Turning centre machines micro parts

Both Clada Medical and Alta Science are using Schaublin's 102 TM CNC lathe to machine intricate medical components.

The high-precision lathe is ideal for the medical, dental, micro and optical sectors as well as the production of small aerospace and automotive components.

The compact turning machine has a turning diameter of 200mm and a turning length of 100mm, which has made this unit the installation of choice for the two medical research and development companies.

The 700kg machine has a linear tooling system on the X-axis, giving a 120mm stroke and enabling two radial tool positions with up to five frontal tool positions dependent upon the workpiece geometry.

C-axis machining with a programmable increment of 0.001 degrees is a standard feature and Schaublin Machines offers driven tooling units for drilling, milling and/or grinding.

This gives the 102TM CNC exceptional flexibility and capability, which have contributed to the machine's early success.

It is controlled by the Fanuc Oi Mate TC numerical control with Turn Mate via tactile screen as standard.

The machine has a headstock through-bore capacity option of 20 or 25mm.

With continued development of additional equipment, Schaublin Machines offers the option for vacuum clamping, enabling turning and or milling on thin-walled fragile components.

Despite these attributes, it is the +/- three-micron accuracy level and the optional grinding attachment that caught the attention of the two medical customers.

Because Clada is a medical research and development company, the tight tolerance capabilities were a major factor in the acquisition.

All the components produced on the 102TM CNC at Alta Science are less than 2mm in diameter.

The optional extra of the grinding attachment was selected by both companies, as installation and removal is simplified by the integrated motor.

The grinding fixture operates at spindle speeds from 4000 to 24,000rev/min.

The attachment operates with a B8-type collet that has a bore capacity from 0.5 to 8mm in 0.1mm increments, with anything from three up to the maximum 8mm also being available in 0.5mm steps.

Based on the success of the 102TM CNC, the 225TMi CNC centre is a larger version of the 102TM CNC machine.

The 225 TMi CNC has a linear-tooling configuration identical to that on the smaller 102 TM CNC.

The larger 225 TMi CNC machine has a weight of 1250kg that supports a turning envelope of 270mm diameter with a maximum swing over the carriage of 115mm.

The 225TMi CNC operates in the same tolerance band as the 102 TM CNC and has optional extras such as a tool zero-setting microscope and a tool-centring microscope to guarantee precision.

However, the 225TMi CNC is suited to larger workpieces and smaller more intricate parts.

Its AC spindle-motor generates 5.5KW of power for more robust machining.

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