Product category:
CNC turning centres, mill/turning, multi-tasking centres, horizontal and VTLs.
News Release from: Geo Kingsbury Machine Tools | Subject: Index V160 VTL with opposed spindle
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 25 November 2002
Pick-up opposed second spindle VTL is
universal
Described as the closest thing to a universal machine tool, is a hanging-spindle, vertical turning lathe (VTL) with the highly unusual option of an opposed counter spindle.
One of the more unusual CNC turning centres to come onto the market in recent years is the German-built Index V160, which UK agent, Geo Kingsbury, describes as the closest thing yet to a universal machine tool It is a hanging-spindle, vertical turning lathe (VTL) with the highly unusual option of an opposed counter spindle
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 26 Aug 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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A new, hanging-spindle, vertical turning lathe (VTL) has been introduced by Index on which the spindle head is able to move freely in three dimensional space.
Either one or two 12-station turrets, with or without live DIN tooling, may be deployed to serve each spindle.
The turret(s) serving the hanging spindle are either fixed in position or can have horizontal Y and rotary B axes, the X and Z axis movements being carried out by the spindle.
The arrangement for the opposed spindle is similar, except that the turret(s) perform the Z-axis movement.
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One benefit of the hanging-spindle design is the ease with which other machining operations may be integrated and the V160 is no exception.
For example, OD and ID grinding spindles, multi-spindle drill heads, polygon turning attachments, high frequency spindles and milling heads are all available to extend dramatically the machine's one-hit machining capability, which is already very considerable.
Another novel feature is that not only do the spindles travel on separate X-axis slideways, one above the other, but those slideways are positioned at right angles to each other - another first for Index.
The advantage is that separate machining areas can be created with minimal interference between the two spindles, resulting in a two-in-one VTL set-up, one hanging-spindle and one opposed.
However, the two C-axis spindles 'kiss' at their extreme travels to enable synchronous component transfer, so in-cycle reverse-end machining is catered for without the expense and space penalty of a component turnover station.
There is a choice of ballscrew drive or linear motor for the hanging spindle X-axis, another indication of the range of choices available with this modular machine.
The latter option gives a foretaste of the emphasis that Index has placed on speed, with a view to maximising production, be it small, medium or large batch, by minimising non-cutting times.
Rapid traverse in X of the linear motor-driven hanging spindle is 80m/min with 1G acceleration.
The conventionally driven lower spindle achieves 40m/min with 7 m/s2 acceleration in X.
The latter figures apply to the Z-axis motion of both spindles.
Turret rapid traverse over the 120mm Y-axis is 7.5m/min while the 360 degree B-axis positions itself at 30 rpm.
Station-to-station turret index is very fast at 0.2 second, with 180 degree rotation taking only 0.4 second.
When the machine is in-cut, high productivity is ensured by 20kW of continuous spindle power, giving 105Nm of torque and a maximum spindle speed of 5,000 rpm.
40% ED power and torque figures are over a third higher.
An 8.5kW motor drives the live tooling at up to 6,000 rpm.
Maximum swing diameter is 330 mm and spindle bore size is 65mm.
Control system is the Index C200-4D, based on the Siemens Sinumeric 840D CNC with a bespoke interface.
(This was Manufacturingtalk's Top Story on 22 November 2002).
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