Heidenhain System Aids Flying Scotsman Restoration

Digital readout technology from Heidenhain is playing a key role in the plans by the National Railway Museum to restore Flying Scotsman into action on the mainline. In particular, Heidenhain ND 780 DRO systems have been retrofitted to an ageing Colchester Triumph lathe and a Bridgeport mill - in conjunction with Heidenhain's KT 130 Edgefinder technology - respectively, to machine crucial parts for the steam engine as it progresses through a GBP1.6m restoration project at the York workshop site.

These latest machining aids are enabling the team to machine parts such as wheel axle boxes more accurately and more quickly than before. The Heidenhain ND 780 DRO is an up to three-axis system that can be used on mills, drills and borers, as well as turning machines. Functions include 10-datum memory, 16-tool library, distance-to-go display with nominal position input in absolute or incremental vales, scaling factor and mm/in switching. Also, a pocket calculator, cutting data and taper calculations are provided.

For turning applications, the system provides functionality for freezing tool position for back-off, plus probing functions for reference-point setting with the tool. For milling, the system provides, for example, circular and linear hole-pattern calculations, tool-radius compensation and probing with the KT 130 Edgefinder. Used for datum setting, the Edgefinder technology is simply moved towards a side of the workpiece until the probe stylus deflects. The ND 780 then automatically stores the exact position, taking into account direction of approach and stylus radius.

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