FANUC tools are some of the best in the CNC and factory automation industry. They are installed in more than three million CNCs worldwide. Select FANUC CNC systems are some of the best in the industry. There is also a commitment to replacement part availability, as well as support, making FANUC tools a great choice for your CNC applications. In order to choose the right ones for your retrofit, there are some things to consider. There are significant differences between different FANUC CNC systems that should be taken into consideration.
FANUC Series 30i/31i
This series has some of the most powerful controls and is designed for the most complex machine tools. The difference between the two is that the 30i is capable of supporting 32 axes. The 31i control has support for only 20 servo axes. Both of these controls give you plenty of extra options, which can be purchased separately. Some options include 999 tool offsets, 8mb of part program storage, and a wide range of 5-axes options. These controls are usually used on machines that have five or more axes and for machines that are running demanding applications.
FANUC Series 32i
The 32i series is the least powerful control of the family. Most of the 32i options are offered at an extra cost, just like the other 30i series controls. Since this control only offers 4-axes simultaneous machining there aren’t a lot of reasons to pick this for a machine tool retrofit. For more increased power, the 0i-F controls can be a better choice.
FANUC Series 0i
This is one of the most popular FANUC control options and one of the best values. The control comes with many standard features and supports nine servo axes with four simultaneously. The latest version has more features than ever before. Machine centers that have four axes or fewer are a good candidate for this type of control retrofit.
FANUC Series 35i
This control platform is the most affordable and basic CNC in the lineup. It supports 16 servo axes and has a maximum of 200 tool offsets. Due to this, this platform doesn’t support AI Contour control or cutter compensation. It is limited in its applications. However, when it is combined with a front-end grind specific software pack, such as Open Vision Grind, this control can be a good choice for ID/OD grinding operations. For an application like this, Open Vision Grind can handle most of the features and the 25i control is used more for just simple motion control.
If you are having trouble deciding between an available CNC, an experienced FANUC integrator can help you determine which control is best for you after reviewing the manufacturing process and the machine.