Reducing waste and tracking variations are vital to Kudu Industries’ continued lean manufacturing efforts, all while increasing throughput on existing machine tools. One solution is the RMP60 radio transmission probe by Renishaw, installed on Kudu’s Okuma MA 600 HB horizontal machining center.
According to Renishaw, the RMP60 inspection probe is the first to use frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) transmission. The system comprises the probe and the RMI—a combined interface and receiver unit. The probe’s compact dimensions allow it to access surfaces produced by short tools, without being restricted by the upper limits of the machine’s Z-axis travel.
Unlike conventional radio transmissions, the RMP60’s unique transmission
system does not use a dedicated radio channel. Instead, the probe and
receiver ‘hop’ together through a sequence of frequencies, enabling multiple
probe systems and other industrial equipment to coexist in confidence.
The benefits are rapid part setup and part verification on machining centres of all sizes. “For us, it means shortened manufacturing lead times by ensuring correct measurements and set specifications are met before the part leaves the machine,” says Colin Virtue, lead hand machinist. In place on its new Okuma horizontal machining center, the company is also considering retrofitting its existing sister Okuma machine with in-process probing.
