PCS Contact Force Reduction Unit

As Micro Tools become more widely used, there has been an increase in the need for reliable Tool Monitoring capable of detecting such fragile tools. Allora International researched this sector, and determined that a product was needed to address the sensitive nature of these delicate tools. While the SCU-100 and TCU-250 control units are capable of detecting small tools, our customer feedback showed that these control units were unable to detect the smallest of Micro Tools.

Allora International’s CFR-300 Contact Force Reduction control addresses the needs of our customers by enabling users to monitor Micro Tools well below 0.5mm in diameter with precision and repeatability. As the name implies, the function of the CFR-300 is to reduce the force of contact that the detection needle has with the tool. This is accomplished via the infinitely adjustable knob on the top face of the CFR-300. This intuitive design allows users to simply rotate the knob until the appropriate setting is made.

For both new and existing installations, the CFR-300 allows users to take advantage of the latest technology in Micro Tool detection while leveraging the existing PCS-100 and PCS-250 technology. Customers already using PCS-100 or PCS-250 sensors can simply add the CFR-300 to their existing set up by wiring the CFR-300 between the sensor head and the SCU-100 or TCU-250 control unit.

DOWNLOAD THE CFR-300 CONTACT FORCE REDUCTION Brochure

Updated Control Unit

With Micro Tools becoming the norm in many industries rather than the exception, Allora International has found an increasing need for tool monitoring capable of reliably detecting these extremely delicate tools.

When the SCU-100 Sensor Control Unit and TCU-250 Teach Control Unit were originally designed, they were very capable of monitoring small tools. With the addition of a CFR-300, it is possible to re-purpose an older SCU-100 Sensor Control Unit or TCU-250 Teach Control Unit for Micro Tool detection; however, this requires adding another component to the system.

With that in mind, Allora International revised the SCU-100 Sensor Control Unit and TCU-250 Teach Control Unit to include built-in Micro Tool monitoring capability. These updated Control Units are flexible enough to delicately monitor Micro Tools, yet fast enough to keep up with the latest high speed machines. The key to this flexibility is the addition of two new rotary dip-switches which allow for 15 different Cycle Time and 15 different Contact Force settings. These switches replace the three TIME dip-switches and the one HI/LO dip-switch found in previous revisions.

Another feature that has been added to the revised SCU-100 Sensor Control Unit and TCU-250 Teach Control Unit is a separate System Fault LED. With previous Control Units, a simultaneous Ok and Fault LED illumination indicated a System Fault. The revised SCU-100 Sensor Control Unit and TCU-250 Teach Control Unit have a separate red LED which flashes to indicate a System Fault. The separation of this function greatly simplifies troubleshooting.

All other features of the SCU-100 Sensor Control Unit and TCU-250 Teach Control Unit remain intact – as does the enclosure and all wiring/pin-outs. Furthermore, the revised the SCU-100 Sensor Control Unit and TCU-250 Teach Control Unit are fully retrofittable with previous PCS-100 and PCS-250 Positive Contact Sensors, meaning no new hardware (Sensor/Mounting/Cable) is necessary to take advantage of these new features.

As with previous revisions, Allora International ships each SCU-100 Sensor Control Unit and TCU-250 Teach Control Unit with factory default settings which are appropriate for the vast majority of applications. As a result, if Micro Tool detection is not required you likely can use the Control Unit right out of the box, without changing or adjusting anything. The flexibility of the newly increased number of Cycle Time and Contact Force adjustments, means that should the application change, the capability will already be built-in and easy to configure.

For more information, please review the most recent Installation Instructions, or contact Allora International with specific application questions.