New connected driven toolholder solution maximises machine utilisation

Part of the CoroPlus digital machining offer, the Coromant Capto DTH Plus solution minimises costly downtime due to breakages by alerting an operator to the need to service an individual driven tool holder. This enables manufacturers to achieve maximum machine tool productivity and output through predictive maintenance as well as offering fast tool changes in applications using driven tools.

As a leading developer and provider of metal cutting solutions, Sandvik Coromant is introducing the new product to solve a common problem for many manufacturers – knowing the optimum time to service their equipment while avoiding the likelihood of tool holder breakage. Outside a planned maintenance schedule, an operator could be running a toolholder in an environment that risks costly damage to equipment, resulting in machining failures and unplanned stops in production.

Developed to complement the Coromant Capto quick-change tooling concept from Sandvik Coromant, the new driven toolholder solution uses sensors to gather data and transmits them via Bluetooth, making predictive maintenance of the holder possible. Thanks to quick-change functionality, the time an operator needs to spend on measuring, set-up and tool change is kept to a minimum. Also, because the driven toolholders are equipped with Coromant Capto coupling, the solution enables operators to make use of an extensive range of high-performance cutting tools.

The software application included in the new offer provides operators with real-time information – such as the vibration level of the holder – making live monitoring of the spindle possible, while also monitoring the temperature within the tool holder. Other data delivered through the sensors include RPM and direction of rotation, minimising the chances of exceeding the driven toolholder’s limits, and current and historical information about a particular tool. Also provided is data on the location of a driven tool holder, including the specific factory, machine name, turret and station number.

Said Mathias Tjomsland, product manager, Digital Tools at Sandvik Coromant: “Typically, maintenance of a driven tool holder is carried out once or twice a year, depending on the level of usage, but this does not take into consideration the actual maintenance need of an individual holder. By providing real-time data, the Coromant Capto DTH Plus offer makes it possible to make the correct decision on when to schedule a maintenance stop, ensuring service is carried out with true need and not simply through interval planning. As a result, manufacturers can be confident that their driven tool holders are always in good condition and that their machine shop is operating at very high efficiency levels.”

www.sandvik.coromant.com