Bystronic Mobile Press Brake
Compared to the Xpert 40, the Xpert 80 offers an increase in bending length and press capacity. This opens up a wider spectrum of applications. Over a bending length of approximately five feet, the Xpert 80 generates a press capacity of 88 US tons with a footprint of less than 10 square feet.
The new Xpert 80 is designed to provide users with support for flexible job shop production with fluctuating batch sizes and varying bent parts as well as for series production with recurring parts. Today, for example, the machine can be set up next to a laser cutting system and tomorrow, maybe, in a row with other press brakes in order to process a large bending series.
For many users, bending requires manufacturing small to medium-sized parts using press brakes that are too big for the job. For parts up to a bending length of approximately 5 feet and a maximum thickness of ¾ of an inch, these users do not really need a large-scale bending machine, but a small and versatile one. Bystronic developed the new Xpert 80 for precisely these requirements: a fast press brake with a compact format that fits into virtually any manufacturing environment.
The machine achieves bending speeds up to 25 millimeters (1 inch) per second, enabling users to bend three times as many parts with the compact machine compared to a slower large press brake, according to Bystronic.
The ByMotion drive control, a Bystronic development, ensures that the Xpert 80’s upper beam and back gauges are accelerated with high precision.
For more information, visit the Bystronic website.
Doosan Horizontal Machining Centers
The NHP machines come standard with a 15,000rpm spindle with 40 horsepower and 169 ft-lbs of torque. For heavy cutting, a high-torque 15,000rpm spindle with 223 ft-lbs is available, and a 20,000rpm spindle is in development for customers with higher speed precision applications.
Up to 1G acceleration/deceleration on X, Y and Z-axes delivers productivity increases as high as 25 percent over the previous model. Ball screw shaft and bearing cooling systems keep the temperature of fast moving axes stable for precision machining.
In optimizing the construction of the machine, the footprint of the NHP has been reduced by 15 percent compared to the previous model, yet the machining area has been expanded by 24 percent. The three-point leveling design is intended to make machine installation and maintenance much more convenient. The center-through bed chip management evacuates large volumes of chips quickly for enhanced efficiency.
The pallets can accommodate loads of up to 400kg (880 lbs), for the NHP 4000 and up to 500kg (1100 lbs) for the NHP 5000, and both through-pallet and overhead hydraulic fixturing options are available. Additionally, the APC has been refined to achieve a 27 percent faster indexing time.
For more information, visit the Doosan website.
EMAG Turning/Grinding Machine
What can the transmission builders of OEMs and suppliers do in their production areas to address these developments?
One of the most efficient answers to that question is a solution from EMAG L.L.C. The company specializes in turning and grinding, and has now added another important element to this portfolio, the new VLC 200 GT. This machine was developed by EMAG engineers especially for the chuck machining of automotive gears.
The machine is loaded at high speed by the integrated pick-up spindle, a classic EMAG feature. To minimize non-productive times, EMAG has optimized features such as the mechanism of the machining area door.
Once the spindle with the part reaches its machining position, the process starts with hard pre-turning of the shoulder and the bore hole in quick succession. Only a few micrometers of material are then left to be removed from the gear. That means the subsequent grinding process, using either aluminum oxide or CBN grinding wheels, takes significantly less time.
According to EMAG, the machining quality also benefits from the combination of turning and grinding: when there is only a small amount of material remaining to be ground away after turning, the specifications for the grinding wheel can be based more precisely on the end quality required—as a result, surfaces with an average peak-to-valley height Rz of less than 1.6 micrometers can be created reliably with the VLC 200 GT.
EMAG has stated that there is an additional advantage in terms of tool costs, because during this process the grinding wheel wears down more slowly and therefore does not need to be dressed as often. When it does need dressing, the VLC 200 GT features a separate diamond-coated dressing roll designed specifically for this.
To ensure sustained process reliability and high machining quality, the integrated measuring pin is used to check the diameter and length of the clamped component at the end of the process. Operator comfort and ease of access were important priorities for EMAG's developers, so large doors allow easy access to the machining area. The tools and clamping devices are easily accessible and can be changed quickly and conveniently.
For more information, visit the EMAG website.
