FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 13, 2001

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.¾GE Fanuc Automation will introduce the new Series 18i-MB5 CNC, a powerful, compact control ideal for commodity 5-axis milling machines, at the WESTEC Advanced Productivity Exposition 2002 in Los Angeles, March 18-21 (Booth #2649).

The new CNC’s 5-axis feature eliminates the need for qualified tooling by providing dynamic cutter compensation and tool length offset within the control itself. Part programming is easier and less costly because the Series 18i-MB5 calculates compensations as the tool rotates to each new vector, rather than relying on an expensive CAM system to process length offsets and cutter compensation at each one. Operators can change the tool length offset and/or cutter compensation values at the CNC without re-posting the part program, saving valuable time. Once posted, the Series 18i-MB5’s part programs can be executed on any 5-axis machine, regardless of machine configuration.

“Until now, 5-axis machining required an expensive CAM processor or a top-of-the-line CNC,” said Doug Peterson, vice president of GE Fanuc’s CNC and Laser Business. “By offering 5-axis capabilities in the Series 18i-MB5, GE Fanuc provides a cost-effective solution to OEMs by allowing them to standardize on one CNC rather requiring them to use a combination of products.” End users, especially in the die/mold and aerospace markets, will ultimately benefit, Peterson added, from this highly functional, cost-effective CNC.

The Series18i-MB5 is the newest addition to GE Fanuc’s i series of CNCs that feature embedded Ethernet for improved end user communication and productivity. The series can also provide Nanometer Interpolation and an improved high-precision contour control for high-speed precision. 

Additional 5-axis machining functionality of the Series 18i-MB5 includes:

·        Variable machine configuration that is definable by CNC parameters;

·        Tool center point control, which enables programming from the center point, rather than the pivot point, of the tool. This functionality permits tool rotation with one or both of the rotary axes without moving the tool tip, saving wear and tear on the tool; and

·        A three-dimensional handle feed allows the operator to rotate the tool to any vector or to manually move the tool along the tool vector, a requirement for 3+2 programming.

About GE Fanuc Automation
GE Fanuc Automation is a leading global supplier of industrial control systems and is a joint venture between GE and FANUC, Ltd. of Japan. GE Fanuc products and services include CIMPLICITY® manufacturing enterprise-wide software, nano to high-end PLCs, a wide range of CNCs, motion control systems, operator interfaces, industrial computers, CO2 and YAG lasers, and a wide range of integration and customer support services. Headquartered in Charlottesville, Va., GE Fanuc is part of GE Industrial Systems.

About GE Industrial Systems
GE Industrial Systems is a $6 billion global leader in manufacturing products used to distribute, protect and control electrical power and equipment, and supplying product and service solutions for commercial, industrial, residential and utility applications. GE Industrial Systems is one of GE's major businesses.

For more information, visit http://www.gefanuc.com or contact:  GE Fanuc Information Center, P.O. Box 229, Whitehall, PA 18052, Phone: (800) 648-2001, Fax: (610) 437-5212, e-mail: gefanuc@gefanuc.com.

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CIMPLICITY is a registered trademark of GE Fanuc Automation North America, Inc.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.