Sandvik Coromant is introducing the 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 tool holder in an environment that risks 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 driven tool-holder solution uses sensors to gather data and undertake transmissions via Bluetooth, making it possible to implement predictive maintenance strategies on the holder. Thanks to quick-change functionality, the time an operator needs to spend on measurement, set-up and tool change is kept to a minimum.
The software application included in the offer provides operators with real-time information – such as the temperature and vibration level of the holder – facilitating live monitoring of the spindle. Other data sets delivered through the sensors include spindle speed and direction of rotation, minimising the chances of exceeding the driven tool holder’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.
Says Mathias Tjomsland, product manager - digital tools: “Typically, the maintenance of a driven tool holder is performed once or twice a year, depending on the level of usage, but this does not take into consideration the actual maintenance needs of an individual holder. By providing real-time data, Coromant Capto DTH Plus facilitates correct decision-making when it comes to scheduling a maintenance stop, ensuring service is carried out as the result of a true requirement, not simply through interval planning. As a result, manufacturers can be confident that their driven tool holders are always in good condition.”
