Blum Brings Touch-Probe Precision to MACH 2016

11 January 2016

Touch probes are exactly what the name says, probes. If the stylus touches the workpiece surface, a switch signal is generated. There are a wide variety of probing systems available; and at MACH 2016 on Stand 5750, Blum Novotest will differentiate what exactly makes Blum touch probes the benchmark of the industry.

Until the arrival of the TC-DIGILOG Series from Blum, analogue touch probes that measure stylus deflection and do not emit a digital signal were very large, costly and generally found in CMM's. The arrival of Blum's TC-DIGILOG was the world’s first touch probe for robust use in machine tools. Just a few years after its arrival, the evolution and innovation continues and visitors to the Blum Stand can see the latest developments at MACH 2016.

Blum was the first company to refine probing technology by measuring the start of the shadowing of the light barrier and also making it possible to analyse the percentage increase in the shadowing that occurs when the stylus is deflected ever further. This enables an analogue signal to be generated that greatly extends the range of application of measurement in the machine tool and can also save a great deal of time.

The signal routed via a mounted base to the Blum D/A converter transmits 50,000 readings per second with the TC76-DIGILOG. This gives the end user unparalleled precision levels from a robust system that delivers speed beyond the realms of alternate systems.

AT MACH, Blum will introduce its latest RG 2.0 software that now allows parameters such as waviness, skew or contact area ratio to be presented for the measured surface in addition to the calculated roughness values. This system can now be integrated with the DIGILOG software in machining centre control systems. This now enables customer-specific signal analyses to be performed for route-based measurement. It allows form and surface defects to be logged as well as lengths and angles of the measured surface.

This new BLUM touch panel TP48- 21, which is ideally suited to retrofits can now also provide direct display and operation tools. In this case, the operator simply uses a soft-key to switch between the machining program and the BLUM user interfaces, enabling them to conveniently define warning and tolerance limits or analyse current measurements. The new software versions run on the BLUM IPC48-20 installed in the control cabinet, which are powered by Windows 7 Embedded, and output to the controller via a remote connection. When using a Siemens 840Dsl controller, the powerful CPU can even eliminate the need to use an additional IPC when using DIGILOG applications.

So, if you want to improve your production quality, consistency and improve overall 'peace-of-mind', it may be time to visit the Blum stand 5750 at MACH to see what the leading OEMs in all industry sectors are using…the latest DIGILOG technology from Blum.