Turning is a broad machining process. It encompasses workpieces with diameters measured in feet and diameters of a fraction-of-an-inch. It’s a function of scale. On the fractions of an inch side of turning is a moving headstock automatic micro-screw machine from Freer Engineering (Simi Valley, California).

Billed as a JIT (just-in-time) machine, this little lathe is profitable producing quantities of a few or even one. The key to its application in short-run work is a low base price (under $70,000 tooled) and simple programming method.

Since the machine makes really small workpieces, an integral TV camera and monitor allow the operator to observe the metalcutting action. The camera and monitor also help the operator set tools and program the machine. A cross hair on the monitor screen registers the centerline for tool alignment. A joystick controls positioning of the head-stock and tooling axes. An operator can “teach” the control a program while walking the machine through the moves needed to make a part.

The Freer machine has a maximum 5/16-inch diameter through the spindle capacity. It cuts virtually any material including stainless and titanium. A moving headstock design, the spindle has three inches of travel. In operation, the spindle axis intersects a tool bar located perpendicular to the spindle traverse. From a plan view, the tool bar moves north and south while the headstock moves east and west. The tool bar is servo controlled and carries up to 18 tools. Powered attachments for milling can be used on the tool bar.

So far this machine has been successfully applied primarily in the medical arts industry. It’s used to make bone screws and biopsy cups. In one application an impeller for a dentists’ drill (450,00 rpm) was machined complete in one chucking on this machine. The operation was previously a multi-step machining process.

The machine, designated AM 2000, may be small but it is built to standards used on larger machine tools. For example, the spindle is heat treated, ground and lapped to provide an accurate mating surface for the Class 7, preloaded bearings used to support it. The head-stock is a stess-relieved, Meehanite casting. Both the tool and spindle axes travel on recirculating roller bearings over linear guideways. Ballscrews are preloaded and driven by stepper motors with ten-to-one micro-stepping.

Speed of changeover between jobs is vital to machining small quantities of workpieces profitably. This machine, says the manufacturer, can be retooled from one job to the next in a matter of minutes. Because of the relatively large carrying capacity of the tool bar, often more than one job can be tooled at a time. The MS-DOS based computer can accommodate numerous programs in its memory. Under ideal conditions, job changeover can be as simple as changing the material, selecting the program and hitting cycle start.

Freer offers the AM 2000 standard with at least two live tooling stations for sawing, cross-drilling or milling, and eight toolholders on the machine. Also included is programming and tooling for two to four workpieces. This parts runoff constitutes the buyoff criteria for the machine.

Micro-machining is growing in part because off increasing improvements in scaling down machine tools. Automating what was essentially a jewelers craft has opened many opportunities to contract manufacturers. In the area of medical arts, the application of advanced manufacturing technology, in the form of CNC machine tools and other automation, is making a reality of workpiece designs that could only be imagined a few years ago.

IMS51 series ac bipolar drivers are CE compliant to meet safety protocols when powering ultra high torque step motors. Output current can be selected as 1.4 A/phase or 2.8 A/phase, depending on requirement. With basic step division of .72[degrees] full step at 500 steps/revolution and .36[degrees] half step at 1,000 steps/revolution, driver suits NEMA size 17, 23 or 34 5-phase step motors. Requiring no power supply, units operate from 120 or 220 Vac.

San Jose, CA-As new demands for better technology have spawned a high number of new companies into the manufacturing and R&D marketplace, the longstanding and successful Silicon Valley-based Nyden Corporation continues to meet stringent requirements for the motion control industry by announcing today an addition to complement its family of popular-selling 5-Phase Step Motors and Drivers. The high-performance IMS51 series is an economical AC bipolar driver that is CE compliant to fulfill worldwide safety protocols when powering ultra high torque step motors. It also carries the patented STAR approval, a prestigious trademark granted by industry officials for optimal performance and safety of selected 5-Phase Motion Control products designed exclusively by Nyden’s parent company, Mycom, Inc.

