Coventry-based Fanuc UK Ltd (www.fanuc.eu/uk/en) has expanded its widely used general-purpose 0i CNC series of control systems, with the launch of the Oi-f Plus.

Building on the success of the Oi-f series, which has sold over 1.3 million units, the latest addition offers more and improved functions, as well as greater flexibility for operators.

Fanuc says that one of the ‘defining features’ of this new control is the inclusion of iHMI, a Fanuc user interface that has been configured with maximum ‘usability’ in mind.

It features intuitive icons, high-visibility designs, and animated features designed to ensure that even complex machine operations can be programmed with relative ease.

Indeed, this iHMI interface incorporates many of the benefits offered by Fanuc’s 30iB CNC, which has been designed for highly complex multi-axis machinery.

The new functions include Fine Surface Technology and Fast Cycle Time. Fine Surface Technology improves the surface quality of parts finished at high speeds; path errors caused by rounding can be reduced by the High Precision program command, while Smooth Tolerance+ Control reduces mechanical shock — to further improve the quality of the machined surface.

Fine Surface Technology also includes Fanuc Servo HRV+ Control, which has been designed to counter ‘imperfections caused by disturbances in the servo system’.

Meanwhile, Fast Cycle Time automatically adjusts a number of machining parameters, including spindle motor speed and feed rates — along with axis acceleration and deceleration — to shorten cycle times and ultimately increase production capacity.

Another feature of the Oi-f Plus is its ‘customisability’.

For instance, Fanuc Picture provides a set of tools to design and implement bespoke Human Machine Interfaces on the CNC, while the new Macro Executor and C-Language Executor enable users to create their own operation screens.