Product category:
5-axis (3+2 axes and continuous path) machining centres
News Release from: Matsuura Machinery | Subject: Stama MC526/MT 5-axis machining centre
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 03 September 2001
Centre machines workpieces six sides in
one
Stama has combined a 5-axis machining centre with a trunnion-mounted turning unit - horizontal and vertical attitudes - and which also functions as two-axis positioner for milling.
To describe the German-built Stama MC526/MT as a mill-turning centre would be misleading, as such machines are generally lathes with live turret tooling Stama's innovation has been to combine a five-axis machining centre with a trunnion-mounted turning unit which can be clamped in both horizontal and vertical attitudes and also functions as a two-axis (A/B) positioning unit for milling operations
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 21 Jun 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Maximum capacity is 60-off 15mm bars to give a total capacity of up to 48m of bar for long periods of unattended production.
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Specification of the turning/indexing unit comprises a 42kW built-in motor-spindle providing up to 5,000 rev/min for turning operations.
The A/B axis positioning unit has 360/180 deg of movement.
Basic format of the machine follows that of Stama's well known range of high productivity vertical machining centres; in fact an MC 526/M version is also available.
The travelling column-type milling unit has a 37kW spindle offering speeds up to 12,000 rev/min.
Axis travel is 520mm in X, 400mm in Y and 360mm in Z with 60m/min rapid traverse.
Tool capacity is 42, or optionally 90, using the HSK-A63 short taper system.
This allows both fixed turning tools and milling/drilling tools to be located using the same spindle taper.
Either 20 or 70 bar through-tool coolant is available.
The tooling includes a collet-type part gripper which allows the front end of a workpiece to be removed from the turning unit after parting off using either a turning tool or a circular saw in the milling spindle.
The component can then be rotated through 180 deg and re-loaded into the turning spindle, after retraction of the bar, for chucking operations on the back face in either the horizontal or vertical attitude; or for prismatic machining in any orientation.
Alternatively, the latter may be performed on the first end following the turning cycle if there is no inversion after part-off.
The completed component is off-loaded via a chute and conveyor system.
The MC526/MT's versatile configuration removes some of the compromises and complexities inherent in lathe-based mill-turning machine operation where the Y-axis and B-axis in particular have fairly restricted movement combined with relatively low milling spindle power.
Equally, its capability to function as a turning machine allows complex milling cycles such as interpolation of thread forms to be replaced by straightforward single-point thread cutting, which is faster, more accurate and easier to program.
This is all in addition to full five-axis machining capability.
Either the Siemens Sinumerik 840D or Fanuc 18i/16i CNC system is available according to customer preference.
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