Product category:
Machine spindles and spindle attachments
News Release from: CTL Centreline | Subject: Machine tool angle heads and speeders
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 05 February 2004
Angle heads and speeders to be
introduced
New and improved angle-heads and speeders will be unveiled at MACH 2004 alongside a range of multi-spindle drilling / tapping heads and rotary coolant adaptors for prismatic machining.
New and improved angle-heads and speeders were unveiled at MACH 2004 by Centreline, which will also exhibit its range of multi-spindle drilling / tapping heads and rotary coolant adaptors for prismatic machining The latest introductions to the standard catalogue range are gear-driven tools that customers have been ordering more and more as specials over the past few years
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 27 Jun 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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Right-angle machining heads stored in ATC magazine
Two right-angle heads - one for milling-intensive work and the other for drilling and tapping - can be exchanged automatically from a machining centre's tool magazine.
Consequently, delivery will be faster and series production of the heads will allow the Nuneaton manufacturer to keep the cost of the units down.
Long-reach angle heads - to assist access for machining features inside deep bores and other awkward areas, a range of long-reach, right-angle milling and drilling heads has been introduced under the designation, RAD 190.
They have a ground helical gear drive from the spiral bevel gear set to the collet spindle, enabling the units to be easily extended in increments equivalent to the gear spacings.
Further reading
Mill/turn investment halves toolholder lead times
Users of high-speed machining may be interested to learn that Coventry Toolholders is halving the lead-time from order to delivery for its flange- and taper-contact HSK toolholders.
Milling head raises flange output four-fold
International manufacturer of wheels has achieved a four-fold increase in production efficiency using a bespoke, three-way, right-angle head to mill 40 flanges/h instead of 10/h.
VMC with angle head reduces time from 2h to 45min
Using a right-angle milling head on a VMC to machine internal drum apertures in hydraulic motor parts in 45min has replaced a time-consuming 2h cycle manually operated slotting process.
Three models allow maximum tool shank diameters of 7, 10 and 13mm and may be extended in 20, 24 and 30mm increments respectively.
The longest tool is 515mm from the gauge line to the spindle centre, yet measures only 86mm from the back of the tool to the spindle nose.
Dimensions for the longest tool in the light-duty range are 330mm long by 65mm wide.
BT/CT/DIN/HSK taper drives are available and maximum speed is 3,500 rpm, delivered at approximately 1:1 drive ratio.
These tools are particularly popular with aerospace subcontractors, as most components are extensively machined from the solid to minimise weight and ensure their mechanical integrity, eliminating the option of including difficult-to-reach features in a casting.
Heavy duty angle head with 40 taper output - at the other end of the scale is the RAM 400.40, an additional model at the top end of the standard right-angle head range and the first to accept interchangeable, 40 taper tooling.
Designed for milling applications on machining centres with a 50/60 taper spindle, this heavy-duty tool is also available extended from its basic 225mm length in 75mm increments to 450mm, measured from the gauge line to the spindle centre.
The cutting tool in its toolholder is held in position with a manual drawbar and is accurately located on an ISO 40 taper, providing the flexibility of being able to interchange any type of mill, drill or tap easily.
Maximum speed is 3,000 rpm at 1:1 drive ratio.
Revisions to universal angle heads - universal angle heads are of necessity fairly bulky tools to deploy in a spindle or tool magazine, so interference with other tooling or the component being machined has to be allowed for.
This has been made easier with Centreline's UAH range of universal angle heads, which have been redesigned with rounded-off corners.
Additional benefits are that swarf is discouraged from resting on the sloping surfaces, and the unit is now lighter, assisting automatic tool change.
Continuing the compactness theme, the heaviest duty UAH 240 model in the original range of four heads has been discontinued and the model below - UAH 205 - uprated with an ER32 collet chuck to accept tools up to 20mm diameter, 25 per cent larger than previously.
Both heads in any case had a 50 taper input.
The ability to provide greater power in the smaller head allows customers greater flexibility when performing heavy machining at a number of different angles.
Distance from gauge line to spindle centre has come down from 240mm to 205mm when the head is at right angles, and from 420mm to 345mm when the head is in-line.
Faster speeders - in response to customer demand for ever higher spindle speeds to extract the maximum benefit from modern tooling, and at the same time reduce the load on machine tools that may be running flat out in an effort to achieve maximum productivity, Centreline has increased the input-to-output ratio of two of their speed increasers.
Model SPR 610 replaces the 510, raising the speed-up ratio from 5 to 6 on this 40 taper model, which accepts 10mm diameter tool shanks in an ER16 collet.
Maximum continuous cutting speed is up from 20,000 to 22,500 rpm and from 24,000 to 26,000 rpm for 20% running.
Similarly, 50 taper model SPR 420 has been replaced by the 520, increasing the speed-up ratio from 4 to 5.
Up to 20mm diameter tool shanks can be accepted in the ER32 collet.
Top output speed for constant cutting is now 12,000 rpm, up from 10,000 rpm, and the respective figures for 20% running are 15,000 rpm instead of 12,000 rpm.
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