Innovative automation and technology portfolio for higher machine tool productivity

With its new CNC Sinumerik software release 4.8, Siemens is making available a range of new functions to significantly improve the speed, precision and safety of machine tools. Benefits of V 4.8 include facility for compensating unwanted axis nodding movements and protection against machine, tool and workpiece collisions. Nodding compensation (NoCo) is used to compensate for dynamic position deviations in one or more linear machine axes caused by acceleration processes. These position deviations are caused by what is known as mechanical compliance within the machine. NoCo compensates for the dominant position deviation by initiating a corrective movement in the relevant machine axis, enabling improved machining quality simultaneously with higher jerk and acceleration values. Nodding compensation can be used in conjunction with any technology, such as milling, multitasking, tapping, laser machining or water jet machining. NoCo is available in two variants: Eco and Advanced. The Eco variant is designed for dominant acceleration effects in which the compensation axis is combined with one influencing variable. Where there are several influencing variables which require several compensation axes, the Advanced variant is the option of choice.

The new Sinumerik software release 4.8 also comes with an advanced collision protection: Collision Avoidance Eco and Collision Avoidance Advanced. The Eco version enables simple, reliable machine protection by preventing collisions of the machine body with its own components within the work area. To achieve this effect in real time, the assemblies which need protecting are calculated as simple geometric bodies. This reliable collision monitoring system is available in all three operating modes JOG, MDA and Automatic. The protected areas can be simply and efficiently engineered and visualized as a 3D image at the control interface. The Advanced variant includes full machine, tool and workpiece protection. The software provided by Sinumerik product partner ModuleWorks runs via an interface integrated on an external PC, and so works together with the Sinumerik in real time to ensure that the machine, tool and workpiece can be continuously monitored and are dynamically protected during the stock removal process. The workpiece and tool data required is made available to the system conveniently during set-up. Collision Avoidance provides a permanently high level of safety during machine operation.

The operating concept for Sinumerik Operate has been further developed to enable even more easily manageable and intuitive operation of machine tools. This affords machine manufacturers the facility to develop their own individual design in keeping with their corporate identity, lending machine tools a contemporary, distinctive look. The technical basis for these innovations is provided by a cohesive line of widescreen monitors entitled Sinumerik blackline plus, which come in a 16:9 format. Their design eliminates the use of any separate buttons, which have been replaced by a touch-sensitive monitor with facility for showing and hiding a side screen. Functions formerly operated by separate buttons can be positioned on the screen if required. The new side screen can be used to show axis loads, alarms or tooling information. Machine manufacturers can additionally extend the side screen to include their own content. The new panels are available in sizes of 15, 19, 22 and 24 inches. In the basic version MCP 398C, the add-on machine control panels are identical for all the available panel sizes, but depending on the size they can be extended with additional modules for different functions such as buttons or slider controls. The new operating units come in the form of thin client, monitor or PC. The TOP variant is available as a panel for Windows PCs or as an embedded solution without PC. The Simatic WinCC from Siemens provides machine manufacturers with a convenient, adaptable basic configuration complete with intuitively structured software tools, which allows the user interface to be configured simply by means of drag & drop. This facility allows machine manufacturers to simply implement their own operating concepts and supplement them with machine-specific functions.

Siemens will be presenting a new version of its proven Safety Integrated (SI) function for Sinumerik 840D sI in the form of its Safety Integrated plus software for integrated control solutions. Previously, separate complete programs had to be written for the NCK and PLC. From now on, this will only be necessary for the PLC. This failsafe program can be generated quickly and with a minimum of fuss using the PLC software Step 7, which is integrated as standard in the TIA Portal. There are a large number of certified failsafe modules available for users in the TIA Portal for this purpose which can be integrated directly into the Safety program. Using the new version Safety Integrated plus, which can be operated interactively with all the currently available NCUs of the CNC Sinumerik 840D sI, engineering times can be reduced by up to 50 percent. The Sinumerik Operate user interface makes for extremely convenient commissioning using graphic screens made available by Safety Integrated plus which enable tangibly simpler parameterization of safety functions. This allows commissioning to be speeded up by as much as 20 percent.

Siemens offers Safety Integrated plus as a supplement to the established Safety Integrated software and does not recommend to change over to the new software for already established machine models, as the two solutions offer the same high level of safety.

For further information on Siemens at the EMO Hannover 2017, please see www.siemens.com/emo and www.siemens.com/press/emo2017