Five-axis machining centres take two tonnes

Hermle's C-series are purpose-built, trunnion-type five-axis machining centres models capable of taking two tonne workpieces and single-digit micron accuracy.

Five-axis machining centres in Hermle's C-series are purpose-built, trunnion-type models capable of single-digit micron accuracy.

They are popular among OEMs and subcontractors operating in aerospace, power generation, motorsport, medical engineering and toolmaking.

However, users were restricted until recently to working on components weighing up to 1,400 kg on a machine with travels of 850 x 700 x 500 mm.

Now the German machine tool builder has announced a new model, the C 50 U, able to support parts weighing two tonnes and machining them to similarly close tolerances within a 1,000 x 1,100 x 700 mm working envelope.

Availability in the UK is through sole agent, Geo Kingsbury Machine Tools, which has announced that the machine will make its UK debut at the company's open house in Gosport on 15th and 16th May 2007.

Despite its large capacity and integral magazine that allows tools to be picked up directly by the spindle, the machine occupies only 3 x 6.5 x 3.5 metres of space on the shop floor.

Production potential is high owing to 6 m/s2 acceleration to traverse rates of 60 m/min in the X- and Y-axes, 55 m/min in Z.

The modified gantry design positions all guideways above the working area.

The Y-axis has a tandem drive for high machine dynamics and features a patented arrangement of three staggered guideways, one mid way between and set back from the outer two.

This halves the Y-axis span and gives stable traverse using three-point support.

The C 50 U is supplied with an NC rotary table of 700 mm diameter with the option of adjacent table plates to expand the total area to 1,200 x 700 mm.

Alternatively, a rotary table with a clamping surface of 1150 mm x 900 mm can be selected.

Both tables use an integral torque motor for the 360-degree C-axis and a tandem drive motor for the +30 / -115 degree A-axis.

Bearings for the latter are set directly into the mineral casting bed, which promotes stable, vibration-free machining.

The magazine can hold sixty SK 40 / HSK A 63 or forty-two SK 50 / HSK A 100 taper tools, maximum weight being 15 or 30 kg, with chip-to-chip times of 7 or 9 seconds respectively.

Specification of the SK 40 / HSK A 63 spindle is 18,000 rpm / 39 kW, while there are two 60 kW versions for the larger tapers - 9,000 rpm for SK 50 and 12,000 rpm for HSK A 100.

Control options are Heidenhain iTNC 530 or Siemens Sinumeric 840 D, both enabled for modern Cube 67 / Profibus digital communication and networking.

Hermle offers multiple automation options for lights-out running based on pallet change, transport and storage that either serves one machine, or can be extended to configure a flexible manufacturing system.

Likewise, there are robotic options for loading, handling and unloading components.

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