Available from Birmingham-based Starrag UK Ltd (www.starrag.com), the new Heckert Rock Solid horizontal machining centres are claimed to be the most thermally stable in the world.

The machines feature a combination of liquid-cooled main drive motors and ballscrews, a temperature-controlled structure, a natural granite machine bed and thermal compensation of the linear and rotary axes.

Starrag says the machines — Heckert HEC 1000/1250/1600/1800 models — offer a positioning accuracy of 4µm for the linear axes and 4sec of arc for the NC rotary table — compared with 6µm and 6sec of arc on ‘conventional’ machining centres. They offer work envelopes from 1,700 x 1,250 x 1,850mm (HEC 1000) up to 3,400 x 2,800 x 2,250mm (HEC 1800).

The use of a novel ‘jacket’ creates a machine base that is thermally insulated against changes in ambient temperature as well as internal heat sources, while a temperature control system guarantees to keep all structural components at
a constant temperature.

In addition, the granite bed offers similar static and dynamic properties to a steel one, but without any thermal disadvantages (it has a 50% lower co-efficient of linear expansion) or magnetic or corrosion issues.

Finally, the CNC system offers functionality that corrects any tool centre-point displacements.