Machine Tool protection and condition monitoring SafePilote

Protect your machine w w w . d i g i t a l w a y g r o u p . c o m

and tooling

Minimize damage
resulting from collisions

Monitor and analyze your

machine behavior
Machine Tool protection and condition monitoring SafePilote

w w w . d i g i t a l w a y g r o u p . c o m

SafePilote is a 3-axis accelerometer sensor and

processor specially designed and built in Digital
Way’s lab to provide you with the most effective
means for protecting your machines against
damage resulting from a crash or a collision.
Mounted on your machine’s spindle, this powerful
system also allows you to record vibration data
associated with the conditions of machine use or Why monitor vibrations?
with tooling quality.
Vibration monitoring is a key strategy to ensure the quality of your
production, to check your tooling, and your machine components.
This is also the fastest way to detect a collision and stop your
machine quickly enough to prevent damage and downtime.
Consequences of a crash during a machining operation are
generally catastrophic:
- Broken Part or Tool-holder,
- Damaged spindle,
- Need to re-do all mechanical set-up,
- Long downtime and production stoppages.

SafePilote system What for ?

To minimize consequences of a crash and
to reduce the repair costs.

Reduce cost How ?

Once installed on the machine, SafePilote quickly detects a crash
and immediately stops axis motion.

On many applications Why ?

Small, easy to install and adjust, SafePilote can protect machine tools,
industrial robots, gantry systems, and industrial equipment.

Machine Tool
Velocity

Minimizing crash damage

The graph to the right shows the benefits of using
the SafePilote system when a crash occurs on a Time to
machine. Machine-Tool Axis Machine Tool
SafePilote
When a machine stop is decided by an over- Over-current Alarm stop
current alarm on an axis movement, it’s often too Alarm
late to avoid large damages to the spindle / tool /
part fixture, leading to long downtimes and
increasing your manufacturing costs.
Money
Of course, the SafePilote will not prevent the crash,
but its extremely fast reaction time will allow a The SafePilote
much faster machine stop and thus a drastic Advantage
reduction in the repair costs. Minimize crash damage by reacting fast to an impact and excessive
vibration that involves spindles and/or part fixtures.
 Machine Tool protection and condition monitoring SafePilote

w w w . d i g i t a l w a y g r o u p . c o m

Most important:
an industrial sensor
Encapsulated in an M12 housing, the 3-
axis acceleration sensor was designed
to be a real industrial product. It is
durable, compact, easy to install, and it
has a quick-disconnect cable.
SafePilote is available in several models, In order not to be disturbed by the
depending upon your needs and machine environment, the sensor output is digital:
specifications. It can be used in « stand-alone » no need to take special precautions, the
versions or as an addition to the Wattpilote to sensor cable can be mixed in the cable
create the most complete monitoring solution for carrier system with the power supply
your machines and your tools. cables for the spindle.

For each type of machine,

one SafePilote solution
The SafePilote system may be used on any type of machine tool. It
may also be used on many robotic applications (palletizer, drilling,
deburring, or welding robots) and material handling machines
such as gantries.

SafePilote Access
Machine tool, Robot, Gantry

SafePilote Extand
Transfer line, Robot

Adaptable to SafePilote Premium

all types of machining Machining centers, turning centers, grinding machines
SafePilote can be successfully applied on most
kinds of machines: Machining centers, turning
centers, grinding machines. It can be used only for Convenient installation
machine protection, but it can also provide useful in the electrical cabinet
information about machine and tooling health. The signal processing box is mounted in the machine tool electrical
cabinet. It connects to the PLC or machine control via a small
number of discrete I/O. The 3-axis digital accelerometer is
mounted on the spindle or part fixture. A quick-disconnect cable is
between the processor and the accelerometer.

MicroMon
One touch set-up system
The optional MicroMon graphical HMI display allows fast and easy
process limit changes when production lot sizes are small: It's just
necessary to activate one touch before the first part is machined
and Micromon automatically analyzes vibration and adjusts
parameters.
Successfully applied on most kinds of machines

Easy to use
No need to be a vibration expert to handle this system. Its
simple interface has been specially developed to make it
accessible to anybody, even without any knowledge about
vibration sensing. Easy to install and set-up achieved with
only a few clicks.

