Pro-Speed is a safety device newly introduced in 2010 for CNC-machining centres under the name "Photobumpers"

From 2012 on the label Pro-Speed has been used.

The Pro-Speed system is employed with the more powerful machines of the SCM Group.

Problem:

Bumpers are an efficient and utterly space-saving safety establishment. Until the early 2010's, however, they get to distribute in a districted setting.

Lt. EU machine guidelines are prescribed as an imidiate, practical machine stop without further movement path when operating machines with bumpers as security measurement when having contact with the operator.

Such an abrupt breaking process can be realised without significantly technical elaboration or damage of the machine only with very low feedrate.

With this the use of bumpers on performance-strong CNC machining centres lapses.

Mode of operation:

The Pro-Speed system is based on the space-saving bumpers of the Pro-Space system combined with a light barrier, which is positioned such that the entire front of the machine is monitored.

The Pro-Speed system has two operating statuses. These are automatically established via the control according to requirement:

• 1) Goes with reduced feedrate: if the light barrier registers access into the working range of the machine, the maximum feedrate will be reduced automatically to the speed according to the lt. EU machine guidelines for the operation with bumpers. The access is required with e.g. pedulum processing as the operator has to enter a part of the working range designated to be occupied by workpieces. Also e.g. in the setup mode or for controlling the machining process from upclose, it's ideal for the operator to be able to get as close as possible to the aggregates support.
• 2) Drive with max. feedrate: If there is no one in the surveiled range of the light barrier, the feedrate will be automatically increased in order to use up the machine's capacity at its best.

This way the Pro-Speed system also enables the use of bumpers on machines with very high operating speeds.