Acu-Rite Solutions
Acu-Rite Solutions
Acu-Rite Solutions

How machine tool errors occur

SCHAUMBURG, IL — It is common knowledge that all machine tools — new and old — contain some error in the accuracy of moving components when compared to a standard that is known to be true. This area of concern is important enough for you to learn more about these errors and why they occur. In every machining operation, there is always some degree of error or inaccuracy due to at least one of the following machine tool deficiencies: Gravity causes deflections in the machine tool structure, particularly when a heavy workpiece is placed on a machine with overhanging table or ways. A result of these deflections is called Abbe error. (The following paragraphs provide further explanation.) The fit between mating surfaces is loose, because of manufacturing tolerances, subsequent wear or improper gib adjustment. The ways are not scraped straight or are not aligned perfectly at assembly. Driving and cutting forces cause deflections, since no material is totally rigid. Temperature variations can distort machine geometry. In addition, machine tables and ways can be forced out of alignment if you use the locks improperly. Tables that are not completely locked in position will shift from the forces of machining and eventually wear. Abbe error (also called machine geometry or transfer error) is a progressive fault occurring mainly in machine tool tables or beds. It occurs in other moving parts also, but we’ll limit our discussion here to mill tables. Gibs and table ways can wear due to an increase in pressure at the edge of the machine way, on both the knee and center of the table. This causes increased wear at these points as the center of gravity of the table moves with an increasing overhang. The shift of weight is gradual as the table moves from the center; therefore, the wear is also gradual. The result is the formation of an arc shape along the table and knee, concave to the ways. Pressure of the gib against the way causes the gib to wear. Often when a short travel is used, retightening the gib causes localized wear of the [...]

2024-07-15T21:44:52+00:00

Retrofitting a Manual Machine Tool: Making the Business Case

There are a lot of manual machine tools being underutilized—or not used at all. Whether your manual mill, lathe or surface grinder is producing inefficiently, or it’s taking up space, a retrofit can add value in different ways. As with any capital investment, it’s best to have concrete evidence that you’ll see a return, a strong business case. In the guide we break down everything from financial projections to recruiting adjustments you can use to make the case for a retrofit. Specifically, we’ll look at the impact in five areas of metalworking business: Operations Personnel Quality Finance Future-proofing

2024-09-12T15:49:10+00:00

How fast will your shop see ROI after your Acu-Rite Solutions purchase?

Acu-Rite Solutions products are not only a breeze to operate, but they also produce faster set-ups, shorter run times and a major boost in productivity. Using our custom calculator, you can see just how quickly your company will start seeing ROI from your Acu-Rite Solutions purchase. Check it out now! Quick return on investment in as a little as 30 days Shorter and more efficient run times on your machines Faster set-ups = major boost in productivity To learn more about Acu-Rite Solutions or get in touch with our team of sales experts, contact us now.

2024-07-05T18:38:15+00:00

Entry to advanced: A machinist’s career growth via Acu-Rite Solutions

Education and training are essential and unending in the world of manufacturing. Whether just beginning training or being a seasoned machinist, it’s crucial to keep skills up-to-date and to adapt to advancing manufacturing technologies. With the right training and tools, manufacturers can unlock the ability to run more advanced machines and achieve greater success in their field. The Acu-Rite Solutions product catalog allows learners to grow into and layer on more advanced features as they master the basics. Richard Brown, Machine Tool Instructor at Horry-Georgetown Technical College, shared his perspective on progressive product training at the college: “The program actually takes you from the foundational skills all the way through completion of programming CNC” … “Here we feel like you need the foundational skills so that if something goes wrong with the program, you know how to adjust it. Acu-Rite Solutions is good to teach on because it gives the student, right in their face, what’s happening as they’re moving the dials. Once they get that, you no longer see them watching the dials. You see them just watching the screen and they know exactly where it’s at when they’re cutting the parts.” You can support a machinist’s career path, from entry-level to advanced, by pairing the trainee with various products in the Acu-Rite Solutions catalog. Let’s step through the sample progressive product training below. Entry-Level: Manual Input Systems One of the first steps in manufacturing education is gaining experience with manual machine tools. This entry-level exposure allows individuals to learn the fundamentals of machining, including tool selection, work holding, and toolpath creation. For trainees newer to manufacturing, Acu-Rite Solutions offers a range of entry-level manual input systems that are ideal for shop classes, production environments, and small shops. The DRO100, DRO203, DRO300, and droPWR are digital readout systems that allow users to quickly and accurately measure workpiece dimensions. The TURNPWR and MILLPWRG2 systems are CNC retrofit packages that can be added to existing manual machine tools to enable CNC capabilities. By mastering these manual input systems first, trainees will establish a foundational understanding of basic machine functions. [...]

