Putting You In Control!
CASE STUDIES
Scancad Services
Amtech have been working with Scancad services over a period of years. They first got involved when Scancad services required a replacement control system for their Newing Hall pantocut engraving machine. Having been impressed with the performance of Amtech’s control system and level of support, Scancad services asked if Amtech would be interested in helping them develop a purpose built stone engraving machine. This would be a three axis gantry machine designed specifically for memorial masons and jobbing engravers alike.
The major design requirement for the control system was that it had to be able compensate for the irregularities of stone. Scancad services just wanted to place the stone on the machine and engrave lettering onto it. Amtech having previous experience of this for the tyre mould industry, for which they had used a triangulated laser sensor, developed a solution based on the same sensor. The stone would be placed on the table and the area where the lettering or artwork is to be engraved would be scanned producing a 3D map of the area in the memory of the control system. As the text is engraved the depth of the tool is automatically adjust according to the 3D map in its memory. Richard of Scancad services said “This is ideal for V-carved lettering giving a uniform width for all of the engraved text”.
The new engraving machine, ProCarve PNC 1010, was designed and manufactured by Scancad services with a working area of 1000 mm in both the X and Y axes with 250mm height in the Z axis. It has been built in a gantry configuration with twin linear slides on the Y axes holding the X axis and Z axis. All axes are driven by ball screws on high precision linear slides, which are controlled using AC servo drives and Amtech’s high speed closed loop control system.
The main design point is its 3D surface mapping allowing accurate engraving of V-carved lettering on uneven surfaces. The 3D surface mapping allows any undulations or uneven surfaces to be compensated during the engraving of text or any other design on the surface of the material. Although it is ideal for the stone industry and the monumental industry in particular, it can also be used for wood, metal and plastic. The extra mapping of the surface actually saves time in the process of engraving the stone, as without this the whole surface of the stone would have to be milled flat before the engraving can begin.
The 3D surface mapping also allows items to be copied. Simply place the item on the machines bed and scan in the shape using the high resolution none contact laser scanner. The 3D high resolution surface can then be exported to 3D CAD/CAM software for modification or manipulation into a tool path for manufacture.
PROUD TO BE MADE IN BRITAIN
All Amtech branded products are designed and manufactured in Britain.