New Bluetooth Ballbar Improves Machine Tool Diagnostics
Building on the success of the Renishaw’s QC20-W ballbar system, the new replacement QC20 ballbar has been carefully designed to meet the needs of the modern machine shop.
The quickest, easiest, and most effective way to monitor machine tool performance has been improved with the QC20 ballbar. The updated QC20 ballbar is fully compatible with existing QC20-W programs and processes enabling users to easily maintain and maximize their ballbar measurements.
Featuring the latest Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, the QC20 ballbar rapidly forms a robust wireless connection with the PC. Further advantages of the enhanced Bluetooth technology are superior power efficiency and a substantially longer battery life when using QC20 ballbar.
Ballbar testing provides a simple, rapid check of a CNC machine tool’s positioning performance to recognized international standards. This allows users to benchmark and track the performance of their CNC machines, and to quickly diagnose problems that may require maintenance and the error sources that produce them. Bluetooth wireless technology ensures no wire handling issues, closed door operation and the reduced possibility for system damage. Bluetooth technology also allows faster data reading for enhanced analysis on small test circle and high feed rates.
The ball mounts have been designed to allow the QC20 ballbar to carry out additional 220° ‘partial arc’ tests in planes through the centre pivot axis. This allows ballbar tests to be performed quickly in three orthogonal planes without the need to reposition the centre pivot.
The ballbar test results can be used in the ‘volumetric analysis’ report function within Ballbar 20 software with the assurance that all data has been gathered around the same point. QC20 ballbar can also be used in conjunction with Ballbar Trace, a time-based software package offering greater flexibility to new applications, including 5-axis ballbar verification (to ISO 10791-6) and static monitoring.
For more information: www.renishaw.com/qc20