CNC For Small-Lot Milling

The ProtoTRAK SMX CNC for milling machines is available as a two- or three-axis retrofit to a manual knee mill; as a two or three-axis CNC on a TRAK SX series knee mill; or as a three-axis CNC on a TRAK SX series bed mill. Designed for small-lot milling, the control includes an advanced features option with routines such as Auto Geometry Engine and Spreadsheet Editing. These features are presented in the same format, making the system useful for toolroom work, the company says.   Also available is a networking/memory option, which features advanced program storage and networking to allow users to organize, control and back up program files from the CNC. Other options include electronic handwheels and TRAKing. Electronic handwheels can be installed in the table and the saddle of the milling machine to extend the CNC’s capabilities, and manual milling can be enhanced with Go To and selectable fine/coarse handwheel selection. The TRAKing feature provides manual control over program runs. A programmable electronic head option (not available on retrofits) replaces the standard vari-speed head with an inverter-duty head to enable programmable spindle speeds and tapping.