The FZ08MT Precision+ machining center – a 6-sided precision machine – delivers demanding tolerances and quality in a small footprint. Precision+ achieves flawless surfaces with speed and efficiency and complex 5-axis parts can be produced in a single setup without additional finishing. Thermal stability, rigidity, and consistent chip handling make the FZ08MT Precision+ flexible with small or large production volumes.
With a primary swivel-head spindle, full-fledged turning spindle, and a counter spindle for reverse-turning or simultaneous 5-axis machining, the FZ08MT Precision+ consolidates tasks – milling, turning, drilling, threading – into a compact unit. The main spindle incorporates a direct torque drive with a swivel range of -10° to 100°, at speeds of up to 54,000rpm.
Designed for dynamics and rigidity, the swivel head ensures the tool-center-point remains constant, without any movement in the X- and Z-axis. Full-value turning up to 8,000rpm is possible with the turning spindle, which accommodates bar diameters up to 42mm. The integrated counter-spindle allows continuous, simultaneous 5-axis work during the machining process. X, Y, and Z travel is 210mm, 200mm, and 360mm.
The machine includes a tool changer with a chip-to-chip time of approximately 2.1 seconds. Capable of holding up to 96 tools, the operator can use the machine’s loading gate to quickly exchange tools during production.
The FZ08MT Precision+ makes its North American debut during IMTS 2016.
PIKE Technologies’ custom spectroscopic accessories replace traditional sampling routines. The company’s goal is to provide a range of products across a broad spectrum of needs, such as a variety of sampling devices and kits, temperature controls, analysis tools, and holders.
The company’s out-of-compartment Microplate Reader is available for most ultraviolet visable spectrophotometers and provides high throughput plate reading capabilities to a wide range of traditional instruments with standard sample compartments. Technicians conducting experiments that require running samples using 24-, 96-, or 384-well assay plates for research, drug discovery, bioassay validation, or quality control gain a flexible method.
“The company’s microplate reader can be adapted to perform automated measurements of filters, optical components, and other materials in the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries, wafer analysis, food analysis, cell-testing, as well as academia,” says PIKE Technologies Chief Engineer David Engerman.
Accurate positioning
Compact and portable, weighing 15 lb, and having a benchtop footprint of 11.6" x 13.7" x 6", the microplate reader incorporates scanning and fixed wavelength measurements (spectrophotometer dependent), two-fiber optic cables, 6-well to 384-well microplate reading capability, and custom configurations for automated sampling.
The team chose one AllMotion EZSV17 compact controller per axis for accurate, repeatable positioning of the sample tray. Microplate readers can use 1-, 2-, or 3-axis positioning, depending on the nature of the samples being read.
The reader offers a ±25µm accuracy with mechanical specifications of 1µm resolution and ±5µm repeatability. It features quadrature encoder-based feedback, programmable ramps and speeds, and a USB computer interface. Power requirements are 100VAC to 240VAC, 50Hz/60Hz. The EZSV17 supports stepper or servo motor solutions for automation products and systems. It is 1.6" x 1.6" (40mm x 40mm) and uses a single, four-wire bus containing two power and two communications wires. It can link up to 16 stepper/servo motor controllers in a single daisy-chain format, and can operate stand-alone or connected to a PC.
The reader can be positioned next to or above the spectrophotometer being used, and for instruments that do not support an external detector, the optical configuration features a transfer-optics module mounted in the sample compartment and light-in and light-out optical fiber cables that mount to the reader’s frame. For spectrophotometers with external detector support, the light is sent to the accessory via an optical fiber cable and collected by an on-board photodiode detector.
The mechanical design of the accessory relies on an XYZ stage with axes controlled by AllMotion EZSV17 controller drivers and driven by servo motors with optical encoders. Run time speed for a standard 96-well plate is 32 seconds; for a 384-well plate it is 84 seconds. Programming and control of the microplate reader can be completed using PIKE Technologies’ AutoPRO software package.
Terry Persun is a contributing author for Today’s Medical Developments.
Latest products & solutions
Departments - Implanting Success
End mill for small diameters; Vision measurement system; Metal additive manufacturing for industrial production; Digitally controlled VMC; Optical, touch inspection; Swiss lathe parting-off tool
The CoroMill 390 with size 07 inserts is a versatile cutter suited for shoulder milling, deep shoulder milling, edging, linear and helical ramping, plunge milling, slot milling, and face milling. Designed for all machine types and grades, inserts are available for all materials. The insert grade GC1130 gives the cutter an extra dimension of security when milling steel. The torque key is designed for size 07 inserts, and a built-in spring functionality allows the mounting of inserts with correct clamping force for consistent tool life. Coolant-through technology offers additional heat and chip control.
