CNC lathe has quill-type headstock

Instead of using the traditional sliding headstock lathe guidebush design, a mill-turning lathe uses a quill-type headstock, carrying a collet, and which travels 100mm into the cutting zone.

A new,mill-turning, sliding-headstock lathe without the customary guide bush has been introduced by Traub, Germany, allowing considerable reductions in set-up times.

Instead, a quill-type headstock carries a collet that travels 100 mm into and out of the cutting zone.

Geo Kingsbury Machine Tools, Gosport, is the UK agent for sales and service.

Designated TNL 26K, the machine is intended for economical manufacture of shorter, complex parts in one hit from bar in the diameter range 3 to 32mm.

Maximum turning length is approximately 250mm with multi stroking.

Rigid spindle bearings combined with a precision collet provide support for the workpiece without sacrificing the close-tolerance machining capability of a moving headstock.

Chuck work can be undertaken using a magazine or bowl feeder.

The machine is also ideal for applications where a guide bush is impractical, such as plastic workpieces and those machined from profiled stock.

Eliminating the guide bushing also removes the need to use high precision, expensive ground stock.

Furthermore, without the need to bridge the gap between a collet and the guide bush, bar remnants are far shorter, allowing more parts to be made from a given length of stock.

Four tool carriers are arranged in two intersecting work planes.

Two turrets have twelve stations each and can be configured with driven or fixed tools at any of the positions.

These tool carriers have a precise, fast indexing mechanism to minimise idle time.

Front and rear side carriers each accommodate up to five stationary or four individually driven cutting tools.

Use of multi tool holders can increase the total number of tools far beyond the 34 available stations.

The main and opposed spindles are matched in power at 6.7kW, both being capable of 8,000 rev/min.

When the sub-spindle is in use, four tools can be in cut simultaneously for efficient production.

There is the option of a full C-axis on both spindles.

Traub's own TX8i CNC system with its fast, 64-bit processor includes software offering a high degree of capability for operating and process optimisation.

Programming may be performed either at the machine through the Traub WinFlex IPS graphical object-orientated system or via an external PC loaded with Traub WinCNC software.

The control is prepared for the Teleservice option.

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