Product category:
CNC automatic lathes
News Release from: Tornos Technologies | Subject: Multispindle automatic lathes as chuckers
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 24 December 2007
Multispindle lathe can be fed with
billets
Multispindle automatic lathe working need not be confined to bar work as at least one machine tool builder's machines can be equipped for automatic billet and tube blank loading as well.
Tornos Technologies of Switzerland said that automatic bar-turning machines have always been designed for machining workpieces from bars However, a new trend partially caused by material costs is rough-machining components on these turning machines, in other words, using bar machines as 'chuckers'
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 11 Jun 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Four patents granted for fixed headstock DECO
Following the phenomenal success of the DECO concept on sliding head and multispindle products, Tornos engineers wanted to develop a DECO incorporating fixed headstock technology.
Lathe combines best of CNC and cams
Tornos has unveiled its new automatic lathe, the DECO 42 f. For the first time, the DECO 2000 concept has been applied to the world of the fixed headstock.
Tornos said that its multi-spindle turning machines are perfectly suited to this.
Bars with a diameter of more than 35mm can very rarely be fed into standard automatic turning machines.
The reason is, the larger the bar diameter, the heavier the bar.
Further reading
Turnkey, multi-spindle lathe has own bar-feeder
At the EMO in Hanover during September of this year, Tornos will unveil as a first throughout the world, its new multi-spindle lathe working on the DECO concept: - the MULTIDECO 32/6 i.
Advanced CNC automatic enhanced further
Since its first appearance at the EMO, Hannover, last year, the Tornos 20a has been further improved aesthetically and the counter spindle increased in diameter.
Modular set-up autos expand subby's business
Needing to increase its flexibility, remain competitive and widen its market opportunities a subcontractor purchased three sliding head turning centres that could be updated as business grew.
Therefore, the rotating weight needs to be controlled to obtain the required precision.
Another issue is the weight that the operator is required to lift every time - hence loading bars pre-cut to the dimensions of the workpiece.
In either case, said Tornos to manufacturingtalk.com, the specialist turns to the chucker where the work is introduced into the turning centre and clamped in place in grippers.
The grippers are adapted to the shape of the workpiece and can even clamp diameters in excess of 40 to 50mm - eliminating the restriction of passing of the bar through the spindle.
Blanks or billets often arrive in bulk and are directed onto the rails by a vibrating hopper, loaded onto the machine from above and put in position using the force of gravity.
Another alternative is to use a manipulator or robot to position the workpieces in the turning machine's collet.
Tornos has taken the initiative of preparing the MultiDeco and MultiAlpha machines for billet/blank machining before they leave the factory.
Tornos has collaborated with specialist partners with a high level of knowledge of automatic workpiece loading.
The Tornos system for machining blanks loses none of its initial capacity especially in the event of a change of process when following up with bar work.
The machine's kinematics remain identical, both on the chucker and the bar feeder versions.
It is therefore totally feasible to add on a bar feeder without the need to make any significant modifications to the turning machine.
This way, bar turners lose none of their initial investment in the turning machine.
In chucker mode, the Tornos machines will machine tubes as well as larger diameter billets, because they will have the option of an internal fixture placement, an option not available in the bar feeding operation.
A further benefit will be that they will be able to machine workpieces in materials or primary shapes that are unavailable in bars.
On the Tornos MultiAlpha automatic turning machine, every machining work station has an independent spindle speed and position thanks to its integrated motor (motorspindle).
This arrangement enables it to run at the perfect speed for each spindle and stop the workpiece at each position to run operations such as milling and drilling including interpolations with rotary C-axis.
Because of this, the workpiece can be loaded when the spindle is at a standstill, which makes loading the blank in the grippers of the turning machine considerably more straightforward.
An additional benefit of the Tornos motorspindle turning machine comes from the possible need to work with different cutting speeds because the diameter of the workpieces has increased - something easily manageable with the Multi Alpha.
Its independent speeds help bar turners to achieve more effective and optimised production processes.
When looking for the most cost-effective solution on a turning machine with six spindles, one machining station may be assigned to the loading of the workpiece, another to its removal and four stations would remain available for machining operations.
On a Tornos turning machine with eight spindles for machining relatively straightforward workpieces, half of the spindles is sufficient to produce the part.
All operations have been doubled and the cycle time has thus been halved, said Tornos.
Furthermore, chucker autonomy is only limited by the stock of workpieces available.
In fact, this solution also enables continuous production to be run.
And all this on turning machines with a proven 'track record' in production.
• Tornos Technologies: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Manufacturingtalk email newsletter
• Manufacturingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
