Innovative machine tool runoff solution

When it comes to sourcing capital equipment for machining specialty materials, many organisations would do well to remember the 10-speed bicycle analogy. People shop and buy a 10-speed bike for recreational or workout goals, but when riding rarely go beyond two or three of the most comfortable gears. Tour de France riders and other finely tuned athletes both size and operate all their components (frame, pedals, shifters, and wheels) to get the absolute most out of their equipment, whether climbing mountains or racing in the flats.

Machining  high-strength, high-temperature alloys like titanium is a significant mountain to climb for many shops. Machine tool builders have responded with milling and turning centres that feature improved stiffness and damping on spindles and sizable machine structures and motors, all to provide the significant cutting forces required, while minimising undesirable vibrations that deteriorate part quality and tool life.

Achieving the ultimate system for machining titanium for maximum metal removal means paying close attention to the machine tool that provides the force, the cutting tool characteristics where the cutting  edge  meets  the  workpiece,  and the spindle connection – the ‘handshake’ between the machine tool and the cutter.

In April 2012,  machine-tool builder Mitsui Seiki (Franklin Lakes, NJ)in connection  with tooling and tooling systems provider Kennametal Inc. (Latrobe, PA) conducted a test cut on a titanium (Ti-6Al-4V)  workpiece  on  the Mitsui-Seiki HPX63 CNC horizontal machining centre equipped with four Kennametal tools, each using the KM4X 100 spindle connection.

The machine
Key design criteria of the HPX63 include a large work capacity featuring  a  swing diameter up to 1050mm and available work height (Y axis) up to 1050mm. Axis stroke is 1000mm in X and 900mm in Z. Pallet size is 630mm. The B-axis rotary table offers 12rpm and high-torque, high-acceleration availability. Rapid travel rates are 32m/min with 0.5G acceleration/deceleration, and the cutting feed rate is 12m/min.

Made for precision work, its castings are  metallurgically  configured  for  the utmost stiffness, its box way axis slides are hardened, ground, and hand-scraped. Positioning accuracy and repeatability is 0.001mm. The spindle, Mitsui’s  own, automatically compensates for thermal changes and does not require a “warm up” period. The company offers several spindle options to meet user needs for direct or gear drives and the amount of torque and rpm requirements.

Overall, the ruggedness, rigidity, and precision of the HPX-63 make it ideal for machining titanium, Inconnel, tool steels, stainless steels, and aluminium for the aerospace, energy, compressor, mould and die, fixtures and tooling, automotive prototyping, and general  precision machining industries.

A spindle connection that makes the best utilisation of available power possible is an important consideration to achieving the ultimate system.  Most tools in the market  are  solid and the spindles have relatively low clamping force. Connection stiffness is limited, as radial interference needs  to be kept to a minimum.  The required tolerances to achieve consistent face contact are thus very tight, leading to high manufacturing costs.

Spindle connection
KM4X? from Kennametal represents the next generation of KM. Some systems may  be able to transmit a considerable amouКроссовки Lifestyle