CNC Milling Centres Combine Power, Speed

A quartet of new Soraluce milling machines that combine power with speed, flexibility and cost-effectiveness, plus an emphasis on one-hit machining from heavy-duty metal removal through to finishing, has been announced by Ward CNC, the Spanish machine manufacturer's exclusive UK agent. Designed for accommodating large workpieces, the capabilities of the fixed bed moving column SP-8000, floor type FR-12000 and fixed bed moving column FL-6000 models can all be enhanced by the addition of high-speed electro-spindles to complement their orthogonal/automatic indexing heads. Not only do electro-spindles promise faster production cycles, higher quality surface finishes and 'dual' machining capabilities via the ability to rough and finish with the same spindle, but their 'cold' rotor feature also extends bearing lifetime (at least 7,000h compared with the usual 3,000h from an asynchronous unit) thanks to the very low levels of vibration generated by these low-inertia unit, and the ability to achieve balance independent of both speed and power. With X, Y and Z axes travels of 6500mm by 2000mm by 1500mm, the SP-8000 milling centre boasts rapids of 25m/min and a table capacity of 8000mm by 1100 mm. With 40-tool ATC, the machine features a 30kW, 4,000 rev/min automatic indexing head (in 2.50 by 2.50 steps) with two indexing planes, one vertical to the spindle axis and another at 450. The FR-12000 milling machine has axis travels of 12000mm by 3600mm by 1600mm in X, Y and Z, rapid traverse rates of 25m/min and feed rates of 5 to 10000mm/min. Complementary to the 80-tool ATC is a 37kW, 4,000 rev/min orthogonal indexing head that can be indexed vertical to the spindle and at 900, both positioning every 10, and there is a 37kW/4,000 rev/min horizontal boring head. Having a table size of 6000mm by 1100 mm and integrated fourth axis rotary table of 1000mm diameter, the 80-tool FL Centre 6000 has X, Y and Z traverses of 5500mm by 1400mm by 1000mm and rapids of 25m/min. The machine's automatic indexing head (0.0010 by 0.0010) is rated at 30kW/4,000 rev/min and can be indexed vertical to the spindle and at 450. Completing the new machine line-up - to complement the comprehensive Soraluce range already available from Ward CNC - is the TA-20-A 5-axis bed type mill that has X, Y and Z ratings of 2000mm by 1200mm by 800mm, a 1000mm by 1000mm fourth axis rotary table and rapids of 25m/min. Feed rates are 5 to 10000mm/min and the vertical automatic indexing head (0.0010 steps) is rated at 24kW/16, 000 rev/min. As expected of machines developed under the auspices of the Danobat Group's IDEKO research and development, all Soraluce machines are of high-quality build based around heavy-duty GG-30 cast iron construction for optimal stiffness, as well as vibration and stress absorption, complemented by INA linear guideway technology for effective rapid traversing.