Renishaw presents its latest smart factory solutions at IMTEX 2019

By Niraj M Wanikar, Chief Editor, CNCTimes.com, 2019-01-25 11:12:00

Future factory benefits, today: Renishaw presents its latest smart factory solutions at IMTEX 2019

Precision engineering and manufacturing technologies company Renishaw is showcasing its diverse technology portfolio and extensive experience in automated process control at IMTEX 2019, at Bengaluru, India.

At Imtex 2019, Renishaw is demonstrating its range of smart factory process control solutions, which are proven to help machine shops across many industries transform their production capabilities. Renishaw’s product portfolio supports the full spectrum of industrial metrology applications, delivering benefits in speed, ease-of-use and flexibility, which help manufacturers integrate smart factory technologies into their existing operations, today.

On display at Renishaw’s main stand is a high-productivity machining cell, featuring fully integrated process control. This demonstrates how high levels of automation and connectivity can be incorporated into CNC machining operations to improve productivity and process capability. The demo cell reflects process control techniques that Renishaw applies in its own factories to deliver highly automated precision manufacturing.

Manufacturers are increasingly recognising that flexibility to re-purpose equipment to accommodate shorter product life cycles and increased design variants is a significant benefit. Renishaw will showcase its latest technologies applied to the automotive and aerospace manufacturing industries. For example, the multi-sensor capability of the REVO™ system on co-ordinate measuring machines (CMMs). Rapid data acquisition of dimensional and surface finish characteristics on a single platform allows manufacturers to significantly reduce measuring time and provides actionable data more quickly.

On CNC machines, SupaScan uses the latest OSP60 probe to offer the world’s fastest workpiece set-up cycles. The system can also monitor surface condition (waviness), which is a critical-to-quality requirement for product efficiency.

The flexibility and range of applications of the Renishaw Equator™ gauging system is now increased. The new Equator 500 accommodates larger parts, and the introduction of IPC (intelligent process control) software allows manufacturers to automate process control and tool offset correction directly to CNC machines from any Equator gauge.

IMTEX 2019 visitors will see the latest developments in Renishaw software, which deliver improved ease-of-use as metrology moves closer to the point of manufacture on the shop floor. These include MODUS™ 2 software for CMMs and Equator gauging systems, smartphone apps for on-machine probing and CNC controller-based apps for probing and reporting.

Renishaw technologies provide the data that enables intelligent decision-making for Industry 4.0. Machine calibration, on-machine measurement and off-machine gauging and verification allow manufacturers to optimise their processes and minimise quality problems and CNC machine stoppages.

Renishaw’s Director of Industrial Metrology Applications, Paul Maxted, said: “As manufacturers ourselves, Renishaw has significant first-hand process control expertise to help our global partners to apply high levels of automation and connectivity to their production processes so that they can benefit from the factory of the future, today.”

In the 3D printing and Additive Manufacturing pavilion (HALL - 3) Renishaw is showcasing its latest AM system and software. The new multi-laser RenAM 500Q increases productivity in the most commonly used machine platform size. Renishaw’s suite of AM software includes QuantAM build preparation software, InfiniAM Central remote process monitoring and InfiniAM Spectral for live feedback on energy input and emissions from the AM build process.

To remain globally competitive, manufacturers must satisfy the need for parts machined to closer tolerances, reduced product life cycles and increasingly consumer-driven demand for product variety. This, coupled with a need for increased factory automation, requires a range of intelligent process control solutions throughout the factory. Manufacturers find that partnering with Renishaw’s process control experts offers them an unrivalled breadth of experience and product solutions, which help them to achieve smarter manufacturing processes. They benefit from optimum quality, efficiency and resource utilisation on the shop floor.

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