How Our BK Mikro Works with CNC Swiss Machines

Recently we talked about some of the general capabilities of our BK Mikro series of broken tool detectors. While we gave a clear, general portrait of how the BK Mikro improves the efficiency and lastingness of machine lines, we also know that we’re just scratching the surface as far as its specific applications. This week we’re interested in taking some time to discuss our BK Mikro again, but with a greater focus on specific applications. Namely, we’d like to assess the BK Mikro in conjunction with Swiss machines: how the two systems interact, and how Swiss Machinery can benefit specifically from using our BK Mikro system.

Swiss screw machines are automated lathes which, by way of rotating at rapid speeds, are able to “shave” the fine edges of a piece of metal down to an extremely precise tolerance. A CNC Swiss screw machine, for example, can rotate a component at a walloping speed of 10,000 rpms, and additionally is able to achieve accuracy of somewhere between 0.00002 – 0.0005”. Almost needless to say, the rapidity by which these machines rotate can easily affect the accuracy of the tools, and can even cause breakage for either the parts being made or the tools that are making them.

The BK Mikro scanner is a servo motor that can be placed between two specific rotating tools on a Swiss machine. The BK Mikro possesses a “wand” that can be programmed to move first in one direction, and then the next, to touch each tool and ensure they are not broken. Throughout the machining process, the wand will touch the tools after every cycle to see if a broken tool has occurred.  If a break is detected, the BK Mikro will automatically output a “KO” signal to the CNC and automatically shut down the machining process.

Because of the small size of the BK Mikro scanners, they are an easy fit for the tight dimensions of a Swiss screw machine. The BK Mikro can be fully integrated into a variety of leading-name Swiss machines such as Star, Citizen, Tsugami, and Tornos. Techna-Tool Inc. has sold many of these devices to companies throughout the world, with its products often becoming the primary monitoring systems for a given machining line.