The Quick Vision Action series CNC vision measuring system offers a wide field of view with interchangeable objective zoom lenses to measure small to large features. The system is available with measuring ranges of 8" x 10" x 6" (250mm x 200mm x 150mm) or 16" x 16" x 8" (400mm x 400mm x 200mm), with a touch-probe measuring option available.
Metal additive manufacturing for industrial production
The Renishaw RenAM 500M builds complex metallic components directly from CAD using metal powder bed fusion technology. The machine manufactures parts within the 250mm x 250mm x 350mm build volume (9.84" x 9.84" x 13.77") and uses a ytterbium fiber laser to fuse fine metallic powders.
In-line sieving allows powder to be recycled and re-used in a single process under an inert atmosphere, reducing user interaction and turnaround time. Metallic powder is loaded into the machine hopper at the front of the system and sieved ultrasonically. Any un-melted material is returned to the hopper and passes through the ultrasonic sieve before being processed. Sieved powder is pneumatically transferred in a flow of high purity argon gas into the powder delivery silo.
A high capacity twin SafeChange filter system enables builds to run for long periods in a stable, controlled atmosphere. Filters capture process emissions, and an intelligent control system actively senses the filter’s condition and redirects the gas circuit to a clean filter before conditions deteriorate.
The Bridgeport XT 630 5-axis vertical machining center is fully-digital and designed to achieve maximum capacity and performance. The 5-axis machine offers the Siemens 840D- SL control with a 19" LCD. Axis travels in X, Y, and Z are 762mm (30"), 630mm (24.8"), and 600mm (24"). Standard machine equipment includes Big Plus CT40 spindle, 15,000rpm direct-coupled spindle with oil chiller, coolant chip flush system, 3-color stack light, 40-tool swing-arm ATC, pre-wiring for Renishaw part probe, through-ball-screw chiller, preparation for through-spindle coolant (with a rotary union), and A- and C-axis encoder.
The MarShaft Scope 600 plus 3D combines optical and touch sensors, providing 3D functionality and complete inspection of the workpiece in a single measurement. The matrix camera optically measures characteristics such as diameter, length, radius, shape, and location characteristics while a 2D sensor detects features that are not optically measurable, such as cam lift on concave cam profiles and reference (clocking) features such as holes or keyways.
The DuoJust Cut clamping system offers rigid insert clamping, and the toolholder is applicable for three types of inserts according to parting-off diameters. The overhang length offers stable and productive machining, and toolholders for the sub-spindle are also available as standard. Even if the first cutting edge is chipped, the other cutting edges can be used due to insert clamping design. SH725, a PVD grade for machining on Swiss lathes, extends tool life.
The M4000 program uses an insert system that has a single, basic shape compatible with every M4000 body. The inserts can be used in all tools within the M4000 range. Standard cutter styles include high-feed, end, chamfer, T-slot, and helical mills.
The quick locating system (QLS) fixture plate is designed for use with the Jergens’ Ball-Lock quick change system. With the connection to Ball-Lock, the QLS allows users to add the whole range of the Fixture-Pro system.
Use of the Fixture-Pro range extends the machining envelope on 5-axis machines. The modular workholding of Fixture-Pro, combined with the quick location of Ball-Lock, provides a multiplying effect on productivity. The concept offers users a system that could be changed over – even between machines – in seconds. Ball-Lock sub-plates mount directly to the machine table and provide the connection to the QLS system, which in turn connects to virtually any combination of Fixture-Pro risers, adapters and top tooling.
The Century45 centerless bond platform features an exclusive chemistry that improves grain retention in the wheel. Higher-porosity wheels for a given hardness translate into wheels having a hard grade with the performance of a softer grade.
Norton Century45 wheels are available with ceramic, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide grain, and abrasive blends to maximize safety and efficiency. Wheels reduce cycle times by up to 50%, improve stock removal by more than 30%, and increase wheel life from 30% to 100% versus standard products. A continually sharp wheel face reduces grinding times through fewer passes to achieve optimal results.
