In what is a significant investment for its future, Cincinnati-based Metalex Manufacturing has selected Starrag, which has a UK subsidiary in Birmingham (
www.starrag.com), to supply a large-capacity multi-axis Droop+Rein portal-type machining centre for its new Center for Advanced Large Manufacturing.
The machine — the largest ever bought by Metalex — will give it “the ultimate in flexible production capacity to meet all foreseeable demands in terms of producing highly accurate milled and turned workpieces in a single set-up”.
Indeed, the six-axis Droop+Rein T Series machine is projected to not only undertake existing projects but also attract new work, thanks to its large capacity.
Capable of both milling and turning, the machine has a 19m X-axis stroke, 9.5m between the columns and 7m under the spindle; this vertical clearance is covered by 3m of ram stroke (Z axis) and a continuously movable cross-rail (W axis) with 5.5m of stroke.
The C axis integrated in the ram offers stepless rotation, while the B axis of the universal fork-type milling head (±95deg of rotation) completes the six axes.
The spindle drive is rated at 100kW and up to 7,500Nm of torque; and while the fork-type head offers a high degree of operational flexibility, it can be automatically exchanged with a wide variety of other heads, designed for optimum performance when undertaking specific applications.
All the heads will be designed, built and tested by Droop+Rein in Bielefeld (Germany), with more being added in the future, as Metalex takes on new work.
Meanwhile, a 400-pocket robot-tended tool magazine ensures automatic loading of different tooling systems into the selected milling and turning heads.
A distinctive feature of this machine is the X-axis bed, which carries two 6 x 8m tables.
These can be: operated separately, with one table being accessed by the spindle while the other is being loaded/unloaded outside the machining area; or coupled ‘in tandem’ to make an 18m-long table for extra-long workpieces.
Furthermore, each table incorporates an integrated 6m-diameter rotary table with two 111kW main drives.
These rotary tables can be used for turning components weighing up to 200 tonnes (using turning tool-holders provided in addition to the milling heads) or as a C axis for high-accuracy milling and drilling operations.
Looking to the future
Established in 1971, Metalex is a contract manufacturing company specialising in producing high-quality complex workpieces for a wide range of customers in the aerospace, energy, marine and consumer goods industries.
The company’s desire to source a machine that would not only satisfy current production needs but also meet all projected demands in the years ahead saw it make contact with a number of machine builders, including Starrag, which in the past has supplied it with a number of machines (a Dörries vertical turning lathe and two Starrag STC horizontal five-axis machining centres).
Droop+Rein’s product sales manager, Heiko Quack, said: “We sat down with Metalex to discuss what was needed — in short, a very flexible, large-capacity and high-accuracy machine with multi-axis capability that would efficiently accommodate a variety of parts in a range of materials — and produced to tight tolerances.
“We considered a number of solutions and machine types available, and together we arrived at the Droop+Rein T Series — a portal milling machine that offers the high level of rigidity essential for highly accurate machining.
“We added the two rotary tables and the turning tool-holders for in-cycle turning operations, and we expanded the horizontal and vertical clearances to suit Metalex’s anticipated requirements.
“Starrag also applied the best world-class technology solutions, including Balluff tool identification, Renishaw probing, Blum laser-based tool measuring, video monitoring of the work area using four cameras, Artis tool and process monitoring, and Brankamp collision monitoring — all integrated via the machine’s Siemens 840 D SL CNC system.
“The machine is due for delivery in 2020 and is scheduled to commence production in 2021.”
Summarising the pre-order project phase, Metalex CEO Kevin Kummerle said: “We looked at other suppliers, but Starrag was able to give us the best technology required for the current and future machining requirements of our customers, which will give us the competitive edge in the high-quality contract manufacturing market.”
New milling centres
Meanwhile, Starrag has announced a world first in Droop+Rein vertical milling centres with the launch of three new machines.
As a result, the company’s portal, gantry and overhead-gantry milling portfolio now covers the spectrum of large vertical five-axis milling solutions — from high-speed through to heavy-duty cutting — for industry sectors that include aerospace, energy, transportation and industrial.
The new developments and updates involve all existing machine types: overhead gantry designs with the new FOGS HD and updated FOGS NEO/N40 machines; floor-guided gantry designs with the new GS and GFS NEO/N40 models; and portal designs with the updated TS and TFS NEO/N40 machines.
Starrag says the new FOGS HD machines take heavy-duty cutting to the next level by combining the “dynamism and precision of overhead-gantry machining with the output of rigid portal/gantry milling”.
They also feature Starrag’s philosophy of modular design, offering: hydrostatic guideways; a choice of control systems, table configurations, milling heads and tool-changing systems; spindles with ratings up to 134hp (7,500Nm of torque); and X, Y and Z axis travels up to 31,000mm, 6,000mm and 2,500mm respectively.
Feed rates are 40m/min in X and Y, and 20m/min in Z.
Machines with the NEO designation include a new rack-and-pinion drive system for the ram (Z axis) and an integrated C axis (±400deg) with a torque drive.
The enhancements to the NEO machines’ main milling drive, which features the multi-functionality of a 53.6hp main-spindle drive and a head-change capability (on designated N40 models), include a new main drive motor and two-stage gearbox that can now be extended to 80.5hp and 1,800Nm of torque.
These new design features are also incorporated in the FOGS and the updated TS/TFS machining centres, as well as the new GS/GFS machines.
Complementing these machines is a wide choice of milling heads (over 300 different styles/ratings are available), which the Droop+ Rein applications engineers use to configure machines exactly to meet current and future applications.
Once machines are in production, data is harnessed by Starrag’s Integrated Production System for real-time feedback of machine status and performance, in line with Industry 4.0 principles.