The Value of a Short Stop

There are advantages to having a single operator tend multiple machines and/or performing other tasks while a machine is making chips. However, if the operator isn’t aware that a machining cycle has been completed, the machine could potentially sit idle for an extended period of time. This can be especially true when jobs have long cycle times.

One shop came up with a simple solution to prevent this from happening, and it offers the solution to others facing similar situations. Produced by C&C Manufacturing, the “Short Stop” wireless device minimizes machine downtime by alerting a machine operator that a machining cycle has been completed.

The video above shows how it works. After a cycle has ended, a Short Stop transmitter is installed in the machine’s spindle. The machine moves the transmitter to trigger an actuator button that sends a signal to a receiver that is located somewhere near an operator to alert him/her that the cycle has ended.

When not being used, the transmitter can be stored in the machine’s ATC magazine like any other tool. Its circuit board is coated to prevent damage due to vibration during changeout and its housing is sealed with an o-ring. The transmitter can also be moved from one machine to another as needed.

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