VS4 Vision System - fitted as standard to the RG9

Diamond edges are brittle and can be damaged by contact measuring probes. The VS4 vision system gives fast, non-contact measurement and closed loop machine tool control removing any risk of damage to the tool.

The digital image from the camera allows in-process inspection and measurement of tools. The system can detect edges and determine their position relative to any datum. The software uses algorithms which measure in the sub-pixel range so measurements to ±2μm are possible.

• Compensation for wheel wear and machine tool spring are automatically controlled for each tool
• Up to 20 location types available
• Master tool can be used and positioned for automatic realignment and consistent and repeatable grinding
• Detection of the braze position allows rapid infeed to within a few microns of an edge without fear of a crash or ‘air grinding’
• Final inspection by measuring angles, flanks and radii
• Geometric compensations can be made to allow for braze layer thickness variation

VS5-G Vision System

The tool image is shown on the touch screen when required. An electronically generated graticule is superimposed over the tool image. A digital zoom allows a further 16 fold magnification of the image.

When grinding single crystal diamond, a x60-x400 zoom lens is generally preferred by most users. However, as the magnification is not accurately known, the measurement module cannot be recommended (see below).

VS5-GM Measurement module

An additional software, measurement module (+M) can be added to the VS5- G. It is only accurate to ±2μm if fixed magnification lenses are used. The system allows a pair of moveable, vertical or horizontal lines to be shown on the screen. The system will then automatically detect either the highest point of the tool between these lines or the tool width as required

Optics for Manual Machines without a touch screen

Manual machines which do not have a touch-screen controller/computer, e.g. existing RG4, RG5, RG5A, PG2, PG3 and FG1 may be fitted with the following optics:
• Microscope (monocular)
• Optical projector
• VS5-G Vision system (stand alone)

Microscope
In some situations, a microscope may be preferred e.g. for the FG1.
The microscope features are:
• Precision Swiss manufacture
• Monocular eyepiece
• x50 magnification as standard
• Focal length 95mm (for x50 lens)
• Field of view - 2.7mm diameter
• Graticule built into eyepiece with 0.1mm graduations.

Optical Projector
Generally, a projector is more convenient than a microscope. The projector features are:
• Precision Swiss manufacture
• x50 magnification as standard (x10, x25 also available)
• Paper graticules can be supplied or prepared by the user
• Field of view = 3.0mm diameter (for x50 lens)

VS5-G Vision System
A vision system is the most commonly adopted system. As a stand alone system it can be retro-fitted to existing machines or fitted to new machines where there is no touch-screen. It consists of:
• Firewire camera & lens
• PC
• LCD screen