Nyden’s new IMS51 is more exceptional than a smart integrated driver. Its main pull is its flexibility to drive with intelligent computer-like functions 5-phase step motors of various torque, speed and size factors without the requirement of adjusting numerous dipswitch-type driver settings. Consequently, this profits user’s productivity and eliminates company downtime when employing multifunctional operations commanded by step motors of different NEMA sizes. Enhanced features, quick 5-lead stepper motor connections, setup and installation conditions provide designers a powerful, synchronous running performance in a motion control pulse igniter. In addition, the compact unit is designed with superior modular electronics inside a carefully crafted metal box to effectively deliver electrical power and performance to a step motor in cordial compliance with program signals from almost any type of controller. This new IMS51 driver is highly user-friendly and will perform superbly in many automated applications demanding high output power and high acceleration rates, such as designing semiconductor production units, robotics, wafer inspection and probing equipment, CNC systems, aerospace apparatus, and food producing machinery.

As the company’s newest motion control driver system, Myden’s IMS5I presents a wide assortment of step driving capabilities. The output current of this new driver can easily be selected as 1.4 Amps/Phase or 2.8 Amps/Phase, depending on the user’s requirement of operating either a low or high amp step motor. This amp rate selection function also promotes easy guidance for users in determining which high performance, high torque NEMA size 17, 23 or 34 5-phase step motor will be employed within their system. Additional features and benefits of the IMS51 include: Auto-Current Down, Auto-Current Off, Exciting Timing Output, Overheat Warning Output and a basic step division of .72[degrees] Full Step (at 500 steps/revolution) and .36[degrees] Half Step (at 1,000 steps/revolution). Inputs are fully opto-isolated for excellent noise immunity in typical noisy environments of factory floor plants. The driver requires no power supply, is operated from 120V AC or 220 VAC for both low and high amp series. Both versions accept Clockwise and Counter-clockwise pulse types or pulse and direction commands, with Input Signal Voltage of Low: 0 ~ 0.5V and High: 4~5V. Signal outputs offer a Photocoupler Open-collector Output, MONI, HEAT and a Limited Capacity of 25V 10mA or less. Simple installation requirements are: out-of-the-box, wire hookup and run. The driver is priced below $450/unit for mass quantities over 400 units.

NYDEN CORPORATION, located in San Jose, California, is the R&D and sales headquarters for MYCOM, INC., of Kyoto, Japan. The company’s unique approach to customer service success is achieved by the support of thousands of engineers and end-users worldwide. A multi-million dollar company, NYDEN is proud to carry MYCOM’s patented 5-Phase STAR Driver Stepping Systems, a series of low-cost 5-Phase stepper motors and drivers that offer increased true resolution with virtually no low speed resonance problems. The company is also the first to design the world’s highest Nano-type 5-Phase Series. The NanoDrive(TM) offers users true resolution of over 500,000 steps per revolution for the highest accuracy and lowest vibration possible.

Mounted directly on machine frame next to motor, X67 Stepper Motor Modules offer 2 control possibilities and integrated motor detection. Module X67SM4320 controls up to 4 stepper motors, with rated voltage of 18-30 Vdc at motor current up to 1 A, while module X67SM2436 controls up to 2 stepper motors, with rated voltage of 18-48 Vdc at motor current up to 3 A. It also has 6 digital inputs. Both offer 20 kHz max step frequency and stall detection.

B&R X67 Stepper Motor Module

Controlling stepper motors with IP67 protection

The new B&R X67 Stepper Motor Modules provide machine builders a more cost effective solution to controlling stepper motors. Stepper motors are still very popular among machine builders for various reasons including: high degree of torque, operation without feedback, and holding the last position when power is disconnected just to name a few of the special features of the stepper motor. The X67 stepper motor module is available in two variants based on the customer’s requirements. The highlights of the new X67 stepper motor modules can be summarized as follows: