At next month’s IMTS 2012, Renishaw will be demonstrating its new multiple probe radio transmission system for tool setting and inspection probing. Boasting fast integration and a cable free environment, the RMI-Q system offers users automated on-machine tool setting, tool breakage detection, part set-up and part verification capability.
The new RMI-Q uses a single radio receiver for tool setting probe and spindle mounted touch probe installation.
Renishaw’s RMI-Q radio transmission interface can operate as many as four radio transmission probes on the same CNC machine.
It is used to activate either the spindle-mounted touch probe or table-mounted tool setting probe, and gives visual indication of the activated device. It features the tried and tested 2.4GHz (designed to be compliant with radio regulations worldwide) frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) radio transmission enabling uninterrupted operation in increasingly busy radio environments.
The system is suitable for applications that have obscured line-of-sight to the probe and its transmission range of up to 15m make it particularly suitable on large machines. The RMI-Q has all the functionality of Renishaw’s proven RMI, combined with additional features. RMI-Q allows easy acquisition using a simple macro to partner all required probes to the interface in a single operation. Additionally when RMI-Q is used in conjunction with an RTS and radio spindle probe it is possible for a simple automated calibration cycle to be run using the RTS stylus as the calibration artifact.
Renishaw’s new RTS tool setting probe with radio transmission is a robust, compact and cable-free product which does not restrict table movement, and offers users broken tool detection combined with fast and accurate tool measurement. Its design is particularly suitable for machines with twin pallets or rotary tables, which historically have proven challenging for installations of hard-wired tool setters.
