Autotuning Capability for CNCs

Fagor Automation has introduced a new technology feature that automatically fine-tunes machine servo performance to maximize CNC machine tool efficiency and performance. Developed as a tool that can be loaded onto the company’s 8065 and 8070 CNC, as well as a PC, the autotuning feature carries out a fine servo-performance tune one axis at a time or on all axes automatically.

The program allows for multimachine tuning, using an icon directory for each machine for machine selection.

The main tuning screen displays a graphic section, menu bar, icon bar, axes bar, command bar, parameter table, monitoring area, results area, data information of all active commands, and a status bar, providing a singlepage layout that allows quick access to any data the user desires with a single click. Using the icon keys from the main menu, users can move to the event log, configure mode, and display help mode, or back to the main menu at any time.

Even during the tuning process, users can start, stop, pause, and continue the tuning procedure using menu-chosen keys. Within the graphics mode, users can display the Bode frequency response diagrams that allow them to interpret the dynamic behavior of the axes and make decisions for later readjustments of the axes’ control loops.

Within the operating mode, the user takes measurements and develops a more detailed display of the various diagrams.

From the command bar, the user may choose the autotuning command that will execute the chosen tuning procedure. If desired, the user can choose to adjust only the feedback, just the proportional gains, just the offsets and servo gains, or the velocity or position loop as desired.

The result label prompts a noneditable table that shows the parameter values the autotuning procedure results propose to be changed for best performance. The table shows the original value of the parameters and the proposed value after the autotuning procedure has completed.

In addition, the results create an information bar that displays the data regarding the cutoff frequency (BW), the gain margin (MG), and the phase margin (MF) of the Bode diagram before and after autotuning.

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