Siemens
Osai have recently completed a 2 year program of retrofits at Siemens Power generation in Newcastle upon Tyne.
The 10/series CNC has replaced the original 8600 system fitted as original equipment on these machines in some cases as long ago as 1986! The changeover was straightforward with minimum impact on the end-user as part programs required only minimal changes due to the change in directory structures. The I/O, axes and encoders were virtually plug compatible and in all but the last machine, a 10 axis machine with part changer and sister tooling, was completed within 2 weeks including training. Minimal training was in fact required as the old and new controls share many common elements. The machines have all been working on 3 shifts.
The new control system brings faster and more precise interpolation and greatly improved part program transfer speeds and program storage. The extremely long part programs can be transferred to the control in seconds over the integrated Ethernet link, instead of the hours that were required with the older system with a serial link and the limited part program storage.
6 Liechti machines were retrofitted.
Two 3 spindle 5 axis Multimills with 12 position tool changer supplied
in 1986. These machines were also enhanced by the addition of an inverter
to make control of the movable tailstocks easier than the original on
or off control. A split axis was added to the table mounted rotary axis
to give advance warning of belt breakage that could otherwise wreck a
very expensive component.
One 5 spindle Multimill with 12 position tool changer supplied in 1988
One 4 spindle Mutimill with 12 position tool changer supplied in 1988
One 3 spindle Multimill with 12 position tool changer supplied in 1993
One 5 spindle Multimill with a 24 position tool changer and an integrated part changer, designed for unmanned machining. Various simple enhancements were made during the retrofit to make manual operations easier and to ease operator intervention when things go wrong during tool changing
