A five-axis portal-type milling machine has been introduced by German machine tool manufacturer Zimmermann ‘at the lower end of its price range’.

Available in the UK and Ireland through Gosport-based Geo Kingsbury Machine Tools Ltd (www.geokingsbury.com), the compact FZU is intended primarily for prototypes, tool making and mould making, as well as machining composite components such as airframes.

Featuring a thermo-symmetrical and stable design, this machine is configured for manufacturing workpieces from aluminium, plastics and model board. Unlike other machines in the Zimmermann range, it is shipped in one piece, so it does not need to be assembled at the customer’s premises.

The FZU is available with a choice of X-axis travels (2,000, 4,000 or 6,000mm), a 3,000mm Y axis, and either a 1,250 or 1,500mm movement in Z. Acceleration is 3m/sec2 to the maximum 60m/min feed rate. Table loads up to 10 tonnes can be accommodated.

The fourth and fifth CNC axes are provided by the newly developed VH10 spindle head, which is the smallest in the manufacturer’s range. Featuring a slender design, it provides minimal ‘interference contours’ and a high clamping force for stable milling.

An HSK-A63 spindle is standard; this is rated at 34kW (39Nm of torque) and offers a maximum speed of 24,000rev/min. The A axis swivels through 220deg, while C-axis rotation is 300deg for the smaller Z-axis travel and 360deg for the larger.

Resolution in both rotary axes is 0.0001deg. Control is provided by either a Heidenhain TNC 640 or a Siemens Sinumerik 840D sl. Other options include spindle probing, tool measuring, and a capacity for 40- or 60-tool magazines
instead of the standard 20 tools.