CNC sliding head autos cut small part costs

Deploying up to 21 tools, the Citizen L20 VIII CNC sliding head automatic offers 40% saving in non-productive cutting or idle time when compared against the machine it replaces.

If small precision parts up to 32 mm diameter are price critical and accuracy and consistency of production is paramount, then the latest developments by Citizen, the world-leader in CNC sliding head lathe technology, have much to offer at EMO 2005.

At the exhibition, visitors will have the chance to see the European launch of the latest Citizen L20 lathe series, the first European showing of the Citizen RO7 super high speed lathe and the latest variants of the competitively priced Citizen K12 and K16 machines.

Available through NC Engineering of Watford, the up to 21 tool Citizen L20 VIII is able to demonstrate a massive 40% saving in non-productive cutting or idle time when compared against the machine it replaces.

The linear motor driven Citizen RO7 VI with subspindle and 13 tools, of which two are driven, is totally new employing the same fast cycling technology of its smaller capacity sister machine the RO4 launched a year ago.

The RO7 VI with subspindle is specially developed for 'one-hit' high precision mill/turning components up to 7mm diameter by 40mm long at up to 16,000 rev/min with the linear drive creating ultra-fast acceleration over the short axis strokes at a rapid traverse rates of 20m/min.

Meanwhile, the K12 and K16 VII new generation machines with five-axis control, able to simultaneously front and rear machine a component at both spindles using six turning tool positions, also employs four driven tools, four front and four back drilling tools.

The K-Series machines redefine the productivity gains possible to lower the cost of producing mill/turn parts using CNC sliding head technology with the added bonus of competitive pricing for the installation.

Referring to the higher efficiency of the new generation Citizen L20 VIII, managing director of NC Engineering Geoff Bryant describes a series of test piece machining comparisons carried out by Citizen against the previous machine where overall savings in lost time varied between 39% and a massive 66%.

The 3.7kW, 10,000 rev/min main spindle and 1.5kW 8,000 rev/min subspindle machine also has the benefit of increased acceleration and its rapid traverse rate improved from 20m/min to 32m/min in each axis.

The main and subspindle can be employed for simultaneous machining cycles including turning and drilling and through tool overlapping on entry and exit from cuts, idle time and also vibration is further reduced.

On the new L20 even control start up time has been reduced by 75% with instant shut-down and any screen switching time is reduced by half.

The machine setter also benefits from wider guarding access and a long part adapter option also enables components up to 600mm long to be automatically unloaded.

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