CU2 Tool

Reliable measurements of your milling tools

Camera based tool measurement

Image-based tool metrology is the next evolutionary step for an industry facing increasing demands for accuracy, speed, and reduced cost. A quantum leap from an old-school tool setter. 

With the full picture of the tool, the CU2 Tool is the perfect companion to the smart factory in an industry 4.0 setting. The information it can provide outperforms any conventional tool setter. With its data capture, the CU2 Tool can be a key indicator of not only the tool condition and quality but also the health of the machine itself.

The CU2 Tool is built with the milling machine in mind. It is made to endure the harsh environment of chips and splashing oil, and is made to deliver reliable measurement results even in the dense oil mist. To harness the true precision of the machines, reliable measurements must be attainable in its true machining environment, not just in laboratory conditions.

As a tool setter with sub-micron repeatability at 6σ, and the best tool-to-tool accuracy in the market, it is a natural choice for any workshop who wants to lower scrap, win contracts and save money on tool costs and setup time.

Good measurement equipment must adapt to the machines, not the other way around. The CU2 Tool is highly configurable. From large gantry machines to jukebox sized micro milling machines, the CU2 Tool can be adapted to it:

  • Two different magnifications (x21 and X67) capable to measure tools from 0.1mm to 75mm tools.
  • Two different heights of the sensors (160mm and 110mm)
  • Two different bridge lengths (80mm and 160mm)…
  • … and for extreme flexibility the bridge can be omitted completely in the split configuration.

WHAT:Camera based tool measurement

4 seconds recording, over 200 images, millions of millions of pixels depicting the milling tools rotating flutes.
The data is the processed, capturing a detailed overview of the tool. Making it possible to detect and digitally clean the tools before delivering measurements with the highest reliability.

WHY: Know your tool

Know your tool – know your workpiece. The quality of the workpiece is directly related to what information the machine and operator has about the tool. I addition in the data where the degradation of the tool is recorded lies information that is the key to knowing the machine better.

HOW:Integrate

The CU2 Tool is designed to fit seamlessly within the milling machine. The CU2 Tool is already integrated with the most common controls. By harnessing the data, allows the operator to not only measure the tools, but also determine if they are fit to be used, if they have been mounted correctly, or if they are damaged or they are of the wrong type.
Enable lights-out machining by throwing away tools when they are worn, or get those extra microns you need to be sure that your parts are within spec every time, simply by using the CU2 Tool.
The CU2 Tool is already integrated on Siemens, Fanuc, Beckhoff and Heidenhain, and several other NCs.

Specifications

Magnification M21 M67 M230
Observation Area 14 x 9 mm 4.5 x 2.9 mm 1.3 x 0.8 mm
Working Distance 40 or 80 mm 40 or 80 mm 40 mm
Illumination Distance 40 or 80 mm 40 or 80 mm 40 mm
Tool Sizes 0.3 – 75 mm 0.1 – 20 mm 0.03 – 4 mm
Two-sided measurements ≤ 12 mm ≤ 4mm ≤ 1.1 mm
Rotation Speed ≤ 120 000 min-1 ≤ 120 000 min-1 ≤ 120 000 min-1
Recording Time 3 -4 sec 3 -4 sec 3 – 4 sec
Calculation Time 0.3 – 6 sec 0.3 – 6 sec 0.3 – 6 sec

Repeatability (6σ)

21 x Magnification (M21)
Reliability (6σ) x3
Tool Size (mm) <6 6 – 12 12 – 24 24 – 48 48 – 74
Repeatability (µm) ± 0.7 ± 0.9 ± 1.3 ± 1.8 ± 2.5

67 x Magnification (M67)
Reliability (6σ) x4
Tool Size (mm) <2 2 – 4 4 – 8 8 – 16 16 – 24
Repeatability (µm) ± 0.4 ± 0.5 ± 0.7 ± 1.0 ± 1.4

230 x Magnification (M230)
Reliability (6σ) x5
Tool Size (mm) < 0.5 0.5 – 1 1 – 2 2 – 4
Repeatability (µm) ± 0.2 ± 0.3 ± 0.4 ± 0.5
Image showing the protective features of the CU2 Tool.
Image showing the configurable connector backpack.

An superior tool setter alternative

No matter what your tool measurement needs are, the CU2 Tool will always be the superior option. No other tool setter technology can provide this amount of details and accuracy while providing such an high grade of robustness.

Already used by several major actors in the machine tool business, the CU2 Tool can also be adapted to your machine.

The CU2 Tool is already integrated on Siemens, Fanuc,Beckhoff and Heidenhain and several other NCs.

How can the CU2 Tool be configured to fit your milling machine