The Critical CNC Machining Weakness

CNC technology has revolutionized the machining industry with powerful benefits including improved automation, consistency, accuracy, and flexibility. So what is the weakness of CNC machining? Its weakness is really our weakness: under-monitoring performance. We don’t monitor our machining enough and we tend to monitor our work pieces rather than the tools actually performing the work. As a result our processes produce faulty components, cycle down time, and wasted material.

The limiting factor of our success is typically not our CNC machine, but our tooling performance. Under the demands of the necessary functions we demand from our tools, we experience unpredictable tooling wear and breakage. In moderate or high production environments, CNC machine sensors are the answer. With the relatively low cost of CNC machine monitoring systems, even modest decreases in down time and waste result in rapid paybacks and high returns on investment (ROI). Our preferred product for this application is the BK Mikro TK8A.

cnc tool sensor

BK Mikro TK8A Distinctive Product Features:

  • Servo motor and encoder provide superior ability to learn and accurately check tool position
  • High speed operation under precise control to monitor the smallest tools
  • Powerful control unit can monitor up to 512 cycles or functions
  • Interfaces with CNC machine controls
  • Rugged, waterproof casing works in aggressive machining environments
  • Advanced settings allow for tolerance ranges from 0.15 to 25.0 degrees
  • Compact design and useful accessories

BK Mikro TK8A Benefits Provided:

  • NO or minimal added cycle time
  • Tools/objects monitored immediately after every cycle
  • Highly adaptive, flexible system provides excellent utility
  • Maintenance free, highly reliable monitoring
  • 3 year warranty
  • Dedicated product support