Trends in Turning Machines
Posted : September 23, 2004 at 12:03 pm [IST]
Complex parts and quality demands drive technology
The most significant trend driving turning technology is the need to machine more complex components. Manufacturers faced with the need to produce complex parts have several options. Multiple operations on both a lathe and a machining center can require too much time and too many setups. Another option is the use of multitasking machines, which are becoming very capable but require both a significant capital investment and a learning curve on the part of users.
Customers of machine tools want now to be able to do more complex parts and more complete machining operations per setup. The capability to drill and mill off center and/or on the side of parts is becoming more important.
More complex part designs are driving changes in the way round parts are machined today. Parts are being designed to have many of the features of a casting–holes, ports, and others–but with the requirement of being machined from billet stock. This provides more strength while saving time and cost for the designer. Producing such components requires lathes with live tools, C axis, and subspindle capabilities.to complete the total machining in a single setup on one machine, thus reducing part handling and the cost per part
Driving down cost per part is also the focus, so the turning machines are now capable to provide milling capability as robust as a machining center.
One turning machine features of Mori seiki a milling motor inside the turret directly coupled to the milling tool. The patent-pending design cuts transmission losses and inherent vibration associated with use of gears and/or belts for milling capability. The direct-coupled milling motor reduces tool spindle acceleration time by 2/3 and diminishes vibration and noise by 1/2.
Features of a newly launched turning center of Mazak (Nexus QTN-350M) .include integral spindle/motor technology on the 40-hp (30-kW), 3300-rpm main spindle and a rotary tool spindle with 10-hp (7.5-kW) output and 4000-rpm maximum speed. Rotary tools and turning tools can be mounted at any position of the machine’s 12-station drum turret. Other features include a fully programmable NC electric tailstock and Mazak’s Tool Eye automatic tool presetting arm.
Murata is one another great name in turning machines of the latest technology
JIT and demand pull manufacturing operations places a premium on system integration and programming flexibility. “The ability to handle part data in a variety of formats, and to network both internally and within the supply chain while using a simple, easy-to-operate control, has contributed to a movement toward shop-floor programming and editing in job shops and contract manufacturers.. Flexibility is key to meeting the demands for the fast turnarounds required by the global manufacturing economy.
Customers are asking for automated solutions to their production applications to drive labor cost to a minimum. Automated part handling must be flexible, robust, integrated, ’smart’, and relatively simple. This includes automatic part input to the machine staging area, automated part orientation, automatic load/unload to and from the machine work-holding, automated turn-around for second operation, and an automated device to convey finished parts to the next operation.
Another absolute is part quality. No out-of-tolerance parts can be shipped or leave our customer’s dock. As part tolerances become tighter and tighter, post-process gauging becomes a requirement. On challenging tolerances, the gauge measures every part as it comes off the machine, and automatically adjusts offsets when necessary.
A different trend on high-volume turning comes from inverted vertical turning machines. A relatively small number of inverted verticals can replace numerous conventional two-axis turning centers to handle increasing part volumes.
- Indra
Category: Machining |
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