The naked machine tool at MACH exhibition

On the Fortron UK stand (Hall 5, Stand 5384) at this year's MACH exhibition, visitors will be able to see the new Huron MX 4 twin pallet 5-axis HSC machining centre under power - and naked

Allowing visitors a clear view inside, high-impact Perspex guards have been fitted to the machine to show the benefits of the direct drive torque motors used for the two rotary axes, as well as the capability engineered into the rest of the machine.

Capable of simultaneous cutting in all five axes, the Huron MX 4 is the ideal machine for any complex components, such as those found in the aerospace, electronic and automotive industry sectors.

UK sales manager, Mark Devall, says: "The Huron MX 4 has been designed and built to exceed the specific demands of the various high tech engineering/manufacturing industry sectors.

Using the engineering principles implemented on its large-size 5-axis machining centres, Huron has developed a new concept for a milling centre with High Speed Cutting in five axes.

As such, the MX 4 is extremely fast, precise and powerful".

Featuring a fixed gantry, which is cast and heavily ribbed to absorb machining forces and to remain stable during the high speed axis travel movements of 60 m/min in X, and 120 m/min in YZ, the Huron MX 4 offers two rotational axes and a 400 mm2 pallet on a moving table which passes through this portal-like structure.

With the clear guarding, the configuration of the direct drive two-axis rotary design will show the level of detail applied by Huron.

While other 5-axis machine tools rely on a mechanical drive for one or both rotary axes, in the form of a worm and gear, the torque motors used by Huron negate any backlash errors, adding to the overall accuracy of the machine.

The two-axis rotary unit provides an A-axis (tilt) of -45 to +180degrees, and a continuous C-axis (rotary), with both controlled in 0.001degree increments.

The continuous rotation of the C-axis at up to 100 rpm means that with the spindle locked on, over or under centre, turning operations can be carried out as well as traditional intermittent cutting (milling) operations.

Having an interface between the two rotary axes set at 45degrees not only provides class-leading rotary motion but also allows the tilting of the machined part for exceptional swarf clearance.

This reduces the risk of re-machining any swarf trapped in a cavity, which is detrimental to tool life, and also aids minimum lubrication - and even dry machining - operations with substantial cost and environmental benefits.

All three linear axes use optical scales for accurate positional feedback, with a resolution of 0.001mm.

The fixed gantry has been designed to provide a Z-axis travel of 500mm, while the X-axis table offers 750mm and the Y-axis saddle moves 700mm.

These generous levels of travel are required to fully exploit the simultaneous 5-axis machining capability.

The size of these axes travels allow long cutting tools to be used, to generate complex freeform geometric surfaces such as those typically found on aerospace components such as blades, impellers and blisks.

With 40Nm of torque, the 25kW, 100 - 24,000 rpm direct drive electro-spindle has a HSK 63-A tool taper, which provides face and taper contact for rigid seating of the tool holder and, therefore, a more predictable and repeatable positioning of the tip of the cutting tool.

The spindle is equipped with a vibration monitoring system, which operates in two stages.

The first provides an alarm to warn of a potential issue, and the second shuts the machine down.

Twin 400 mm2 pallets keep spindle idle time to a minimum, with a pallet changing time of just 12seconds and a maximum load of 250kg.

This level of productivity is also supported by the 36-station chain-type tool changer, which is capable of accommodating tools 70mm diameter by 250mm long and weighing up to 5kg each.

Chip-to-chip takes just 3 seconds.

The rigidity and accuracy of the construction of the Huron MX 4, combined with the large axis travels and powerful spindle motor, permits large components with a diameter of up to 400 mm and up to 350 mm long to be machined efficiently to very tight tolerances.

"The wide angular motion provided by the tilting and turning table allows the cutting tool to access deep and complex geometries, and the simultaneous 5-axis cutting provides the ability to generate freeform complex surfaces, often found in the aerospace industry and on implants in the medical sector," Mark Devall explains: "Overall Equipment Efficiency is also aided by the pallet changer, which allows machined components to be unloaded and the raw material (billet, cast or forged) to be replenished during the machining cycle".

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