Fanuc 31i-B tool load monitor user experiences wanted!

Can anyone share his experience with Fanuc 31i-B or similar tool load monitoring? We are planning to buy Dmg Mori NTX-1000 with Fanuc, but our cnc-setup guys have concerns regarding its tool load monitoring as we want to implement lights-out production. Our experince is based mostly with Doosan Lynx-220Y 2016 lathe which tool load monitoring doesnt function well. At least in comparison to Okuma lathes.
Can anyone share his experience with us? Could it be that we expect too much from this eco serie Doosan lathe and high-end DMG wouldnt have such issues?

There are also aftermarket options for tool load monitoring, like 3PM Technologies, or Charon Engineering.

I've got a small amount of experience with it. You essentially setup some M codes around the section of code that you want to monitor. It will check all the axis on the turret/head and spindle and record them while those codes are active. You do have to be in teaching mode to record. Once you have enough data you feel comfortable, you can add in your values for throwing a warning flag and for complete stop of the machine.

Our application is mostly light cutting on die castings so it is hard to distinguish if the inserts is chipped, but it can pick it up if we hit a hard spot and take out most of the insert. That way it stops the machine before it's press fits our bore onto the other spindle's collet.

I could see it being pretty helpful on the milling spindle of the NTX if your tools aren't tiny.

Thanks for the hint! Have you used them? Are they good for Mill-Turn machine?

TeachMePlease said:

There are also aftermarket options for tool load monitoring, like 3PM Technologies, or Charon Engineering.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info! Unfortunately the 3PM is only in States (not in Europe). Do you know from where these retrofit systems get the input information? Is there some sensors that needs to be insterted on each tool holder or they get the read out from motors?

Kase said:

Thanks for the info! Unfortunately the 3PM is only in States (not in Europe). Do you know from where these retrofit systems get the input information? Is there some sensors that needs to be insterted on each tool holder or they get the read out from motors?

Click to expand...

They have multiple options. The 3PM uses vibration sensors that are magnetically attached to the toolholder or spindle being monitored. They can also be wired directly into the spindle drive to monitor load. The Charon system I believe is only available as wired into the spindle drive, but I don't remember for sure.

Marposs has a pretty extensive system, too. They have a mind-boggling array of machine-tool retrofits.

No affiliation.

* Machine Tool Industry -- Retrofitters and End Users | Marposs