Limit damage
The vibrations in the X, Y, and Z directions and the RMS vibration are
shown along the top of the screen. The Shock plot shows fast-
response impacts and the Vibration plot (actually RMS vibration) shows
the time-averaged vibration level.
With a reaction time of around 0.5 milliseconds, the SafePilote will
effectively reduce the damage resulting from unexpected events during
your machining process.

Ensure quality
Excessive vibrations during machining are one of
the main sources for degrading the quality of your
production. This system will help you keep your
machine working in good condition.
Its very high sensitivity will also give you the ability
to detect out-of-balance problems with your high
speed tooling.

Events record
This system will act as a true “black box” that will
allow you to track all unexpected events occurring
during the use of the machine. Each alarm will be
stored in the system’s memory with the
corresponding shock and vibration curve.

Check Spindle health

Keep an eye on the spindle condition by checking vibration levels
in 3 different axes.
Its very high sensitivity will also give you the ability to detect out-of-
balance problems with your high speed tooling.
Machine Tool protection and condition monitoring
Machine control panel Electrical cabinet

NC Interruption
CNC

24V
DC PLC
3A

SW-A05
WE-M10 WE-M01
WE-M10
RJ-P01 SP-A0

Machine Tool Spindle

Laptop PC CA-M15
SP-Visu-C
PLC
WL-E05
AG-03M

Single-spindle machine tool with numeric control

Technical characteristics Sensor

SafePilote Technology 3-axis digital accelerometer ± 16 g
Sensitivity 4mg
Collision Maximum shock 10,000 g shock survival
Sampling rate 3200 Hz
Excess Vibration Ambient temperature -20 ... 85°C
Dimensions L 45 mm, Diam. M12
Chatter Protection rating IP 67
Weight 15 gram
Balance
Technical characteristics Processor
Machine analysis Access Extand Premium
Power supply 24 VDC ± 10 % , 200 mA
Spindle condition Number of different process 1 120 120
Reaction speed 0.5 millisecond
Collision control x x x
Vibration control x x x
Balancing control x x x
Clamping control -- x x
Saved events last 1 500 000
Saved events curves last 10 000
FFT analysis capabilities x x x
Optional analog output available x -- --
PLC Interface 24 VDC 24 VDC Profibus
Fast Inputs 24 VDC type II, 15 mA
Fast Outputs Work contact static relay 24VDC
Supervision Interface Ethernet - 10/100 Base Tx
Communication protocol with sensor Numeric (CAN Network)
Maximum length of sensor cable 80 meters

SafePilote reference Part Nr.

Sensor Access Extand Premium
AG-03M SP-A0 SP-E0 SP-PP
WattPilote & SafePilote – The best monitoring
Machine control panel Electrical cabinet

NC Interruption
CNC

24V Frequency
DC PLC converter
3A

SW-A05
WE-M10 WE-M01
WE-M10 WE-M01
RJ-P01 WP-CN-S032+SP

Machine Tool Spindle

Laptop PC CA-M15
(Backup) WP-Visu-C
PLC
WL-E05
AG-03M

Single-spindle machine tool with numeric control

Technical characteristics Sensor

WattPilote Technology 3-axis digital accelerometer
Measurement range ± 16 g
Sensitivity 4mg
Tool Wear Maximum shock 10,000 g shock survival
Sampling rate 3200 Hz
Tool breakage Ambient temperature -20 ... 85°C
Dimensions L 45 mm, Diam. M12
Insert breakage Protection rating IP 67
Weight 15 gram
Missing tool Technical characteristics Processor
Number of different process 120 (15 with WattPilote Transfer)
Double machining Reaction speed 0.5 millisecond
Saved events last 1 500 000
Tool/Part contact Saved events curves last 10 000
Fast Inputs 24 VDC type II, 15 mA
Fast Outputs Work contact static relay 24VDC
Communication protocol with sensor Numeric (CAN Network)

SafePilote
Maximum length of sensor cable 80 meters

WattPilote Evolution reference Part Nr.