2024-07-15T21:26:42+00:00

Key considerations when selecting a digital readout system (DRO)

Older manual machines were built to last; ”good bones” as they say. But as technology improves and the bar gets higher, manual machines may need a digital retrofit to be fully usable. That’s where digital readouts (DROs) come in; in conjunction with digital controls, they can essentially turn machines from manual to CNC with easy-to-use, digital functionality. Not only do DROs allow shops and training facilities to get more life from their manual machines, but they can improve productivity and raise the quality of the machined workpiece. How DROs work Put simply, a DRO is a communication device between the operator and the machine tool. The DRO displays the machine table’s direction, distance and location. The readout/interface itself pairs with feedback devices installed directly on the motion axes to provide positional feedback; operators can then see the position of the tool/workpiece on the DRO screen. Common types of digital readout (DRO) systems DROs can be used for a fairly wide range of machining applications: Milling (vertical boring mills, universal horizontal/vertical mills) Turning (horizontal lathes, vertical lathes) Surface grinders Optical comparators EDM machines Common types of DROs range from entry-level DROs that provide measurement for a single-axis machine all the way up to advanced DROs with programming function capabilities and measurement of up to six axes. New technology is even making it possible to turn an ordinary iPad into a digital readout with a single app. Factors to consider when purchasing a DRO At the most basic level, all DROs enable the same thing: feedback to the operator about the position of the machine and workpiece to enable more accurate and productive machining. But choosing the right DRO for your specific needs involves a few key factors. Application/machine type First and foremost, your DRO selection will depend on your machining application and type of machine, because different DROs support different machining operations and different numbers of axes. This simple DRO selector tool can help you make your selection based on machining application and number of axes. For those looking for one DRO for multiple machine types and applications, the new droPWR turns any iPad into a digital [...]

2024-07-15T15:18:51+00:00

8 tips for getting started with digital readouts

A digital readout (DRO) can bring a lot to a machine shop. Just to name two of the biggest perks, they make life easier on operators and boost the efficiency of a variety of machine tools. DROs are popular upgrades for knee mills, vertical boring mills, horizontal/vertical mills, horizontal/vertical lathes, surface grinders and EDMs. To help get you started on the right foot, we’ve collected some of our top tips for selecting, installing and using DROs. Turn to video for help YouTube and Vimeo offer a wealth of knowledge on different readouts, scales and machines. You’ll find troubleshooting and quick how-tos. Don’t forget about your supplier as a resource, either. We offer a variety of instructional videos for our DROs on everything from updating software to reversing direction. Accuracy, repeatability, and resolution Knowing the subtle distinction between accuracy, repeatability and resolution will help ensure you get a DRO that can perform the tasks you need. Put simply, accuracy is how close a measurement is to the true value, repeatability is how well a system repeats an outcome and resolution is the smallest increment a system can display. Incremental vs. absolute positioning Most new DROs offer the option, or different modes, to choose between incremental and absolute positioning. Then again, you may not need one or the other. Incremental (point-to-point) positioning is done from a displayed preset dimension to zero, or from zero to the dimension, then the display is reset to zero. Absolute positioning provides a unique location or reading at all times. Another perk of absolute positioning is that it allows rapid recovery of position once power has been restored to the system after shutdown or accidental loss of power. Measure carefully A common error when selecting scales to pair with a DRO is measuring the machine’s travels wrong. Remember, table size and travel are not the same. Travel lengths should account for things like the dovetail, knee, stops and any extra clearance needed for the reader head to avoid collisions. Always measure hard stop to hard stop. Have tools handy Keep in mind, that mounting [...]

2024-09-12T15:54:07+00:00

How to find the right DRO for your lathe

Digital readouts (DROs) are a great way to maximize new lathe’s efficiency or turn a cumbersome manual machine into a thriving profit center again. The DRO essentially translates the direction, distance and location into an easily readable display. In the case of a lathe, there are typically two axes to account for, the X and Z. DROs make lathes fundamentally simpler to use, which, in turn, improves productivity and raises the quality of machined parts. They help prevent common errors such as misreading the hand wheel dials or losing count of rotations requiring less energy-sapping wheel cranking and wasting less time. The right DRO also helps account for backlash (less important on a lathe) and inaccuracies that are often caused by the standard lead screws on most manual machines. Choosing the right feedback for lathe DROs The readout/interface itself pairs with feedback devices installed directly on the lathe. There is the option to use a rotary encoder on the hand wheel, but we don’t really consider that a DRO. Adding feedback to the handwheel measures turns of the hand wheels, and not the actual positions of the cross slide or carriage. Unless the rotary option is built specifically for the machine, you won’t know exactly where the cross slide and carriage are. Differences between glass, inductive and magnetic DRO scales Scales act as the measuring standard on the machine. A scanning head moves along with the machine, reads and transmits positioning from the scale to the readout. There are three types of scales commonly used on lathes: glass, inductive and magnetic. With glass scales, light is shot through lines with different levels of opaqueness. On the other side of the scale a scanning head reads the changes in light. These are extremely accurate and available in a wide range of resolutions. The trade-off is that they have a higher risk of contamination, since their light is so sensitive is sensitive to distortions in the glass. Instead of light, which requires a constantly clean line of sight, inductive encoders detect changes in capacitance-reactance and translates them into motion measurements. Inductive scales [...]