The SS207-5AX LaserSwiss, a 20mm, 7-axis Swiss-type CNC lathe with B-axis control combines Swiss style CNC machining with laser cutting on one machine. It allows manufacturers to perform Swiss turning and laser cutting operations with a single setup. All operations are programmed and driven from the machine’s Fanuc 31i-B5 CNC.
The KONTEC KSC 80 centric clamping vise has jaw support for ID and OD clamping. It can be adapted for conventional clamping, short clamping depths for 5-sided machining, mold parts, plates, or saw cuts. The vise features a flat design, pre-tensioned and backlash-free center bearing, repeat accuracy of ±0.01mm, an integrated chip drain, and a protected spindle for process reliability.
T4-12 square shoulder and helical milling cutters allow increased depths of cut and higher metal removal rates when roughing and semi-finishing steel, cast iron, and other workpiece materials. The bigger inserts come with four curved cutting edges that lower tooling cost per part and offer smooth machining operations. Cutter diameters for larger square shoulder inserts range from 1" to 5" (25mm to 125mm), with corner radii up to 0.125" (3.1mm). Diameters for the larger helical inserts range from 2" to 4" (50mm to 100mm), with corner radii up to 0.125" (3.1mm).
An expansion to Slater Tools’ accessory line now includes Go/No-Go inspection gages. In addition to standard sizes, inspection gages can be manufactured to custom specifications to aid with manufacturing quality assurance. Go/No-Go gages inspect for process variations such as form size, twist, and tool wear and are held to extremely tight tolerances.
The Express 220 S2 automatic magazine bar feeder loads 12ft bars with diameters from 2mm to 20mm with bar preparation up to 26mm to accommodate 20mm machines with 26mm bar capacity. The bar feeder uses a simple loading assistance design for small diameter bars with a proprietary, automatic loading mechanism and bar selection system to load small bars with 2mm to 4mm diameters.
The TeleStar Probe, high resolution surface profiling sensor for OGP multisensory dimensional measurement systems, is a self-contained, off-axis, partial-coherence, interferometric range sensor for surface contour measurement. It offers measured point resolution in the sub-micron range, and supports specular and light-scattering diffuse surfaces. The probe scans up to 500 data points per second with 1µm accuracy and repeatability. It features a 25mm constant working distance, and its shallow return angle allows measurement inside bores and blind holes. It is mounted in a mechanical deployment mechanism that retracts it when not in use.
Mida Diamond high precision machine tool touch probes and tool setters assist in controlling production, from workpiece setup and inspection to tool pre-setting and control. The Mida Diamond Touch Probes for part checks are available with wired transmission, optical transmission, and radio transmission. The Mida Diamond Visual Tool Setter (VTS) for tool checking implements a vision technology using a video camera to detect tool dimensions and can be used with dedicated measuring software for checking tools for a repeatability of less than 1µm.
CRT holders, made from high quality, heat-treated steel, come with a black oxide coating and are engineered to allow for better coolant penetration deep into the bore, reducing temperature at the cutting edge. Tool overhang is infinitely adjustable rather than fixed, allowing for maximum performance without chatter or other performance related issues. Using the CRT holder, in conjunction with qualified boring bars and/or threading tools, allows for quick-change machining at optimal performance levels.
The GrindSmart 528XF 6-axis CNC tool grinder has a traveling workhead for drills with a flute length up to 12". It can also manufacture other carbide or HSS drills and high-performance end mills. The tool grinder features a camera to locate small coolant holes and a six-station wheel/nozzle changer.
The clamping elements of the CleverClamp system are designed for manufacturing one-off and small-batch parts are calibrated to fit the Erowa UPC and Erowa MTS production tooling systems, and clamping elements can be positioned on the serrated base rails and used horizontally or vertically. The base rails can attach workpieces of various shapes and sizes, and the CleverClamp system can be universally automated.
The MULTUS B300II is a 1-saddle multitasking CNC lathe designed to reduce setup time and machining costs when machining process-intensive parts. It features a compact design, a rigid bed and guideway system, and an optional W version with a sub-spindle that enables a part to be handled from one spindle to the other, allowing complex parts to be machined on both ends without operator invention. Collision avoidance reduces operator mistakes in manual, MDI, and auto modes, and the base offering has a 40-tool automatic tool changer (ATC), with an optional 60-tool ATC available.
GibbsCAM 2016 software for production machining builds on the universal kinematic machine (UKM) technology, improving efficiency, accelerating programming speed, and enhancing visualization and accuracy for CNC machine programming.
