Precision with Quick Rotation

Tool balancing system Tooldyne ensures quality in high-speed production

The high-speed machining of metals and plastics in today’s machine tool technology makes extreme demands on fast-turning spindles and tools. Even the smallest unbalances cause unacceptable quality defects in machined components, and can drastically reduce the life expectancy of the actual tool. Since the start of the 1990s, Schenck RoTec has been developing the Tooldyne tool balancing system. The company now presents the latest – now fourth – generation of this complete solution. Designed especially for balancing high-speed tools before their initial use the new Tooldyne is employed directly in the machining centre.

Users of CNC high-speed machining centers in metal and plastic processing know only too well: that without prior balancing of their high speed cutting tools, all quality claims go belly up. Only with accurately balanced HSC tools can the desired precision and surface quality be achieved repeatably and reliably in high-speed machining. To balance the tools and their adapters both reliably and economically, Schenck RoTec has further developed the Tooldyne system.

Insert and Start

Tooldyne is employed before initial use of the HSC tools. The machine operator simply inserts the tool into the Tooldyne pneumatic clamping device with an appropriate adapter and starts the balancing process under operating conditions. The measuring equipment is operated via a coloured touch screen. Clear displays, easily understandable symbols, clear menu navigation and numerous operating aids ensure that the entire balancing process runs quickly and precisely. With a spindle rotation speed up to 1200 min-1, measuring takes place with the highest precision in one and two planes (residual unbalance 0.5 gmm/kg). Tooldyne can be used for tools with different geometries. These may be up to 30 kg in weight and up to 600 mm in length (incl. adapter). The maximum tool diameter is 400 mm.

In the development of the balancing system, the designers from Schenck RoTec place great emphasis on ergonomics and safety. All work surfaces are therefore designed at the ideal height, the storage container for the clamping device adapters is located within easy reach and even the protective shroud is user-friendly. The protective shroud is compliant with the high demands of ISO 7475 class C (protection against parts ejection). The complete system is compliant with machinery directive 2006/42/EC, which has been in force since 2010, and it is CE certified.

A further advantage: having been designed as a crane hook machine, the Tooldyne can be erected with minimal logistical effort and quickly relocated. No ground anchors are required. This makes Tooldyne a very flexible balancing solution, which can be quickly adapted to new processes in production. The strengths of Tooldyne also include its cast mineral vibration reducing machine frame. This ecological material is also used for many machining centres and dampens ten times better than traditional cast iron. The Tooldyne consequently proves to be very insensitive to external interference.

With Tooldyne, Schenck RoTec offers metal and plastic machine tool facilities a modern, complete solution for balancing their tools and tool holders in high-speed processing. With the aid of this system, the service life of tools and spindles can be increased and the quality of the components processed can be ensured.