HEIDENHAIN REACHES LANDMARK IN NC CONTROL SHIPMENTS

IN JUNE 2007, HEIDENHAIN SHIPPED ITS 200,000TH NC CONTROL and celebrated a new record in its 30-year history. With more than 30,000 units, the current iTNC 530 has replaced the TNC 426 as HEIDENHAIN's most successful of more than 50 models. More than 10,000 units of this model are expected to ship from Traunreut, Germany in 2007 – numbers that speak for its great acceptance in the NC control market.

These NC controls have their roots in the workshop, where they banished machinists' reluctance toward the new technology. Plain-language, conversational programming has won its place in the metalworking industry with HEIDENHAIN controls guiding the user with questions and prompts and automatically generating the program. Since 2004, the "smart. NC" operating mode has offered even more convenience with straightforward fillable forms, interactive graphics and quickly understood user aids.

On machining centers and complex milling machine for 5-axis machining, the iTNC 530 stands for short machining times, high contour accuracy, short block processing times, and optimal path control. In the mid-range, the TNC 320 provides precision and efficiency in manufacturing on machines with up to four controlled axes. The TNC 124, a well-proven straight-cut control for simple machine tools, meets customers' needs for less demanding control tasks, according to the company. Controls for lathes such as the MANUALplus4110 complete the product range.