Modular design of modern lathes

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Lathes with a modular design can simplify the production process, shorten the processing time, and improve production efficiency. Fast replacement of tools and workpieces can significantly reduce the unit processing cost. At the EMOHANNOVER exhibition, lathe suppliers are a very important group of exhibitors, accounting for about 7% and occupying roughly 12% of the exhibition space. At this year’s EMOHANNOVER2007 exhibition, the participating team remained unchanged. German company HALLEINEMCO is a subsidiary of Austrian company EMCOMAIERGMBH. From the perspective of its general manager, Mr. DIETER KAUMANN, \"At present, simplifying production processes is a topic of great interest to customers, namely carrying out various processes on a single machine.\" ”Doing this can further shorten the processing cycle in the customer’s production process. Mr. KAUMANN said, “Our motto is ‘Designed for your benefit’.” Processes that usually require several machine tools can now be completed with just one machine tool. ”To this end, we can cite specific examples such as feed machining of external contours, deep hole drilling, cutting operations, machining of hard materials, measurement during the manufacturing process, or deburring. Furthermore, another trend is the increasing flexibility of production. For the mass production of parts in various sizes, machine tools must be easy to clamp and adjust, and able to quickly adapt to the machining of other parts. Mr. KAUMANN said, “Our main goal is to minimize machine downtime and improve productivity accordingly.” ”At the EMOHANNOVER2007 exhibition, EMCO will showcase its main products, ranging from the newly developed high-performance machining centers EMCOMECOF and MECMILL for general machinery production, to the well-known EMCOTURNE, MAXXTURN, and HYPERTURN production lines, as well as the newly developed CONCEPTTURN450 milling machine for training purposes. HUELLERHILLEGMBH is a subsidiary of MAG Industrial Automation Systems Company (MAGIAS); it received an order from the Czech company BONATRANS Group to manufacture two vertical lathes for processing locomotive wheels. As planned, the delivery date of the machine tool should be in October 2007. In 2005, HUELLERHILLE company already delivered two machine tools with a similar design to BONATRANS company, equipped with automated loading systems. The VDM120RW type 4-axis vertical lathe is equipped with a 165KW drive system whose torque is converted for the machining of train wheels; corresponding gears are used as cutting tools, which ensures that two tools can perform machining on the wheels simultaneously. During the pre-processing stage, the maximum cutting depth can reach 12 MM. The entire processing is referred to as sequential processing. The first and second clamping adjustments on the machine tool occur one after another. During this processing step, the turning of the wheel is automatically carried out by the gantry tool loading system after the first clamping and adjustment. There is no need to stop production when replacing worn tools; all the tools required for clamping, adjustment, and machining are installed on a 4-way rotating worktable. When replacing worn cutting tools, the machine tool does not need to stop operating, as it is equipped with a tool magazine that can hold 24 cutting tools. If necessary, a new tool can be replaced simultaneously with the worn one. During peak processing times, the tools in the tool magazine can also be manually loaded and unloaded by the machine operator. Once the new cutting tool is installed, it will be measured by the RENISHAW system, and adjustments will be made automatically through the Siemens control system. All machine tools are equipped with a PROME-TEC interrupt control system to monitor the process. When cutting is interrupted or the tool is severely worn, the tolerance limits of the feed power monitor are exceeded, which causes the feed mechanism to shut down automatically. Therefore, the cutting tool can be automatically replaced during the picking process. The FLEXTURN lathe is a great example of an efficient automated machine tool; it uses robots for loading and unloading, as provided by DR. －ING. Manufactured by ROBERTSTOPP Machine Tools Company. The lathes provided by this company feature horizontal spindles, come in various designs, have a compact structure, and allow workpieces to be loaded and unloaded from the back, thereby providing ample space for the operator. For example, the modular structure of machine tools includes a linear tool system that can operate in fast cycles, a tool rotation mechanism, a tray system, and additional specialized processing units. CNC lathes equipped with horizontal spindles come in various designs and are suitable for processing a wide range of soft and hard materials. Manufacturers can provide various modules according to customer requirements. For example, automated system modules with 100% control systems, as well as specialized modules configured specifically for the customer’s processing processes. The module includes 4 types of spindle housings, 3 CNC axes of different sizes each with varying stroke lengths, a machine bed made of polymer concrete, and automation devices that make use of modular processing and special solutions. From the perspective of the optimal machining approach, for many materials, vertical turning is the most ideal machining method. The CNC lathes provided by this company feature vertical spindles and are suitable for processing both soft and hard materials. These machines can also be equipped with appropriate automation modules as requested by the customer. The DZ45 CNC machine tool is part of WEILERWERKZEUGMASCHINENGMBH’s product line; its main frame is available in various models, offering a good cost-performance ratio that makes it suitable for customers’ use. Its product range includes belt-driven 2-axis lathes suitable for simple turning operations, as well as machine tools equipped with a tailstock and power tools; machine tools whose spindles are fitted with hollow-shaft motors and are suitable for all-round machining, and those that can also be equipped with a Y-axis. All these machine tools are equipped with the proven Siemens 810/840D control system. It exhibits optimal stability and dynamics during milling. The machine’s frame features a stable three-in-one structure; the bed that supports the machine is made of cast iron at a 45° angle. The machine is equipped with a hollow-shaft motor, hydraulic systems, a control cabinet, and a fluid-air cooling system. Compared to previous models, this machine tool is equipped with robust guide rods, features a wide guiding clearance, and has an increased drive power for the spindle, thereby ensuring optimal stability and dynamics during milling operations. Each spindle of the DZ45 machine tool is equipped with a safety clutch. The hydraulic tailstock, together with its new path measurement system and guide rods, can move throughout the entire working area just like an NC tailstock, and its driving force can be adjusted through programming. Its reverse axis can be used for the comprehensive machining of complex workpieces. Like the main shaft, its size is 42 MM, with a rotational speed of 6000 R/MIN. The reverse spindle has all the functions of an NC tailstock and can be used as a support or drill shank. Path measurement on the X-axis is carried out directly through the path measurement system. The quick switch tool rotation unit can be equipped with a 12VDI30 tool station and/or a 16VDI25 tool station. When asked what requirements modern lathes need to meet, Mr. JOACHIM TOMASETTI, President of THHDREHTEILEGMBH, said, “For us, the concept of automated machine tools lies in price competition as the basis for equipment pricing.” We need the safety and continuity of processing. As a lathe ordered under a contract, it is also very important to meet the following conditions: simple operation, small footprint, and fast clamping and adjustment. ”Mr. THOMAS SEEMANN, Sales Director at ALLWEIERPRAEZISIONSTEILEGMBH, agreed with this statement. He said, “As a user, the main factor I consider and that determines my decision to purchase equipment is the reduction in processing time that can be achieved through automated systems.” ”