Tube Drilling Machine

Custom Designed Machine for Drilling and Cutting Tube.

In this application, our client, Bespoke Machines, was asked to design and build a machine to drill a series of holes in steel tube and then cut off to the correct length. The stock tube being machined was 8.2 meters long and multiple tubes needed to be loaded so the machine could run automonously through the night. The size of the machine meant that there would be logistical issues to consider as the overall machine would be so large it would take a special lorry and loader to move to the clients site.

Our client designed all of the mechanics for the machine in-house and requested a semi-custom solution from TRM for the control systems.

The requirements of the design were to:

- - Increase throughput
  - Simplify production
  - Improve quality
  - Reduce manufacturing costs

Using a 3 axis TRM motion controller with MAP software, two servomotors of 4.1 Nm and one servomotor of 1.2 Nm, each with a 1000 PPR encoder, one TRM electrical cabinet, a set of pre-made cables between the electrical cabinet and controller and 3 proximity sensors for home position sensing, our client was able to build and control the machine to meet the desired specifications.

By using the Motion Application Programme "MAP" our client was able to save money and time in software development. MAP can store many user programs in memory and each program can have up to 1000 commands. The flexibility of MAP means that very complex programs can be created, in this case the program was 250 lines long.

The number of holes, the angle and the length of the finished product can all be programmed by the user. Using the servomotors, the machine starts gripping the 8.2 meter long tube and takes it to position. The end is sawn square and then repositioned to drill the first hole. After executing one hole, the tube is moved to position in order to drill the second hole. By using the servomotors the tube can be rotated any number of degrees in order to make holes at a different angle. Once all the holes have been drilled, the saw is activated and the tube is cut to length. The machine is run 24/7 and production is higher than expected.

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The finished product.	Multiple drilling heads.

SOFTWARE

The controller was programmed using the Motion Application Programme ‘MAP’. ‘MAP’ has been used in a vast variety of machines and applications giving the user a greater control of costs, saving money and time on software development.

One of the great advantages of MAP is that it allows end users to create their own programs with no need for a skilled programmer. MAP has been used in different applications from Welding Machines, Bowling Ball Machines, Tube and Bar Bending Machines, XYZ tables, Pallet Manufacturing Robots, rotary axes and milling machines to pharmaceutical mixers among other applications.

MOTION

Point to Point move:
Moves a single axis from point to point with no acceleration, or velocity parameters. This command is mainly used by the profile generator or for holding position.

Trapezoidal move:
Moves a single axis from point to point, using programmed acceleration and velocity parameters. If the velocity can not be reached the function will generate a triangular profile.

Linear Interpolation:
This function allows up to 4 axis to be linked together to produce a linear profile. Full use is made of the acceleration and velocity parameters.

Circular Interpolation
This function allows two axis to be linked together to produce a circular profile. Full use is made of the acceleration and velocity parameters.

TYPICAL APPLICATIONS

XY Positioning Tables
Conveyors
Dosing
Mixers
General Motion Control
Cutting Machines
Automatic Drills
Positioners
Robotics
Bending Machines
Woodworking Machines

Items Provided By TRM for this Application:

Professional Motion Controller
1 off 3 Axis stand alone motion controller with keypad and colour screen.

Electrical Cabinet
24 Volts for the motion controller and the power supply for the DC servo amplifiers to run the motors using an external transformer. Screw connectors are used for connecting the Inputs/Outputs for a fast connection, On-board filtering of power supplies and signals.

Servomotor
1 off DC Servomotor rated at 1.2 Nm

2 off DC Servomotor rated at 4.1Nm

DC Servo-Amplifier
1 off compact current mode amplifier capable of driving brushed DC Servo motors continuously at up to 100 volts and up to 5, 10 or 20 amps depending on the model

Encoder
3 off Rotary Encoder with 1000 ppr

Sensors
3 off Inductive Proximity sensor for home position

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