The time-consuming and precise nature of mold making, which is a 6,000-year-old skill, once made many manufacturers leave North America for lower-cost manufacturing centers. For companies that needed those molds, it meant waiting even longer for them. It also created potential quality control, quality assurance and metrology issues.
Things have changed since that time—and are about to change even more. Advancements in technology allowed mold making to make a comeback stateside. Thanks to innovations such as faster metal cutting through high-speed machining (HSM), electrical discharge machining (EDM) techniques and various software options, mold shops have gained the tools they need to compete. The reliability and repeatability of newer processes have made companies want more—increased efficiency, machine uptime and machine utilization rates.
UNISIG, a leading manufacturer of deep hole drilling systems and technologies, is about to change molding capabilities yet again with a single machine that changes the mold-making process. Want one machine that can reduce setup time, increase accuracy and eliminate design restrictions? The company’s USC-M series can check all those boxes.
The USC-M combines deep hole drilling and milling capabilities—gundrilling, BTA drilling and up to 120 tools—on a single 7-axis machine that has a heavy-duty rotating table and tilting A-axis. The axes of control are the B, A, X, Y and Z for 5-axis machining operations; W-axis for combined gundrilling and BTA deep hole drilling; and U-axis for machining. Two independent spindles are used to split duties: one for drilling and one more milling.
The series includes the USC-M38 and USC-M50, and can process large and small parts with four-sided machining capability in a single setup, as well as generate accurate holes up to 1.5 inches in diameter for large workpieces. According to UNISIG, using a deep hole drilling headstock that is capable of conventional gundrilling and BTA high-performance drilling has proven to be five to seven times faster than gundrilling alone.
The USC-M series has options for improved accuracy and productivity, along with additional accessories.
Accuracy Options
- Glass scales provide direct feedback to improve axis positioning accuracy and repeatability.
- Wireless inspection probes allow workpiece verification, job setup and machine inspection.
- Automatic radial and axial tool setup provides enhanced accuracy and reduced tool breakage.
- Combined with an inspection probe, a Kinematics OPT allows the machine to measure the rotary axis position and minimize spatial error.
Improved Productivity
- Automatic tool changers are available with up to 120 tools.
- Dual pallet loaders allow automatic workpiece exchange for improved machine utilization and unattended machining.
- Modular fixturing can reduce setup and allow for process planning.
Accessories
- Refrigerant chiller: maintains cutting fluid temperature.
- Mist and smoke collector: eliminates fumes from high-performance milling and drilling.
- Remote handwheel: simplifies control of the machine during setup and verification.
- Remote tool management: provides tool management during operation at the rear of the machine.
Interested in learning more about the modern world of manufacturing? Check out Why On-Demand Could Be the Future of Manufacturing and Why Manufacturers are Stoked about IIoT.