The system’s kinematic framework enables solutions for complex programming challenges, such as oriented turning scenarios, and is compatible with a wide range of programming and machining operations, including solid modeling, high speed machining, 2-to-5 axis milling, wire-EDM, and multitask machining.
The Romer Absolute Arm portable coordinate measuring machine (PCMM), 77 series, is designed for high-end 3D measurement applications. Improving scanning accuracy by nearly 20% and touch-probe measurement accuracy by 15% compared to the 75 series, the Romer Absolute Arm is available in five sizes from 2.5m to 4.5m measuring volumes.
The 77 series offers high precision measurement, Romer Absolute Arm technology, and user-friendly features, such as immediate usage without warm-up or referencing. Probe changes can be made without recalibration to maximize flexibility. Acoustic and haptic operator feedback facilitate usage in harsh shop-floor environments. The standard 3,000N magnetic base offers mounting options for a range of applications and part sizes.
The Miyano BNX-51MSY multi-axis turning center and a Cincom L220 equipped with LFV (low frequency vibration) servo systems will be on display at IMTS 2016. Two L2000 laser systems will also be shown performing laser and conventional machining operations on a Cincom L220XII and a Miyano BNA-42GTY.
This year a major focus in the Marubeni Citizen-Cincom booth will be highly engineered accessories developed by the MCC Tech Center Engineering Team. In addition, a Fanuc robot system will be integrated to a Miyano BNA-42S2, and a Mitsubishi system will be interfaced to a Cincom L220X to unload and palletize completed components. The Cincom L12 will be equipped with a vacuum extraction and automated parts collection system.
The QVI SNAP large field of view measuring system supports cellular manufacturing environments, increasing efficiency and machine utilization. Available with a range of options and configurations, optional dual magnification optics offer a high- and low-optical range with digital magnification levels within each range. Programmable LED light sources create optimum contrast for automatic edge detection. With SNAP-X software, SNAP automatically identifies and measures the part without programming.
Forte broaches are made from tough broaching material, the standard stock material replacing M2. A high wear resistance improves tool life, eliminates chipping, and offers a leading depth of cut. They can be used in non-Somma broach holders.
The Safe-?ock clamping system provides pullout protection that withstands tough materials. Spiral-shaped grooves integrate into corresponding carbide drive pins in the tool holder, uniting frictional clamping force and positive locking for increased cutting depths, feed rates, and metal removal rates (MRR). The design doubles MRR without sacrificing runout or balance accuracy, and is available in greater variety of sizes, tapers, and clamping systems.
The TNL32-11 sliding/fixed headstock automatic lathe has a headstock moving in the Z-axis; identical upper and lower turrets with X-, Y-, and Z-axis; and a counter spindle moveable in the X- and Z-directions. It offers a working attachment that sits on an additional cross-slide moving in the X and Z-axes, and also features a CNC circular axis. The front working attachment makes eight additional tool stations available, four fixed tools and four live tools. The workpiece gripper can unload a machined workpiece from the counter spindle, and the tool drive in the front working attachment has an output of 3.4kW and a maximum speed of 12,000rpm. The toolholders have a mounting shank diameter of 36mm and individually controlled coolant pressure of up to 80bar is available at every station. It features a large, user-friendly work area, and tool turret indexing is performed using an NC rotary axis that controls movement via an internally meshing planetary gear, allowing the turret to be indexed to any position without requiring a mechanical locking mechanism.
Phthalate esters such as diethylhexl-phthalate (DEHP) are the most widely used plasticizers for flexible poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) medical compounds and have been for 50 years, but issues concerning their possible effects on human health have caused some device manufacturers to consider compounds containing alternative plasticizers. When considering alternatives, it is possible to base decisions on one factor that favors a particular alternative plasticizer, rather than conduct a comparative study that takes all important considerations into account, due to the considerable pressure to find an alternative.
There are a number of alternative plasticizers on the market, and while Teknor Apex is best known as a manufacturer of medical-grade PVC compounds, the company also produces some of these plasticizers. Two popular alternatives are trioctyl trimellliate (TOTM), a trimellitate ester which Teknor Apex manufactures and sells primarily to the wire and cable industry due to its low volatility; and dioctyl terephthalate (DOTP), a terephthalate which Teknor Apex does not produce. The company uses both plasticizer types in producing medical-grade, flexible PVC compounds, and as part of a program to support customers in weighing the pros and cons of available alternative plasticizers, Teknor Apex has determined the DOTP provides a better balance of properties than TOTM for many medical device applications.
