CNC advances: Monitor CNC wirelessly via tablets; CNC industrial PC HMI touch panel; motion control

Tablet devices monitor Fanuc Series 30i/31i/32i-Model B CNCs; Fanuc 19-in. industrial PC with touch panel provides fast, reliable, secure interface and control for machining; and Fanuc Power Motion i-Model A motion controller for general-purpose motion control.

February 22, 2013

Advances in computer numerical control (CNC) technologies include remote monitoring via tablets and the Internet, a large industrial PC-based color touch panel, and general purpose motion control equipment from Fanuc FA America. More information about remote monitoring of Fanuc Series 30i/31i/32i-Model B CNCs, Fanuc FA America Panel i 19-in. industrial PC has a color LCD display with new touch panel, and Fanuc Power Motion i-Model A Motion Controller follow.

Tablet devices monitor Fanuc Series 30i/31i/32i-Model B CNCs

Fanuc FA America has an option that allows Fanuc Series 30i/31i/32i-Model B CNCs to be monitored remotely using tablet-type devices. This latest advancement in remote monitoring greatly enhances the maintainability and production capabilities of the Fanuc CNC.

Calling the Series 30i/31i/32i-Model B CNC its most innovative, Fanuc said these CNCs can act as a Web server, allowing display of CNC screens on any device on the network, for example, over wireless Ethernet to communicate with a tablet-type device. This ability allows maintenance or production personnel on the shop floor to monitor all the CNC equipment from across the shop in one location and on one device, with appropriate permissions and security.

Fanuc called its Series 30i/31i/32i-Model B CNCs “best in class for performance and reliability for standard CNC applications up to the most complex machine tools and non-traditional applications.” For advanced smooth and accurate simultaneous 5-axis high-speed machining, Fanuc 30i-B/31i-B5 CNCs have High-Speed Smooth TCP with new fairing technology. This drastically reduces cycle times while improving part accuracy and quality. For complex machining processes, this is the ideal combination of Fanuc’s legendary reliability and modern high-speed 5-axis features.

Fanuc Series 30i-Model B CNCs (including 30i-B, 31i-B, 31i-B5, 32i-B, and 35i-B) offer a newly enhanced high-speed and large capacity, multi-path PMC offering large-scale sequence control with a maximum of five concurrent independent ladders. Execution of common instructions is more than 2.5 times faster than the previous generation, with the additional capability of a high-speed module executing every 1 ms.

Fanuc 19-in. industrial PC with touch panel provides fast, reliable, secure interface and control for machining

The Fanuc FA America Panel i 19-in. industrial PC has a color LCD display with new touch panel. Equipped with solid-state drives (SSDs), Microsoft Windows Embedded, and a 19-in. touch panel, Fanuc’s Panel i is fast, reliable, secure, and user-friendly for high-performance machining, the company said.

Fanuc’s latest generation Panel i PC use SSDs, which are faster and more reliable than standard hard drives. Using Microsoft Windows Embedded instead of a desktop operating system increases the reliability of the operating system by allowing it to be locked down, making it much more secure against viruses. The new Panel i large touch panel makes it easier for the operator to control the display and also has a larger area to do 3D modeling of part programs in addition to showing CNC operation. Additional features include enhanced CPUs and graphic capabilities for the larger display that address the needs of higher performance applications today.

Fanuc Power Motion i-Model A motion controller for general-purpose motion control

Fanuc expands its CNC expertise to offer general-purpose motion control equipment. Fanuc Power Motion i-Model A Motion Controller can be used for a wide range of general industrial motion control machine applications such as winding machines, wire saws, gantry loaders, die cushions, press machines, multi-axes positioning systems, large robotic positioning tables, wing riveting machines, and polishing machines.

Fanuc Power Motion i-Model A offers multi-axis and multi-path functionality with a maximum 4 control paths, 32 total control axes, and 4 simultaneous control axes—up to 16 axes by PMC axis control function that can be executed independently for each axis. The Power Motion i-Model A is also optimal for applications with large servo motors—up to 10 large servo motors in one motion controller. The Power Motion i-Model A reduces cycle time with a high-speed response function for quick axis start/stop and high-speed execution cycle of PMC. Additionally, the Power Motion i–Model A has a pressure and position control function as well as a function for presses.

About the company

A machine tool with a Fanuc CNC will be available for production more often, process more parts, and use less energy, according to Fanuc. Fanuc FA America said it offers superior CNC technology, reliability, and support for machine tools.

Fanuc Corp., headquartered at the foot of Mt. Fuji, Japan, manufactures Factory Automation (FA) solutions, robots, and robomachines. Since its inception in 1956, Fanuc has contributed to the automation of machine tools in the development of CNC equipment.

Fanuc FA America provides Fanuc CNC systems and solutions in the Americas, including control systems, drives and motors, and CO2 laser solutions, as well as engineering support, parts, repairs, factory automation solutions, and training programs for machine tool builders, dealers, and users.

– Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, CFE Media, Control Engineering and Plant Engineering, mhoske@cfemedia.com

ONLINE

www.Fanucfa.com 

See a video about using tablet devices with a CNC from Fanuc FA America. https://youtu.be/QergdyQvfsY

See video about the Fanuc FA America Panel i 19-in. industrial PC using a color LCD display with a new touch panel. https://bit.ly/UIDRqc