Akira-Seiki VMC has 96m/min rapid traverse and 0.7s toolchange

Citation

(2007), "Akira-Seiki VMC has 96m/min rapid traverse and 0.7s toolchange", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 79 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2007.12779eab.006

Akira-Seiki VMC has 96m/min rapid traverse and 0.7s toolchange

Akira-Seiki VMC has 96m/min rapid traverse and 0.7s toolchange

Reportedly having one of the fastest rapid traverse rates of 96m/min currently available on a vertical machining centre attained with an acceleration of 2G, a high speed spindle option of 20,000revs/min, tool-to-tool change time of 0.7 sees and a twin-pallet 1808 index time of 1.5 sees, the new C. Dugard agency for Akira-Seiki vertical machining centres will it is believed set totally new benchmarks for short cycle production sequences.

Now available from C Dugard of Hove, the Dugard Akira-Seiki AS-500T and larger capacity A-650 machining centres is said to bring the performance of conventional ballscrew and linear way machine tool design into the realms of high speed linear drives. As a result, non-cutting times are minimised due to the rapid 96m/min slideway positioning while throughput is maximised with extremely quick tool and pallet indexing sequences.

Both machines are very compact requiring a floor area of just 1.5×2.1m and 1.9×3m and have respective working strokes of 500 and 650mm in the X-axis, 280 and 350mm in Y and 280 and 400mm in Z. Pallet sizes are 600×300mm and 650×350mm, respectively, with maximum loadings of 80 and 120kg on the larger machine.

The low inertia, direct drive spindle motor develops 15 to 15,000revs/min as standard on the AS-500T and this same spindle is an option on the larger A-650 machine. In both cases it is able to accelerate to maximum revolutions in just 0.45 sees and has a rigid tapping capability of 6,000revs/min on the smaller machine, for tap sizes up to M14 and 4,000revs/min on the A-650 for larger taps up to M24.

Optional on the AS-500T is a 20 to 20,000revs/min high speed spindle while the standard specification on the A-650 is a 12 to 12,000revs/min high torque spindle drive. The maximum drilling capacity is 16mm, on the smaller machine which is extended to 24mm on the larger machine. Toolchange from the 24 position tool magazine, via a twin-arm unit, takes just 0.7 sees with an up to 2.1 sees chip-to-chip on the smaller machine and 1.2s/3.4 sees chip-to-chip on the larger A-650.

The twin-pallet system is able to take loads of 80kg on the smaller machine and 120kg on the A-650 and rotates through 1808 between the front loading and machining positions in just 1.5 sees. Location is through a precision curvic coupling giving high accuracy and high rigidity to accommodate heavier milling tasks.

The machine has been developed to avoid the use of hydraulic systems for the toolchange and pallet change giving the machine the added advantages of improved stability and reduced maintenance.

Options available include spindle oil chiller, through-the-tool coolant supply, auto-tool measurement, NC rotary table, high pressure coolant and programmable coolant nozzles.

Also recently available from C. Dugard for machining larger and more demanding workpieces is the latest Dugard Eagle 400 heavy duty CMC 2-axis lathe that has a swing over bed of 770mm and maximum turning diameter of 570mm.

The 458 slant bed lathe weighs some 9.5tons and is constructed on a single cast iron base with heavy duty hardened and ground slideways. This construction enables the benefits of the high torque, created through a 26kW drive and ZF two-speed gearbox, to be maximised at just 250revs/min. Maximum spindle speed is 2,500revs/min for the 91mm bar capacity and 12in. through-bore hydraulic chuck, which is supported with a programmable 110mm diameter hydraulic tailstock with an MT5 quill.

Typical of the C. Dugard of Hove specification, for its wide range of machine tools, is the heavy-duty hydraulic turret that will accept 32mm square shank tooling and boring bars up to 50mm shank diameter. There is also an option of 10 or 12 station turret versions with 0.45 sees indexing. The Z-axis travel is 820mm and X-axis 320mm with rapid traverse rates of 18m/min in each axis.

Important for such a large capacity machine is the slide aside guarding that provides a wide entry with plenty of overhead clearance for loading awkwardly shaped and large components. The 120mm quill travel of the powered tailstock with automatic positioning and ergonomic placement of the Fanuc Oi control with LCD screen display simplifies the operation of on-machine programming and setting.

Included in the specification is a large capacity coolant system and a range of boring bar bushes. Wide ranging options include a barfeed system, a 450mm through-bore hydraulic power chuck, high pressure coolant pump, manual and automatic tool setting probes, a range of chip conveyors, hydraulic steady rest and automatic door operation.

Details available from: C Dugard Machine Tools, Tel: +44 (0)1273 732286, Web site: www.dugard.com