The Pro-Cut PFM 9.2 DRO-Live on-car brake lathe includes a five character LED screen mounted inside the computer box that constantly shows run-out in the lathe during the compensation process. In addition, the LED screen will display captured data on lathe use and performance that, in combination with a report card and innovative new service plan, will provide shop managers with the means to insure the functionality and profitability of the lathe. Pro-Cut is the first manufacturer in the world to deliver this patent pending technology to the market.
Pro-Cut PFM on-car lathes use a sensor, computer and precise drive system to automatically align the lathe so the resulting machined rotor is tailored to turn perfectly true regardless of irregularities in the vehicle’s hub. Previous versions of the PFM lathe used green and red lights to indicate the accuracy of the compensation. The new DRO-Live model shows the run-out in the lathe to within one ten thousandths of an inch (0.0001’ or 1/25th the thickness of a hair).
“The signal from the rate sensor has always been translatable into a true measurement,” said Chris Greenwald, Pro-Cut’s chief technology officer and DRO-Live project leader, “we just haven’t had the means to display it.”
“Having a firm number on a screen which can be confirmed as accurate gives the tech and the business confidence that they’re doing the job right,” said Pro-Cut VP Sales Bruce Prince.
While the live run-out display may provide a comfort, the real value of the system is in the data that is captured by the lathe’s computer and retrievable through the LED screen. A series of key strokes allows the operator to gather information on how much the lathe has been used and how well it’s functioning. As part of an innovative new service plan that more closely involves Pro-Cut in the success of the lathe, a factory rep will visit and read each DRO-Live lathe at six and 12 months. The data will be loaded into a lathe report card that extrapolates the profitability of the lathe and provides alerts to possible service needs.
“With essential tool status at GM, Ford, Nissan and other OEMs, service shops have known they need a Pro-Cut lathe,” said Prince, “but they couldn’t know for sure whether they were making money with that lathe. By combining our new technology with a new style of partnership with the customer, we provide shop management with everything they need to truly manage and insure the profitability of our product.”
Pro-Cut International markets the Pro-Cut series of on-car brake lathes including the PFM 9.0 and PFM 9.2. The company is located in West Lebanon, NH.
For more information on products offered by Pro-Cut International, visit www.procutusa.com.