2024-07-16T16:45:47+00:00

The importance of a machine’s true travels and other tips for mounting linear encoders

Rising cost pressure is driving a trend toward dynamic machine tools that produce parts economically with very high accuracy, even in small batches. As a result, the share of linear axes with direct drive is steadily increasing in the machine tool sector. This has been driving the continuously increasing demands for accurate measuring technology and solid signal quality. This puts shops that are unable to invest in capital equipment at the moment in a tricky position: How do we keep up if we can’t add machinery? One of best options is to upgrade the linear encoders on an existing machine tool. And when paired with the right digital readout (DRO), a machine can be brought back from the brink of the scrap yard. Whether using a DRO or not, proper mounting of the encoder to the machine axes is critical to realizing return on investment. When it comes to mounting a new encoder scale on a machine, we find one of the steps customers have the most trouble with is measuring the proper travels. It sounds simple, and it should be. But, if it’s done wrong, replacing a damaged scale can cost of thousands and render a machine inoperable. Remember: The length of the machine table is not the same as the true travel, or the best scale. Always measure from hard-stop to hard-stop, then choose the right size encoder scale. We hear it all the time, “I have a 42-inch table, I need a 42-inch scale.” In reality, the travel is likely closer to something like 32 inches. If we were to send this customer a 42-inch scale, they would quickly find that it hangs off the end of the table and will likely cover coolant drain holes. If the scale is too short, the sensor will run beyond the end of the scale and damage it. Let’s look at one scenario. Some lathes have a tailstock on the lathe itself along with a steady rest. When you remove those, the true travel is revealed to be more than when those items are attached. If maintenance comes to service [...]

2024-07-16T16:22:45+00:00

7 reasons to choose an Acu-Rite Solutions control

While Acu-Rite Solutions is well known in the machine tool industry for its American-made rugged and reliable components, particularly its long-established digital readouts and linear encoders, it is important to note that today’s product offerings also include next-step Acu-Rite Solutions CNC controls for both milling and turning machines. The MILLPWRG2 is the established control for milling and the TURNPWR control for turning applications was introduced in 2019. Both of these Acu-Rite Solutions controls are now working in the field, and there are variety of reasons that these are becoming the choice of many. Some of the machine tool applications for which these Acu-Rite Solutions controls are commonly found in operation include on bed mills, knee mills and tool room lathes. Here are seven of the most common reasons many choose Acu-Rite Solutions controls to accompany them. 1. Reliable Reputation / Strong Warranty Acu-Rite Solutions has been in operation for over 60 years, steadfastly serving the machine tool industry all the way. Confidently owning a large portion of the market and still growing, Acu-Rite Solutions is proud to have one of the best product warranties on the market. All Acu-Rite Solutions controls come with a two-year warranty unlike most others. 2. Fully Featured Acu-Rite Solutions brand controls bridge the gap for manual machinists using digital readouts and who are looking to obtain next-level precision and automation in their shop. These MILLPWRG2 and TURNPWR CNCs are both extremely easy to use and are both equipped with a full set of standard features enabling the user to do more at the touch of a few buttons. With conversational language for use, both Acu-Rite Solutions CNCs come with the ability to import DXF files and support G-Code programming. And in answer to customer requests, both control packages also offer an optional off-line simulation software package. By using the various CNC features included within, users of both of these Acu-Rite Solutions controls are able to obtain faster set-ups and shorter run times than before, providing them with a major boost in machining productivity. 3. Made in the USA Acu-Rite Solutions controls are made in the [...]

2024-09-12T16:09:41+00:00

Need help with choosing the right DRO for your shop?

With specifications varying among manual machines, no one DRO will fit all. That’s why Acu-Rite Solutions has created an online DRO Selector Tool that promises to quickly guide the user to a digital readout suitable for their particular machine. The Tool starts by asking what type of application the machine tool is used for (such as milling, turning, grinding, sinker EDM), then proceeds with varying questions from there, ultimately leading to a useful suggestion. The Tool also follows with recommendations for relevant mounting brackets and accompanying encoders if needed. Check out the DRO Selector Tool on the Acu-Rite Solutions Facebook page!

2024-09-12T16:15:16+00:00

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