Vertical machining centres have advanced swarf management

Citation

(2001), "Vertical machining centres have advanced swarf management", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 73 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2001.12773eab.004

Vertical machining centres have advanced swarf management

Vertical machining centres have advanced swarf managementKeywords: Hurco, Vertical machining

Five vertical machining centres carrying the prefix VMX have been introduced by Hurco, four of which are reported to have considerably upgraded specifications, particularly in terms of speed and working envelope compared with the models they supersede. The other machine – VMX50 – is new, having been launched at the IMTS show in Chicago last September (2000).

Of particular note is said to be the greatly improved swarf management which is now standard on most VMX models (see Plate 3). Chips are reported to be effectively removed by flooding coolant not only over the component and table from a ring of built-in coolant jets around the spindle nose, but also down troughs alongside the Y-axis slideway covers towards a spiral chip auger positioned parallel to the X-axis in the base of the machine at the front. From here the chips are fed into an easily removable swarf bucket at the side.

Plate 3 Most of Hurco's new VMX vertical machining centres have upgraded swarf management, including fast washdown of chips and a spiral auger feeding a removable swarf bucket

Rather than having a flat surface, the way covers on all machines have been designed with a double sloping "tent" cross-section to encourage chips to fall away. Supporting the goal of fast washdown of swarf from the working area is easy installation of through-spindle coolant.

The new VMX50 is a three-, four- or five-axis machining centre which is considered to be particularly suited to profiling of aerospace components and short-run production. It claims an impressive specification for its class, including a 1,270 x 660 x 610mm working envelope and a high torque, 11kW (18.75kW peak), 10,000rpm spindle motor which accelerates to full speed in 4.5 seconds. Contributing to high productivity are said to be the rapid traverse rates of 30m/min in X and Y, 20m/min in Z, assisted by heavy-duty linear guideways and pre-tensioned, double-nut ballscrews. Cutting feed is also stated to be high at 7.6m/min in all axes, promoting the superior quality machined finish so important in mould manufacture in particular to minimise hand finishing.

VMX24 is the smallest Hurco machining centre. Taking over from the BMC2416M, it claims a number of enhancements at no additional cost. Notable among these is a reported 25 per cent increase in Y-axis travel to 508mm, whilst the Z-axis travel is up 20 per cent to 610mm. Maximum spindle speed is up from 8,000 to 10,000rpm, delivered by a new, lightweight motor which does not need counterbalancing.

The same increases in Y-axis travel to 508mm, spindle speed to 10,000rpm and rapids to 30m/min hold true for the VMX30 compared with the older machine model. The VMX40 has the latter two enhancements whilst working envelope remains the same at 1,020 x 510 x 610mm. The price of this machine has been reduced by more than 10 per cent compared with last year.

The VMX64 size of machine was launched in 1999 as the BMC6434M, indicating that Hurco's entry into the larger machining centre arena has been relatively recent. Axis travels remain the same at 1,625 x 860 x 760mm, but there is now the choice of 6,000, 8,000 or 10,000rpm spindle speeds to suit high-torque and high-speed applications. The 50 taper version of the VMX64 is available with 32 tool stations, compared with 24 stations maximum on the others. ATC time is stated to be down to four seconds for tools of 6.8kg or less, this being the standard specification. The machine is capable of a massive 23kW (30HP), ideal for heavy cutting applications.

All Hurco vertical machining centres are equipped with Ultimax 4, a patented, twin-screen, shop floor programming and control system. It combines a simple question-and-answer format with calculation-assist for programming 2D contours, whilst maintaining full NC capability for working off line. An array of optional software tools include UltiDraw for direct DXF (AutoCAD) file translation; and UltiOpen which turns the second screen into a high-speed gateway to the Internet, enabling file downloads, e-mail access and networking capabilities.

Further details are available from Hurco Europe Limited. Tel: +44 (0)1494 442222; Fax: +44 (0) 1494 443350; E-mail: sales@hurco.co.uk; Web site: www.hurco.co.uk