Collision Single - Transfer - Contact - Turning
Reference WattPilote + SP
Excess Vibration SP : SafePilote Option
Example
WP-CN-S032+SP : WattPilote Single Evolution – 32KW three phased spindle – ProfiNet interface – SafePilote option
Chatter WP-AN-S016+ SP : WattPilote Contact Evolution – 32KW three phased spindle – ProfiNet interface – SafePilote option
WP-LN-S032/A008+SP : WattPilote Turning Evolution - 32 kW Main Spindle / 12 A axis – ProfiNet interface
Balance Dual – Triple - Quad
Reference WattPilote + SP 0
Machine analysis 0 : Number of SafePilote channel
SP : SafePilote Option
Spindle condition Example
WP-DN-S032+SP2: WattPilote Dual Evolution – 32KW three phased spindle – ProfiNet interface – 2 channels SafePilote
WP-QN-S016+SP1: WattPilote Quad Evolution – 16KW three phased spindle – ProfiNet interface - 1 channel SafePilote
Machine Tool protection and condition monitoring SafePilote

w w w . d i g i t a l w a y g r o u p . c o m

Embedded
Premium
Access
Extand
Selection guide
Automatic boring machines with single tools 
Boring / deep hole drilling machines or multi-spindle machines 
Transfer machines and multi-station special machines 
Fully automatic milling machines    
Single-spindle machining centers and special machines    
Machines

Double-spindle machining centers and special machines    

Three-spindle machining centers and special machines    
Four-spindle machining centers and special machines    
Fully automatic turning machines and turning centers   
Special turning machines  
Surface, cylindrical, internal, and centerless grinding machines 
Industrial robots 
Machining robots   
Gantries 

Boring or deep hole drilling with single tools   

Boring, drilling or tapping using a multi-spindle head   
Machining / Applications

Drilling with a boring bar or a tool with multiple inserts   

Machining with complex cutting tools  
Boring with ¾ borer 
Rough machining, machining of raw parts 
Finishing milling  
Turning / rough milling, turning work on a rough part   
Finish turning work   
Beam drilling (cycle optimization) 
Crankshaft shaving 
Gear cutting 
Crash detection 

 : Optimal performance
 : Works under certain circumstances
 : Not recommended
For each type of application, one SafePilote solution

Machining centers

Gantries

Swiss type machines

Industrial
robots

Transfer lines

Improve machine
maintenance
Successfully applied on most kinds of machines

Processor front view

access extand premium

RUN MON RUN MON DT1 DT2 RUN MON DIA ERR
2
SLW ALR SLW ALR DT3 DT4 SLW ALR

DT5 DT6

SafePilote
SafePilote
SafePilote

DT7 CPL

Sensor Sensor Sensor

PWR PWR DT1 PWR

Digital Way
Digital Way

Digital Way

GND GND DT2 GND

DT3

WFR WFR DT4 WFR

BAL BAL DT5 BAL

ACQ ACQ DT6 ACQ

SLW SLW DT7 SLW

100M

100M
100M

ALR ALR CPL ALR

COM COM GND COM

Link

Link
Link

Machine tool crash protection Machine tool crash protection and condition monitoring Machine tool crash protection and condition monitoring

47.50 mm 66.50 mm 66.50 mm

Processor left view Sensor mechanical dimensions

Top view

Z
X
Y
M12 x 1
105.00 mm

Left view

48.00 mm

32.00 mm

M12 x 1

3.50 mm Y
17
Z X
80.00 mm
F R AN C E
Digital Way SAS - Saint Etienne Tél.: +33 (0)4 77 74 92 50
[email protected]
U N I T E D S TAT E S
Digital Way Inc. – Michigan Tel.: +1 -8 0 5 -4 3 3 -2 8 2 0
[email protected]
DEUTSCHLAND
Digital Way - Frankfurt / Main Tel.: +49 069 9621 76 64
[email protected]
ITALIA
Angiolini Franco – Milano Tel.: +39 342 143 2840
[email protected]
E S PAÑ A
Danffor – Eibar Tel.: +34 943 820 464
[email protected]
Maquina Center – Barcelona Tel.: +34 93 697 2726
[email protected]