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Lights Out Monitoring

troyscrew

Plastic
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Location
Detroit, MI
I just purchased a Swiss lathe with a Fanuc 18i controller. My goal is to eventually run it lights out. What kind of software/hardware do people use for monitoring stock, alarms and tool wear from home?

Marc
 
I've been looking into this as well for lights out milling in the future. I've read of guys connecting auto-dialers to the machine alarm. If there is an alarm, the dialer calls a preset number. Pretty handy, if you ask me.

Remote cameras you can access from the internet and/or smart phones are becoming pretty inexpensive. I'd set one of those up to look at the control screen and maybe one inside the machine.

As of yet, I haven't heard of any machines that let you see what's going on in the control remotely.
 
call john carpenter at cnc computer integration 860-749-3838
he's the authority on this stuff, and will do it all wirelessly and reliably.
 
This guy I used to work with setup a couple of cheap cameras and would monitor the machines from home, cost less than a couple hundred bucks. I know there is more advanced software/hardware out there but it depends on your needs and budget.
 
I just purchased a Swiss lathe with a Fanuc 18i controller. My goal is to eventually run it lights out.

Step by step.

I would suggest to start at the first step, make the program run optimal, experiment with the best tooling for the job, monitor the entire process.
Then when you think your ready for lights out, start the machine and dont touch it for the whole rest of the day, dont take a short peek and dont listen to it, while you do something else.

If your machine still runs at the end of the day, spitting out parts, then you can try to extend the unmonitored time, and start leaving the building.
 
I have machines that run with the lights on, but overnight often.
(most of the time if I had my way)

But i will say - I would not employ a practice of not checking parts during the day - simply b/c you won't tonight. :crazy:

Once you walk away from that machine, the next part could be junk, and it could run till the magazine is empty. This can happen when you are standing 10' away just the same. Once you walk away - you take a risk of running junk, but if it is unatended, you are only risking material and tooling, and whatever electricity, coolant, and perishables as well... 3rd shift is always a gamble. Don't risk more than you are willing to lose....

It is best to change all needed inserts or whatnot soon before leaving so that you are walking away from a sharp machine that will have less likelyhood of having issues. If your tool will run all day - let it be at the end of it's life while you are there. (and checking parts every so often)

Some jobs I leave run all night. I have already left a known job run for [what should have taken] 32 hours when I left for a trade show for the weekend. I knew that it would be on the ragged edge of wear on a tool or two, but the last part was still OK.

Other jobs I may set the counter to stop in 2 hrs, 4 hrs, or whatnot... Just depends on the job. Example - a job with single pointed threads I will likely not leave run all night. But I might leave it run for 4 hrs. ???


You say your ina Swiss:

Are you running coolant or oil?

If you are in oil, the first thing that you want to doo before walking out the door, is to employ a "Firetrace" system. (I need to take my own advise on this one yet)

http://www.firetrace.com/english/applications/industrial/?page=cnc-machines


I would reccommend starting with setting your counter for a few hrs and werk your way from there.... Or only put in two or four bars in the magazine, or whatever means you want to use to limit production qty...


------------------

I am Ox and I approve this h'yah post!
Ox
 
Seems to me that Heidenhein controllers have some remote alarm options - but I didn't buy that option so cannot say if it works or how well. Same is likely true of other controllers I don't know about.

If the machine has a built-in tool-setter, then it hopefully also has the ability to check tools from within a program, and switch, or stop, if the tool is out of spec.

Now, for those of us who rarely, but more often than never, have issues where coolant runs all over the floor, well, that's worth thinking about in advance.... :angry:

Remember to think through the failure modes along the communication chain - if you can't see the picture at the shop, is this because your home computer is down? The web link to your dwelling? The web link to the shop? The web camera in the shop? The power in the shop? Or has the machine exploded and destroyed the web cam?

Also, since you will hopefully be asleep part of the time, a web cam is of finite use - it can be showing a fine picture of the machine spitting out scrap, which you won't see until morning because you are asleep.
 
I have a solution. Have a nice big 40 x 60 shop at home, put the machine in it. And a bedroom as well. That way if something goes wrong you are there, just run out in the PJ's and fix the problem and back to sleep.
 
I just purchased a Swiss lathe with a Fanuc 18i controller. My goal is to eventually run it lights out. What kind of software/hardware do people use for monitoring stock, alarms and tool wear from home?

Marc

One of the first things you need, is a Pilot's Check List with all the steps you'll need, so you can validate them before you "Push the Button."

Then you can figure out the rest as you go.

Regards,

Stan-
 
Since I don't mind to be the odd man out, my preferred and only acceptable choice for a lights-out lathe and mill application is a 3rd shift operator.
He can even turn on the lights if needed.
 
I've seen enough strange things happen with CNC's and tooling etc. If it was my half a million dollar baby, I would not run it lights out and be miles away from it. Why?
 
Nothing worse than coming in to check on a machine before bed and having to get it going again... That being said the main things we do here are, Monitor inserts and always try to leave fresh tooling in the machine before leaving. Be conservative with your feeds and speeds. Not slow enough to not break chips but not so fast either. Make sure your chips are getting out of the machine!!! This is #1 IMHO Nothing will cause a wreck faster than a pile of chips blocking coolant to the tools. I usually do not run first time jobs overnight or at least on the first day of a job. Another important thing is making sure your parts get out of the machine. Second to coming in to a down machine before bed time is getting there in the morning and having to dig through a chip hopper for parts! I have a fire trace installed on my oilslinger and thankfully have never had it go off (for a fire at least). Also a good idea to have part present sensors on your machine , with a little creativity you can check drills and such with it. Building a shop at home with a bedroom in it sounds like pure hell!:nutter:

Hope this helps
Dan
 
i run +/- .0002 dia bores 16 pcs per night = ~10 hrs per night unattended why on earth would you want to pay someone to watch machines at night these days when everything can be done automatically. we have a free shift every day , and its not always the same job we do changovers and let everything run out each day using auto power off etc
 
sounds great but the good guys wont work nights , so they work days and thats when all the setups, inspections, programs etc get done (brainwork ).
also need to be able to service the customers and your supply chain during the day.
so thats why let the free shift go all night long:nutter:
 
I fully agree. And besides why not just run days lights out. And just work nights way less traffic and crap to deal with.

Same Difference?:rolleyes5:

sounds great but the good guys wont work nights , so they work days and thats when all the setups, inspections, programs etc get done (brainwork ).
also need to be able to service the customers and your supply chain during the day.
so thats why let the free shift go all night long:nutter:

x2

:cheers:
 








 
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