TOTM is a monomeric plasticizer whose high molecular weight makes it less mobile than DEHP and many alternative plasticizers. Although it has a chemical designation of a terephthalate, DOTP is classified as a non-ortho-phthalate, different from DEHP in terms of animal toxicology and metaboilization.
The high molecular weight of TOTM offers an advantage over DOTP due to the phenomenon of stress cracking in connectors or other rigid components that interface with flexible PVC components such as tubing. The stress cracking is caused by the migration of plasticizer to the interface with the rigid component, and it is most pronounced in the case or amorphous rigid materials like polycarbonate. Crazing, also known as stress cracking, that weakens the component happens more slowly with TOTM than with DOTP.
Although DOTP may cause more crazing than TOTM, it resists crazing better than other alternative plasticizers and even better than DEHP. TOTM is also outperformed in this regard by polymeric plasticizers. Over the years, device manufacturers have avoided serious crazing issues with DEHP through appropriate design and other measures, and it is now possible to minimize the issue of stress cracking by using specially formulated, stress-crack resistant rigid PVC compounds in place of polycarbonate for connectors.
In all respects, except for the issue of crazing, DOTP appears for be the preferable candidate for replacing DEHP. Although DOTP is relatively new to the global marketplace, it already outsells TOTM by a ratio of 12:2. Of all the plasticizers that have emerged as alternatives to DEHP, DOTP has the largest market share.
Peter M. Galland is the industry manager for regulated compounds at Teknor Apex Co.
Students design device to monitor fetal oxygen levels
Departments - Medical Innovations
Rice University students have created a prototype device to monitor the pulse and oxygen levels of a fetus undergoing endoscopic surgery in a mother’s womb.
Rice University students have created a prototype device to monitor the pulse and oxygen levels of a fetus undergoing endoscopic surgery in a mother’s womb. The WombOx team of senior engineering students collaborated with the Texas Children’s Fetal Center to create the device, which miniaturizes the components found in a pulse oximeter commonly clipped to a patient’s finger.
Pulse oximeters read oxygen levels in the blood by comparing light from a source to the light that reaches a detector on the other side of the finger, and can calculate oxygen saturation by sensing how much light is absorbed by the tissue. This kind of information has not been available to doctors working to help fetuses suffering from congenital defects such as spina bifida, and Texas Children’s Hospital is pioneering efforts to treat such conditions through the endoscopic procedure known as fetoscopic surgery.
During surgery, doctors monitor the health of a fetus through ultrasound, but that only gives them a heartbeat. Knowing oxygen levels in the blood is critical when doctors need to act quickly to help a fetus in distress, and the WombOx device offers potential for providing this data in real time.
The bioengineering students, Claudia Iriondo, Thomas Loughlin, Samir Saidi, and Kathryn Wallace, worked closely with Dr. Magdalena Sanz Cortes, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine and a clinician at the Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women; and Eric Richardson, the student’s Rice faculty adviser and engineering lecturer. The prototype is the product of the students’ capstone design project, required of most senior engineering students at Rice. The team won the top Willy Revolution Award, a $5,000 prize presented at Rice’s annual Engineering Design Showcase for innovation in design.
“This project was challenging because of the size of the instruments that we work with,” says Sanz Cortes. “When we started talking about the whole project, we talked about the size of a pulse oximeter. Transforming that into the size of the device they have created is very challenging.”
The device consists of a loop of wire on a hollow stick, where the wire is a special hybrid that expands to a predetermined shape at the correct temperature. It carries LEDs and a photodetector on miniature circuit boards that illuminate and sense the flow of blood through the tissue underneath. The loop is packaged in a retractable sheath that fits through the small incision made in fetoscopic surgeries. The tube is inserted into the mother’s womb and the loop is extended, and once it expands, doctors can use the camera’s video feed to guide the loop around a limb and tighten it, putting the sensors in place to monitor the fetus throughout the procedure.
The team tested their device at the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen on a baby doll in a ball, inserting a rudimentary WombOx through a port that models an incision and successfully looping it around the arm of the doll within, following their progress on a monitor. The device will now go to engineers at Texas Children’s for further refinement and validation.
“A lot of doctors have encouraged us and said, ‘This is amazing, I’m glad you guys are doing this.’ No one is talking it up because there’s not a huge return on investment, but this will be amazing if it can actually monitor a fetus’s vital signs and intervene if something goes wrong,” says Wallace.
