Five-axis machining centre demand rises

UK plant of Heller Machine Tools has noted a substantial rise in demand for its horizontal machining centres equipped with a swivelling spindle head for 5-axis working.

Heller has reported that the demand for its MCH- C horizontal machining centres, which have a 360,000 x 0.001degree swivelling head, has increased beyond all expectation.

The MCH-C has been introduced as an extension of the Heller MCH range.

The managing director of Heller, Geoff Lloyd, said: "We believe that the increased demand for a simultaneous fifth axis capability stems from the great need for more flexibility in the machining process.

5-axis machining is no longer the preserve of the large, aerospace and automotive companies".

"Customers in all sectors of industry are looking for more versatility and an improved capability as well as seeking machine tools with which they can respond quickly and cost effectively to an unknown future demand.

Our swivelling head MCH machines are the ideal solution for many aerospace and automotive applications." The 5-axis MCH-C has been designed and manufactured to give maximum productivity, minimized piece part costs and therefore the greatest possible profitability.

The machine is powerful, dynamic and versatile and can handle parts of up to 4 tonnes maximum weight on a pallet size of up to 800 x 1000mm.

High machine tool dynamics give precise positioning and circular machining accuracy.

The MCH-C's drive systems ensure greater acceleration, increased drive power, and an extended speed range.

Options available with the MCH 4-axis horizontal machining centres are also available on the 'C' axis range.

These include Heller's spindle power monitoring systems and drill breakage-sensing packages.

The fifth axis on the MCH-C allows simultaneous 5-axis machining.

The design also enables five-sided machining at freely selectable machining angles.

The range of the fifth axis is 360,000 x 0.001 deg.

Machine spindle speed is 6000 rev/min (option 8000 rev/min) and rapid traverse is 50m/min.

Chip-to-chip automatic tool changing time is 6.8s.

Maximum machine spindle torque is 822Nm.

Machine spindle taper is either SK50 or HSK A-100.

The tool magazine can be chain-type, with a maximum of 100 pockets, or a rack-type with a maximum of 405 pockets.

Both magazines have either fixed place coding or variable place coding for optimised pocket assignment.

* Machine structure and specifications - The MCH-C has a rigid, one piece, cast iron machine bed and a thermo-symmetrically constructed gantry column to ensure accuracy on the tightest toleranced parts.

Construction of the machine bed and column has been optimised through finite element analysis.

Guideways have pre-loaded roller bearings and a high positional accuracy.

Digitally controlled axis feed drives are integrated into the machine design.

The machine spindle is designed for easy maintenance combined with precise movement and has on-line thermal growth compensation.

The main spindle drive is equipped with precision bearings and is therefore free of transverse forces.

All bearings have metered oil-air lubrication.

Measuring scales are thermo-symmetrically mounted for precise direct path measurements.

Swarf removal is optimised by the use of steel swarf chutes and powerful scraping conveyors either side of the Z-axis.

CNC used in the MCH-C is the powerful Siemens Sinumerik 840D.

* About Heller Machine Tools - West Midlands based Heller Machine Tools provides a full turnkey engineering service from its manufacturing plant in Redditch.

Applications, fixture design and service engineers work side by side at the modern plant.

Spares are supplied ex-stock from Redditch.

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