Single spindle driller contends multi-spindles

Edited by the Manufacturingtalk editorial team May 24, 2006

Single-spindle, 3-axis drilling machines for the structural fabrication industry achieve multi-spindle performance and rapidly index from a vertical position to 90 deg horizontally left and right.

Kaltenbach are showing their new single-spindle, 3-axis, high-speed drilling machines, the KDM 712 and KDM 1012.

Primarily for the structural fabrication industry the KDM benefits from Kaltenbach market leading multi-spindle drilling machine and sawing system technologies.

The two models provide alternative material capacities.

For example the KDM 712 accepts columns up to 705 x 305/520mm with the KDM 1012 accepting 1030x350/520mm.

With a maximum 40mm diameter drill capacity the KDM can rapidly index from a vertical position to 90 deg horizontally left and right.

This makes it ideal for drilling structural columns, beams, channel and box sections.

Kaltenbach report that depending on the precise drilling sequence the KDM can be as fast as a multi-spindle drill, which makes it highly cost-effective.

CNC programmable, the KDM has fully automatic tool changing with two six-position tool holders mounted either side of the machines gantry.

Intelligent software ensures optimum tool placement and sequencing automatically occurs, to suit the programmed machining cycling.

Tools include, drills, centre-markers, thread-cutters and counter-sinkers, which can be used in all three positions.

Extra heavy-duty carbide drilling is available as a standard option.

The KDM material feed cycle uses a motorised input roller way which passes material through the drill head clamping table onto an output roller way, with a pusher length measurement feed system.

Material is then push-fed into the drills heavy-duty jaws passing through a light-sensor cut-length datum to accurately reference spindle-head positioning.

Kaltenbach state that a significant aspect of the machines ultra-fast and highly cost-effective performance is their in-house design and production of the entire machine, which importantly includes Kaltenbach common platform software.

The KDM drill operates stand-alone, or can readily integrate with a Kaltenbach saw to provide a fully automated, cost-effective saw/drill system.

The KDM machine, demonstrated at MACH 2006, is close-coupled to a KBS bandsaw to achieve a state-of-the art sawing/drilling combination, particularly suited to medium to heavy structural fabrication.