Making products with rigorous accuracy requirements on machine tools requires moving the machine table and spindle, and thus the workpiece and tool, with exact positioning accuracy within the machine envelope. HEIDENHAIN angle and linear encoders provide the position feedback needed for this demanding level of motion control.

But these encoders are subject to substantial liquid contamination in the form of coolant. To ensure accurate scale readings despite droplet contamination and condensation, the new generations of HEIDENHAIN linear and angle encoders feature TRUE IMAGE TECHNOLOGY. Using improved sensor optics, this technology reduces diffraction and diffusion, thereby delivering accurate position feedback without the aid of purge air.

The technologies we develop for our controls significantly reduce machining time and allow more parts to be machined faster with process reliability.

Special functions for automated processes make it possible to plan jobs for unattended shifts and to orchestrate seamless job sequences without interruptions, all ahead of time on the control. Since this enables perfectly machined parts starting with a batch size of 1, scrap and rework are reduced. This saves time, resources and energy, resulting in highly effective environmental stewardship.

Reducing non-productive time has great potential to increase the energy efficiency of a machine tool. After all, during non-productive periods, machine tools still consume more than 50% of the power they use during machining.

Workpiece setup and tool inspection play a key role in achieving reliable manufacturing processes. But they also cost time. The more complex the fixturing, the longer the setup time. The more complex the part, the more tools there are to monitor.

The VT 122 camera system reduces TCO and simplifies tool handling. With the tools still in the machine, the camera system creates images that enable tool condition inspection with microscope-level accuracy. A canned cycle automates this in-process imaging, thus eliminating trips to the metrology lab.

Workpiece touch probes from HEIDENHAIN, such as the TS 460, ensure high-accuracy probing while reducing probing time by up to 30% for each probing cycle. 

The TD 110 tool breakage detector enables on-machine tool inspection, performing each tool check up to 6 seconds faster than conventional laser systems, thereby reducing idle time.