Centroid CNC Milling Controls

Machines in Motion Inc. Began business installing new Centroid CNC controls onto older mills and lathes. Every year I have seen this product advance in features and ease of use. If there is any one thing I really like about Centroid it is the way they listen the the end user. Those who operate this control every day are Centroid's development team. Today this industrial CNC controller is powerful, simple to program, and accepted world wide.

Programming
Centroid CNC controls will process standard Fanuc G-code programs. Nearly all CadCam manufactures have post processor written specifically for the Centroid control. Customers that already have a Fanuc post with their Cad software just continue to use it without missing a beat. CadCam is not your only programming option. Centroid has spent considerable effort to refine their conversational G-Code generator "Intercon". This fill-in-the-blank format includes graphic displays pointing to each line of information requested. Then, with the touch of a button, the operator can view his programmed tool path on-screen and in color. This happens before leaving the current operation being programmed. third, for those highly experienced G-Code programmers who only need a blank page to start writing their program Centroid provides a Windows type editor. Just press F6 and you will be handed a blank page to start the process. Of course, if you already have a G-Code program loaded that too can be brought up on-screen to be edited. Search, replace, cut, past, and more all function just as in Windows.

Program Storage
Every Centroid control includes a built in hard drive to store your library of programs.
From the shortest program to huge CadCam posted - point to point code it can all be loaded onto your control computer and stores for use in 5 minutes or 5 years.

Communications with your control
Sending files to, or retrieving files from, a Centroid CNC is effortless. This control accepts the USB memory drives just as if it were a built in hard drive. Networking has been greatly simplified. All new Centroid control owners can simply plug in a CAT5 networking cable, then, via the on-screen editor, enter a few key parameters into the control's network file. Uploading from the programmers desk top or backing up your control's current list of files could not be made easier.

Speed of operation
There are so many individual aspects of part machining that speeding up one or two produce a significant result. To every extent possible Centroid has addressed each of these tasks to produce a truly remarkable reduction in total time per part. Part or fixture setup has been significantly shortened with the use of Centroid's digital touch probe. Not only can you use this tool to setup your part X & Y home but also the Z home. THEN, Centroid has eliminated the operator's need to square up his vise, part, or fixture to the machine. Coordinate System Rotation (CSR) will electronically square the machine's G-Code program to the vise, part, or fixture in less than 30 seconds. The TT-1 tool touch off sensor can automatically find and enter each tool's length offset value and store these numbers in the tool library. It even automatically changes to the next tool (on an ATC machine). On most every control page there are graphic examples prompting the operator through each task. Programming has been simplified with the use of Centroid's own Intercon conversational G-Code generator. Uploading long CadCam programs happen in under 5 seconds. "Simple, Fast, Clear" These are the goals of  every new control refinement.

Speed of processing
I'm sure someone at the factory knows the exact number of blocks that can be processed in one second, but I never cared enough to find out. One of my very first control upgrade integration's was for a shop where everyone was fed up with the slow nature of there old control. For these shop owners time was everything. After I announced that I was finished with their installation the operator proceeded to load the control with a 1.65 Mb program. This was Cad generated, with a distance between points of 0.0001" and programmed at a feed rate that was completely unreasonable to actually cut metal. None the less they proceeded to put their new control through its paces. At the time I didn't really know if this new control would perform at this level either. After this test had run for about 30 seconds I could see their serious faces melt into smiles. That was 10 years ago when the best available processor was the 486 - 66MHz.  The bottom line is you can not move your machine fast enough to out pace a Centroid control computer.

Speed of Cutting
Speed of motion is one area where there is no substitute for raw horse power. Bigger spindle motors mean deeper cutting paths and larger chip loads are possible. More powerful servo motors will produce faster rapids. However there are a couple of areas where the control itself can make a difference. One we already talked about, speed of processing. Shops with high quality machine tools may have never seen this but there are still new controllers out there that will balk at high information throughput. The machine's axis has arrived at its last given point and the control can not coordinate the next move fast enough.  Secondly, the control's internal motion control engine can make a significant difference in your machine's ability to maintain the optimum chip load at the cutter. For example, a 4 flute cutter rotating at 6,000 RPM will cross a given location in the metal 400 times each second. Maintaining absolute velocity control is critical to exposing each cutter tooth to the same chip load. It may sound like a no brain-er but it requires a very fast update time and some rather costly hardware to achieve this.

Summary
These are a few of the high points. There is only so much I can write about without boring some of you. The bottom line is Centroid has what it takes to remove metal quickly while producing a high level of finish. Combined with the hundreds of refinements achieved over the last 27 years and I am certain that Centroid should be placed at the top of your machinery wish list.