Causes and Solutions for Inaccurate Measurements by Laser Tool Setter

Solutions for Inaccurate Measurement by Laser Tool Setter

1st. Solutions for inaccurate parallelism and horizontality of the laser tool alignment instrument

Cause 1: The base of the laser tool alignment instrument is not the standard base provided by the manufacturer. Due to material and processing issues, this base is prone to deformation, rust, and loosening.

Solution: Replace with the manufacturer’s standard base.

Cause 2: The installation position has changed due to long-term vibration of the machine tool.

Solution: Realign the parallelism and horizontality of the laser tool alignment instrument.

Parallel adjustment method: Use a dial indicator to press on the body of the laser, move it left and right, and then adjust according to the swing, requiring the swing to be within 0.01mm. (Do not hit the laser body hard during adjustment, only use a soft object to hit the base.)

Horizontal adjustment: The most important thing is to clean the worktable and base surface before installation, and then tighten the base and laser tool alignment instrument. The runout should also be guaranteed to be within 0.01mm, as shown in the red position in the figure below. (Just tighten it, do not tighten it with force. If the horizontal runout is too large, you can pad with metal shims.)

2nd. Solutions for dirty tools

Cause 1: The tool cleaning nozzle is not the standard nozzle provided by the manufacturer. Due to design problems, not using the standard nozzle will result in the tool not being cleaned properly.

Solution: Replace with the manufacturer’s standard nozzle.

Cause 2: The machine is heavily contaminated with oil, resulting in unclean tools.

Solution: You can appropriately extend the cleaning air blowing time and adjust the air blowing function (only for using the standard program of the product);

Cause 3: Not using the manufacturer’s standard filter unit or the air source is not clean. The product filter achieves nanometer-level filtration. If this level is not reached, the tool may not be cleaned properly; unclean air source will also result in unclean tools.

Solution: Replace with the manufacturer’s standard pneumatic unit and improve the air source.

3rd.Solutions for contaminated lenses of the laser tool alignment instrument

Cause 1: Not using the manufacturer’s standard filter unit or the air source is not clean.

Solution: Replace with the manufacturer’s standard pneumatic unit and improve the air source.

Cause 2: Long-term use causes the filter mesh of the filter to fail, resulting in poor filtration and lens contamination.

Solution: Replace the filter mesh of the filter and clean the two lenses of the laser tool alignment instrument (replace all hoses in severe cases).

Lens cleaning method: First, use an Ø2.5 inner hexagon wrench to loosen the four screws of the laser tool alignment instrument cover plate, remove the dust cover plate, and then use a special lens paper to gently wipe the lens until there is no contaminant on the lens.

4th. Solutions for inaccurate measurement due to temperature drift of the machine tool spindle

Cause: When the machine tool is cold, all the tools are measured at once, and then the machining is started. After a certain period of machining, other tools are called, and the spindle has expanded and elongated due to heat, resulting in the inconsistency of the previously measured tool data with the current tool length, resulting in machining errors.

Solution: Before measuring the tools, the machine tool must first perform the warm-up procedure to fully warm up the machine tool before measurement; or add the measurement instruction to the machining program, measure the tool that is used, and then continue machining after the measurement is completed.

5th. Solutions for inaccurate measurement due to incorrect tool measurement position and speed

Cause: When measuring tools, the defined measurement position and actual machining speed are incorrect, resulting in inaccurate measurement.

Solution: Use the same speed as the actual machining speed to measure the tools, and define the measurement position reasonably in the measurement program.

6th. Solutions for inaccurate measurement due to incorrect calibration data for standard tools

Cause: When correcting the tool setter, the standard standard knife is not used, and the input standard knife data is incorrect, resulting in inaccurate measurement.

Solution: Please use the standard knife that comes standard with the product に accurately measure the length and radius of the standard knife at the time of correction (the standard knife yaw is required to be less than 0.01mm), install the standard knife, and mark out the length of the standard knife and the radial runout yaw.