Fanuc unveiled a new space dedicated to the IoT at its UK headquarters in Coventry recently as part of the company’s latest technology day for wire EDM. The event saw several of FANUC’s RoboCut α-CiB wire EDM machines in live cutting action.

Furthermore, all production data was available to view in real-time in the new IoT area. The space demonstrated FANUC’s out-of-the-box MT-Linki machine-tool monitoring service, which allows users to remotely monitor, harvest and analyse live production data.
Visitors were also able to get a first glimpse of FANUC’s newest data connectivity platform, FIELD, will officially launch later in the year.
FANUC’s α-CiB series comprises of compact, submerged wire-cutting machines. One of the stand-out features is the built-in ‘Core Stitch’ function, which allows operators to extend unmanned machining hours through the better planning of cutting jobs. Stitch points are set directly on the machine’s CNC without the need for any pre-programming, and when used in combination with the wire-path re-threading function, offer a good solution for unmanned machining and multi-workpiece cutting. Once the job is complete, operators simply knock-out the cores by hand, avoiding any risk of damaging the machine.
The α-CiB machine series also employs FANUC’s AWF2 automatic wire-feed threading technology, which takes just 10 seconds to complete a threading operation. Importantly, the RoboCut series need not return to the starting point after a wire break, which reduces cycle times. To guarantee reliable threading and re-threading, wires are electronically cut to leave a pointed end that is straight and burr free. Improved cutting control can also be achieved via the built-in iPulse 2 cutting function, which provides accurate corner control, regardless of material thickness or surface roughness.
For further information www.fanuc.eu