flat, double radius and barrel), drill bits (standard, step and shape) and reamer. A wide range of products are manufactured for the automotive, aerospace, medical, dental and agricultural industries. They offer services in Mexico and in the United States.
Recently, the company won the ANCA Tool of the Year competition with a cutting tool that combined multiple features into a single tool, all with very precise surface finishes.
Speaking about how SJ Tools developed their capabilities, CEO Edwin Juarez said they didn’t have the experience they now have at first and thanks to the customer with which they started with, they were able to create their first two-step combo drill tool carrier. Two inserts in the first diameter and four more in the second. Since they started supplying tools, the company wanted to demonstrate to its customers that tools are not always to blame for issues during production and that is why they have state-of-the-art quality machines to guarantee repeatability. In 2017, SJ Tools started sharpening and manufacturing carbide tools and purchased an ANCA FX5 Linear. Impressed by the results from the machine, SJ Tools decided to expand the number of ANCA Machines. Currently, they have four ANCA machines to manufacture and sharpen carbide tools. Two of them are MX7’s with robot, one is an FX5 with the AR300 Robot and one without. They use RoboMate for high volume tool production or FastLoad-MX for low-volume. Very soon, they will buy an ANCA machine for the sharpening of PCD. He added that “the great team around us makes SJ Tools grow day by day.”
The ANCA MX7 Linear is a powerful, versatile CNC tool grinder designed for production grinding. It is built to meet the demands of high output, high precision manufacturing. The 38 kW (51 HP) permanent magnet spindle provides high torque at lower RPM which is ideal for carbide grinding and a wide range of other applications. The MX7 Linear is a hard-working, high productivity system with unique features that enable it to handle varied batch sizes with minimum set-up time. The new cylindrical linear motor design increases reliability further and ensures a superior surface finish.
The FX5 Linear features increased spindle power provided by the new 12kW standard spindle and an additional option of 19kW, adding more flexibility in the tool room. Furthermore, the high-powered spindle reduces the production cost and increases net output across a wider range of tools.
Thirteen years ago, the director of SJ Tools heard about ANCA and five years ago, he requested a meeting with Mr. Russell Riddiford, the president of ANCA for North America, to present him with an ambitious project. Riddiford believed in the project and helped the company buy their first machine. Juarez explained that they decided to use ANCA because “SJ Tools is an innovative company that likes to have the best technology and ANCA is always innovating. We like that because we are walking the same path.”
Russel Riddiford said, “Since I first met Edwin and spoke with him about the initial project with SJ Tools, I’ve been thrilled about the partnership! SJ Tools is an exciting company, with a team full of innovators that are pushing the boundaries and the art of toolmaking in Mexico. Under Edwin’s leadership, SJ Tools continues to invest in new Tool and Cutter Grinding technology, allowing them to expand into new industries and to continue to push the limit of toolmaking.” He added that as expertise grows and word of mouth gets out, SJ Tools’ demand for products continues to grow and that ANCA is honored to be one of their partners.
The company uses a wide variety of ANCA products and software but the ones they like the most are ANCA Tool Compensation and ANCA Wheel Compensation. This helps a lot to reduce adjustment times. In addition, automation allows machines to continue working on weekends without an operator.
Thanks to ANCA, “We have manufactured complicated tools with customers who themselves are surprised that they are manufactured in Mexico since large companies have not wanted to manufacture or sharpen since very tight tolerances are required. We are very happy with our machines and our customers are as well as we have helped them reduce costs and delivery times.”
Juarez praises ANCA for several reasons, including its software, service, and staff. He commented that “The simple form of their software, the attention of their technical service in the United States and Mexico has been captivating us more and more.” He also highlighted the help of Russell Riddiford, stating that he is grateful for his support from the first moment.
Benefits of tools that have multiple functions in a single tool include reduction in cycle times, as well as reducing and optimizing the use of inventory space. Referring to the increase in the number of tools with multiple functions, he concluded, “In such a competitive market each and every one of the companies that manufactures seeks savings. This is why we need to innovate, develop, design tools and look for processes that give better performance to our clients’ tools.”
For further information, please contact:
Amanda Bakun
Marketing and Communications Manager, Americas
M: +1 248 497 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.
Edwin Juarez
CEO, SJ Tools
T: +52 8441226437
E.juarez@sjtools.mx
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.