Makino 5-Axis Horizontal Machining Center
With its speed, power and motion control enhancements, the new MAG3.EX aims to provide aerospace manufacturers with the productivity necessary to exceed customer demands for costs, quality and lead-times.
“When updating the machine, we focused on three main design objectives: higher productivity, enhanced features and reliability, and interchangeability,” said Dave Ward, product marketing manager, Makino.
The MAG3.EX is fully equipped to take on aluminum structural parts up to 4 meters in length (approximately 13 feet), including wing ribs, bulk heads and beam-type components. Its X-, Y- and Z-axis travels of 4,000mm, 1,500mm, and 1,000mm (157.5 in, 59.1 in, 39.4 in), respectively, accommodate part sizes up to 4,000mm by 1,500mm by 750mm (157.5 in by 59.1 in by 29.5 in, respectively). The machine’s A and C axes are located within the spindle housing and provide ±110-degree tilting and 360-degree rotation.
By increasing the spindle power from 120kW to 130kW in the updated model, maximum power can be achieved at 26,000 rpm rather than 33,000 rpm with the previous spindle. Cutting feedrates and acceleration rates have also been improved with cutting feedrates increasing from 25.4 M/minute to 50 M/minute and acceleration rates reaching 1G.
In addition to added power and feedrates, rapid traverse rates have been improved across all axes: 25 revolutions per minute on the A/C, 62.7m/minute (2,440 IPM) on the X-axis, and 58 m/minute (2,283 IPM) on the Y- and Z-axis.
These faster axial movements, combined with an improved automatic tool changer and automatic pallet changer, reduce non-cutting times in operation. In some test parts, cycle times have been reduced by up to 23 percent compared to the previous model, according to Makino.
To keep up with the larger volume of chips removed by the improved spindle capabilities, coolant and chip management systems have also been updated for improved maintainability.
The MAG3.EX is built with a large-capacity automatic tool changer, capable of holding up to 120 tools and reducing the time it takes to change tools by 30 percent, and an automatic pallet changer, eliminating the need to stop machining for work setup. The platform also features a horizontally oriented work-setting station that lets operators set workpieces on the pallet similar to how they would with a vertical machining center.
Three key features of the next-generation MAG3.EX include Makino’s new Pro6 control, MPmax real-time process monitoring and Collision Safe Guard technologies. A dedicated monitor screen for MPmax is located next to the Pro6 control. Here, the operator can watch uptime rates, view images captured by the monitoring camera and monitor the condition of the spindle in real time. Operators can also access the recorded data and check details afterward.
Makino’s proprietary Collision Safe Guard technology is a function that runs real-time interference checks to avoid spindle crashes. By combining on-board machine geometry models with workpiece, fixture and tooling data input by the user, Collision Safe Guard can predict and stop the machine prior to collision.
Maintaining compatibility and interchangeability with these existing systems was a critical consideration in the development of the next-generation MAG3.EX.
The updated MAG3.EX can be used with existing pallets, work-setting stations and even pallet changers, making it fully compatible with Makino’s MMC2 systems. This design enables manufacturers to expand existing MAG3.EX cells or replace older machines from their MMC2 with no changes to the foundation.
For more information, visit the Makino website.
Mazak Optonics Laser Cutting System
The OPTIPLEX Fiber III utilizes a new drive system which is designed to provide higher productivity through high-speed and high-accuracy. The PreviewG Control is a 19-in LCD touch screen which operates similar to a smart phone or tablet for increased ease of operation.
Designed to integrate Intelligent Setup and Monitoring Functions, the OPTIPLEX 3015 Fiber III delivers features that aim to simplify operation and reduce operator dependency. The OPTIPLEX 3015 Fiber III has been engineered to be utilized with Mazak’s full range of automated material handling systems. A 2 pallet changer design with a helical rack and pinion positioning system that features high through-put and rugged construction.
OPTIPLEX 3015 Fiber III is equipped with sensors in the Multi-Function Torch that monitor piercing and cutting operations to improve throughput and part quality. If an anomaly is detected, the operation is adjusted or paused to automatically achieve effective cutting conditions.
For more information, visit the Mazak Optonics website.
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