MMC Magazine

Achieving highly-reliable manufacturing with a new machining monitoring system

User solutions Cutting tests at the technical centre

The Technical Centers (East Japan/ West Japan) improve customer satisfaction with cutting tests by connecting the Mitsubishi Materials Intelligent Cutting Test System (MICS) to test equipment.

When measuring cutting resistance, it was sometimes difficult to conduct cutting tests with the work materials supplied by customers due to their size. The application of the MICS to the load value measurement makes it possible to conduct cutting tests under an en­viron­ment conforming to their produc­tion lines without any limitations.

In addition, when conducting lifetime tests, conventional measurements re­quired a tremendous number of pro­cesses to obtain complete machining data, which is a practical impossibility. With MICS, it is possible to confirm the processes until the end of tool life be­cause the load value can be maintained throughout.

Therefore, the sequence of events imme­diately before drill breakage or insert chipping can be visualized, which pro­vides reliable measures to allow im­prove­ments to be taken.

Mitsubishi Materials Intelligent Cutting Test System

Confirming tool behaviors by actual use in customers equipment

- Responding to equipment that the customer actually uses for their machining
- Making proposals for optimum machining through the analysis of machining data

MICS provides completely new solutions through the acquisition, accumulation and ana­lysis of load values for machine tool spindles and table axes.

In addition, this does not require the purchase of new machine tools. Simply connecting tools to the line production equipment actually used by the customer makes it possible to quickly create a database for monitoring.

Furthermore, since the analysis of trend pro­cessing and threshold setting for the database can be conducted inside MICS, use at pro­duction sites for improvement is expected. The accumulated database is output in CSV data, making it possible to analyze data using the BI tool that customers are already using.

Provision of solutions

A graph created of tool life based on the acquired data and analysis results. Contributed to the reduction of tool replacement.

A graph created showing the dispersion of lifetime due to a wide range of reasons in machining. Management based on the short tool lifetime data makes it possible to achieve more stable production. 

Results and achievements of analysis

Results of analysis based on the correlation between hole diameter (Oversize) and main axis load

Future expansion

In cooperation with many customers, we have been focusing on the effective utilisation of database information. Using analysis results for the prediction of tool life and selection of the correct methods and cutting tools for new production lines makes it possible to reduce the time and number of processes required to establish an efficient production line.

In addition, using database information with sensing tools allows us to simultaneously analyse machining, quality of work materials and operation of equipment for the optimization of production, including ease of measurement and equipment maintenance.