Birmingham-based Starrag UK Ltd (
www.starrag.com) has introduced a new range of ‘affordable yet highly productive’ Heckert five-axis horizontal machining centres (HMCs) with rapid-traverse rates up to 80m/min.
These machines — with designations H45, H50, H55, L40, L50, L55 and X40 — have a smaller footprint (up to 30% less) than traditional horizontal machines, resulting in an estimated 15% increase in productivity per unit area.
Other attributes include acceleration rates of 1.2g, tool-change (chip-to-chip) times of 2.2sec and pallet-change times of 8.5sec.
These latest Heckert HMCs have a modular design that allows the use of different pallets (either 400 or 500mm), while spindle and column options allow users to specify versions for the machining of materials such as aluminium (using a universal HSK63 spindle on a lightweight aluminium column) or titanium (using a high-torque HSK100 unit and a steel column).
Starrag went ‘back to the drawing board’ to design these machines, but they embody many of the company’s proven construction principles — including a ‘mineral’ bed for resistance to vibration and temperature fluctuations.
Further shared technologies include linear guideways, a centralised swarf conveyor, and both ‘unified and accessible’ coolant and lubrication systems.
The Heckert H40, H50 and H55, which offer work envelopes of 560 x 650 x 680mm (H40) and 700 x 750 x 780mm (H50 and H55), can accommodate workpieces up to 900mm high, and weighing up to 600kg (H40) and 800kg (H50 and H55).
The 20,000rev/min spindle has a maximum torque of 453Nm. The Heckert L40, L50 and L55 have work envelopes of 560 x 550 x 680mm (L40) and 700 x 550 x 780mm (L50 and L55).
L-series machines can accommodate workpiece heights up to 600mm, plus loads of 600kg (L40) and 800kg (L50 and L55). They feature the same spindle as H-series models.
The X40 has a work envelope of 700 x 750 x 750mm; it can accommodate workpiece heights of 500mm and loads of 400kg. The 30,000rev/min spindle offers a maximum torque of 350Nm.
In all cases, there is the option of an NC rotary table (up to 900rev/min) for performing turning operations in the same set-up; moreover, all machines can be supplied as four-axis models if preferred.
Tool magazine options for up to 320 tools can be specified, and the new 24in CNC touch-screen supports Starrag’s Integrated Production System (IPS) functionality, with Profinet and IO-Link integration for networking/digitisation — plus direct links to ERP software (IPS is applied across all of the company’s product ranges and includes cutting-force monitoring, as well as tool and workpiece management).