While controls are becoming easier to use, they’re also becoming much more powerful.

Technology highlights from the Metal Cutting Pavilion exhibitors at IMTS 2018 include more collaboration between CNC and automation providers, more process integration to create multi-tasking machines and more powerful software and user-friendly CNC controls.

Marposs Corp. has announced its Ready2Probe™ software application designed to assist CNC users when programming cycles for measuring and checking components and tools using Mida spindle probes, lasers, TBD (Tool Breakage Detector) and VTS (Visual Tool Setter). 

The proverb “time is money” applies to almost every profession today, but especially to manufacturing, and certainly to CNC machining. Lights-out facilities are becoming more prevalent, and the importance of active controls with automated feedback is growing, too.

Ballbar technology that auto-diagnoses machine tool performance has been a cornerstone of precision machining operations for more than two decades. In 2009, Renishaw introduced the QC20-W wireless ballbar system; and today, companies that one might not think of as using ballbars are now utilizing the technology in new and exciting ways.

Generation Z, a demographic cohort comprised of people born from the mid 1990s to the early 2000s, is the first generation to have no memory of life before cell phones, laptops and widespread use of the Internet. 

Mitutoyo America Corporation announced the release of the Quick Image CNC (QI-C), the latest addition in the Quick Image Series of 2D vision measuring systems.

TriMet Consulting launched its consultancy service for the growing number of manufacturers who want on-demand, expert-level CNC programming, CMM programming and other 3D data-driven services for industrial design-to-inspection applications.

Made available through Siemens Cooperates with Education, the effort is designed to give high school and technical school graduates a basic-to-advanced machine tool knowledge that will benefit them in their future careers as CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machinists.

Mitutoyo announced the release of the RA-6000CNC, a custom-built CNC roundness/cylindricity measuring system with best-in-class accuracy.