Upgrades
and Retrofits -
General Information |
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Today,
there is an alternative to replacing your old CNC router with
a new one. You can replace the obsolete CNC control with a new,
modern, high performance control. You can replace the servo drives
with state-of-the-art brushless digital AC servo drives. Old, worn out
router heads can be replaced with rugged, reliable Direct Drive Spindles. Additional tooling can be added such as
32mm drill banks and horizontal drills. New Universal Vacuum
tables can be added to your machine. The result is the performance
and throughput of a new CNC router at a fraction of the cost.
Upgrade
with Thermwood, First in CNC Routers
Thermwood's
business is CNC routers. Thermwood has been continuously producing
CNC routers longer than anyone else in the US. Over the years
Thermwood has been known for two things, innovation and service.
Much of today's CNC router technology was originally developed
at Thermwood. Even today, while much of the industry stagnates,
Thermwood continues to develop router technology generating
an average of one new patent application each month.
And
now, you can benefit from this effort without purchasing a brand
new piece of equipment. Much of the technology can be easily
retrofitted to existing CNC routers. Thermwood has always offered
upgrades to its own equipment. Now, Thermwood is offering this
same service for all CNC routers.
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Is
your CNC router worth upgrading?
Much
of the original cost of a CNC router is in the basic mechanics.
These basic mechanics include the machine base, table, gantry,
drive screws, ways and bearings. The basic mechanics of all
existing CNC routers are essentially the same and they change
little over the years. The real value of a CNC router is in
the control, the servo drives, the machining heads and the
part hold down. To a large extent, these determine what you
can produce, how fast you can produce it and what the quality
will be.
If
the basic mechanics of your existing CNC router are in good,
serviceable condition and the configuration, table size and
axes travels are adequate, then it might be more cost effective
to keep the basic mechanics and upgrade the technical components
which have become obsolete. If the basic mechanics also need
to be rebuilt, then it might be more cost efficient to purchase
a new machine. New CNC routers are produced in automated, efficient
factories. It generally costs less to build new basic mechanics
than to perform a one time rebuild on an existing machine.
The general
rule of thumb is, if the machine is in good mechanical condition
it is more cost effective to upgrade the machine, if the basic
mechanics need work it is probably better to replace the entire
machine.
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The
upgrade process
The process
of upgrading a CNC router will vary with extent of the upgrade.
If the control system and drives are being replaced, the machine
may need to be ship to Thermwood for the work to be performed.
If a Universal Vacuum Table is being added, the components can
be shipped to the customer who can generally install the system
without additional help.
When the
machine is shipped to Thermwood for control and drive replacement,
we can laser calibrate each axis. In many cases this results
in a machine which is more accurate than when it was new. Labor
is more efficient, labor costs are less and there is no travel
or living expense costs when the work is done at Thermwood. This
must be balanced with the cost of loading and shipping the machine.
The most efficient way to handle each upgrade must be determined
on a case by case basis.
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After
the upgrade
You will
receive a one year limited parts warranty on all components that
are part of an upgrade. You receive free access to Thermwood's
toll free "Hot Line" connecting you to a qualified
technical service representative to answer questions and provide
help. A CNC control upgrade includes a one week training class
for two people at Thermwood's Customer Education Center.
As Thermwood
technology advances, you will be offered the opportunity to add
these new features and to update your new system. Thus, you can
keep your system continuously updated and avoid the expense of
a major update at some point in the future. Even more important,
you can be certain that you have those new features that keep
you competitive as business and your needs change.
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An
upgraded machine means lower costs and more production
Control
system technology has advanced substantially in the last few
years. Old NC or CNC controls typically loaded only one program
at a time, some used punched tape, communication was limited,
if it existed at all, editing and program adjustments at the
machine were either difficult or not possible. The result was
slower production rates, longer setup and less production. In
days of long production runs, this was OK. Today, with shorter
runs and a fast moving production environment, this is no longer
acceptable.
In today’s
environment, a new control means your production operation is
more responsive. There is less idle time, more production and
more profits. You can respond to the needs of the market. You
are more competitive.
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A
modern CNC control is...
The
91000/Gen 2 SuperControl offers the most advanced CNC control
available, efficiently dealing with today’s fast paced,
ever changing production environment. With a massive amount
of storage built-in, all your CNC programs can be stored in
the control at the same time. Programs are organized in a directory
structure so it is easy to find the exact program to load.
Or, an optional bar code can be printed on your work order
so a simple scan, at the machine, loads the correct program.
No more loading errors.
The control
is easy to use. A simple menu bar allows the operator to quickly
and easily access any of the advanced features of the control.
Delays caused by the operator forgetting how to access certain
features, overdue maintenance or errors are substantially less
due to the Service Guide system. The Service Guide system consists
of an electronic manual, hyper-text search, maintenance video,
graphic error display and service clock.
An optional
Hand Held Programmer allows you to edit and create programs right
at the machine. There is simply no easier way to handle last
minute changes or emergency requirements. Or, you can add a probe
system and scan surfaces or program complex curves or wood carvings
from a model.
The SuperControl
is compatible with a variety of communication systems. It can
use a simple DNC link or it will work on most computer networks.
No longer must the operator stop the machine, set up the control
and then remain idle while programs are up and down loaded. With
the 91000/Gen
2 SuperControl,
the operator never need know that communications are occurring
in the background.
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Brushless
AC servo drives mean higher performance & better reliability
Modern
CNC routers use brushless AC servo drives. AC servo drives provide
more power, faster acceleration, from smaller packages, producing
less heat, with higher reliability and less maintenance than
DC servo drives. With the high end drives used by Thermwood,
should a problem ever occur, a built in diagnostic system determines
the problem so it can be corrected and you can be back in production
quickly. But, problems seldom occur with the high reliability
of today’s AC servo drives.
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New
tooling means more capability
Perhaps
your product line has changed. When you first bought your router,
a single router head was sufficient. Today, you need additional
machining capacity to produce your current parts. Perhaps a new
spindle with a tool changer, a 32mm drill
bank, an aggregate head or maybe a drill. As part of your upgrade,
you can add these capabilities. Your simple, limited machine
can be turned into a multifunction machining center. You can
machine complex panels, drill, dado, shape, route, saw and carve.
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Universal
vacuum is the key to fast change over
How do
you hold your parts down today? There have been impressive advances
in hold down systems during the last several years, including
the Universal Vacuum System for panels. This system holds down
panels without the need for fixtures or vacuum seals. It allows
efficient production of quantities as little as one part since
there is no setup or change-over from one size panel to another.
It opens up new manufacturing methods such as producing all associated
parts for a product at one time rather than batching parts. The
Universal Vacuum System can be fitted to most existing machines.
Again, you don’t have to buy a new CNC router to get modern
features and improve your productivity.
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For
more information:
Contact the Upgrade Services Manager
by e-mail or
call us at 1-800-221-3865 (Ext. 251)
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