Product category:
CNC turning centres, mill/turning, multi-tasking centres, horizontal and VTLs.
News Release from: DMG (UK) | Subject: GMX500 linear mill/turn centre
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 22 June 2007
Mill/turn centre procured in a hurry
Wanting a mill/turn centre in a hurry, to fulfil a contract for aircraft wheels and brakes, a subcontractor managed to obtain a high specification machine from a German machine tool UK agent.
When faced with a pressing need to boost machining capability to fulfil a new contract for aircraft wheels and brakes, a UK subcontractor benefitted from the rapid response of DMG UK to supply a high specification GMX500 linear mill/turn centre In the aircraft wheels and brakes system, one of the largest parts to be machined is the torque tube, which is supplied to the company as an investment casting made from high specification titanium
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 21 Jun 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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The subcontractor said that it needed to invest in a new machining facility in order to meet the schedule and achieve the required output.
The company said that although the casting is as near net shape as possible, it was cast in a material very difficult to machine.
It has many critical features that require machining to tolerances in the order of 0.025mm such as bores, milled flats and tapped holes.
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Also making things not easy, the project timescales are extremely tight, which is why a mill/turn centre was required quickly.
Otherwise, the subcontractor would be faced with much higher component costs.
Having made some initial enquiries the subcontractor found that only two UK machine tool suppliers could supply the specified machine tools in a hurry - DMG and a Japanese competitor.
The GMX500 from DMG was chosen.
The GMX500 has twin spindle, twin turret configuration, which enables tthe torque tube to be completely machined in one set-up.
Apparently the competing supplier's machine could not do this.
Also, the GMX500's automated pallet changer also allows a much higher throughput, which massively reduces cycle time.
The GMX 500 linear mill/turn centre features rapid traverse rates of 70m/min and acceleration of 1G.
It is said to be ideal for up to six-sided rapid machining of complex parts for industries such as aerospace.
It is equipped with two compact 45kW spindle motors that deliver high metal removal rates through 1080Nm of torque.
The combination of a 12,000 rev/min milling spindle with integrated face serration and a 12-station star-revolver round off the features of this impressive mill/turn centre.
At the time of order, the GMX500 destined for the UK was built, assembled and ready-to-ship from the Gildemeister headquarters in Germany.
Despite the fact that the company required a minor modification to the machine's fabrication in order to accommodate the torque tubes more effectively, it was still delivered, installed and commissioned within the deadline.
Today, the GMX500 is dedicated to the manufacture of torque tubes and runs for 24h/four days a week and single shift on Fridays.
The investment in this machine was particularly significant as it was the subcontractor's first DMG purchase and a move away from known technology.
It continues to meet the high component specification comfortably and is now seen as being a major asset in the company's strategy to win contracts against fierce competition from low cost economies.
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