Manufacturing & design technology

Diamonds for machine tool wear protection

At IMTS 2018, Lach Diamond – manufacturer of diamond and cubic boron nitride (CBN) tools and grinding wheels – will demonstrate the advantages of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) versus carbide with practical examples and models.

In addition, the entire program of PCD tools for machining non-ferrous metals and newly developed diamond and CBN grinding wheels for super-fast profiling of carbide and hardened high-alloy steels will be displayed.

Lach Diamond Inc.
IMTS 2018 Booth #432054

Digital readout

The ND 5023 digital readout (DRO) for use with manually operated machine tool replaces Heidenhain’s entry- level ND 522/523 models, consolidating it to one 3-axis product. Equipped with a thin-film-transistor (TFT) color display that improves readability, design changes make installing the readout easier for inexperienced machinists. An installation guide assists in performing basic configuration and when switching the unit on the first time. Users select the support feature that guides them through the setup.

User management makes it easier for up to nine users to operate the product, saving personal settings with a user number to recall them.

The ND 5023 DRO has a powder-coated, die-cast aluminum housing and uses a membrane keyboard. Encoders with a transistor–transistor logic (TTL) interface (differential and single-ended) can be connected via a 9-pin D-sub connector.

The data interface on the ND 5023 is USB Type C, allowing the DRO to assume the tasks of both master and slave.

A universal mounting option features a VESA-MIS 100 interface on the rear, allowing use of standardized holders for mounting.

Heidenhain Corp.
IMTS 2018 Booth #135226

Handheld, high resolution surface gage

The InSpec handheld, non-contact instrument for measuring surface defects and features on precision machined surfaces offers rapid, portable measurement despite vibration and noise. Quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) personnel can take repeatable, micrometer-level-resolution surface measurements in factory floor, machine shop, and field service environments, without a quality lab.

The surface gage enables direct inspection of defects and fine features, measuring surface defects between 0.0002" to 0.1" (5µm to 2.5mm). It can access tight corners or reach across large surfaces. Fold mirror attachments enable borescope-like access to features without direct line of sight.

An intuitive, touchscreen interface manages setup, operation, analysis, and report generation. Software automatically locates critical features and calculates height, volume, area, slopes, and location. Operators can view 2D or 3D plots and review feature parameters in tabular form.

4D Technology Corp.
IMTS 2018 Booth #122007