EWA Fine Boring Head for Fully Automatic Closed-Loop Operations

Photo Credit: Big Daishowa

The Big Kaiser EWA Automatic Fine Boring System from Big Daishowa is said to perform closed-loop boring operations without a human operator. The company says this breakthrough eliminates the need to stop the spindle to manually adjust the boring tool, which results in considerable time savings. Also, eliminating human interaction is said to reduce cost, improve accuracy and minimize scrap.

The adjustment range of this fine boring head is said to enable the handling of multiple bore sizes with the same tool and ensure a repeatable boring process. The fine boring head is available in two sizes, one with a boring range of 02.677"-5.276" (068-134 mm) and the other with a range of 0.394"-2.126" (010-54mm). EWA kits are also available for each of the head sizes. These can include inserts, insert holders, a controller antenna and protective case. 

The EWA can be used on machines with BT/BBT30-40-50, CV/BCV(SK)40-50, BIG CAPTO 5-6-8 and HSK-A63-80-100-125 spindles. The automatic fine boring system can be integrated in three primary configurations — fully integrated, PC control or tablet control. 

A fully integrated system has the EWA control software running directly on the machine tool control via an app or technology cycle, requiring no external control device. The fully integrated system can only be integrated on new machine tools. 

For legacy machines, a PC interface between the machine tool and the EWA is said to provide a fully automated, closed-loop control cycle. Commands are sent from the machine tool to the EWA, automatically adjusting the tool in synchronization with the machining process. The PC acts as a synchronization interface between the machine tool and the EWA. It stops the machining cycle after the touch probe makes a measurement, reads the result and sends the corresponding adjustment value to the EWA. After the EWA has been adjusted, the PC notifies the machine tool to continue the process. 

The EWA can also be operated as a standalone tool, controlled manually with the Big Kaiser app on a tablet or smartphone. This enables the option to measure bores using an in-machine probe or manually, and to make fast adjustments in the app. Adjustments also can be done semi-automatically, where the head will move to pre-entered diameter values after a stoppage.