The VM ONE, a three-axis, 40-taper, vertical-spindle machining centre (VMC) has been introduced by High Wycombe-based Hurco Europe Ltd, to address a need especially among sub-contractors for an entry-level machine that is super-compact. It is capable of producing prismatic parts weighing up to 1,500kg within a working envelope of 660 x 406 x 356mm.

The new model is small enough to fit through a 2m high doorway, allowing it to be sited in areas where headroom is restricted, such as under mezzanine floors or in a garage. It nevertheless offers large capacity, productivity and user flexibility considering its compact 1,842 x 1,793mm footprint, and has generous spindle power and speed for a machine of its size.

The VM ONE, which sits in the Hurco range between the even smaller VM5i and the similarly compact but slightly larger VM10i, harks back to 2002 when the original entry-level VM1 made its world debut at the IMTS Chicago show. The model became part of the manufacturer's history and an important driver for growth due to its appeal to small entrepreneurs and job shops.

Sporting the latest grey livery, the new VMC is described as a revitalised version of the popular VM1. It has the same one-piece base casting, saddle and 762 x 406mm table as the VM10i, as well as an identical programmable feed rate up to 28m/min in all axes, equal to the rapid traverse rate.

At the same time, the machine uses the VM5i’s head casting, modified box column, 7.5kW/8,000rev/min spindle motor and 16-station tool magazine. The Hurco VM ONE therefore ‘offers the best of both worlds in terms of rigidity, compactness, power and productivity’.

It also features Hurco’s advanced CNC with more memory and features than competitive machines — powered by WinMax software, it is the same control that is fitted to all Hurco VMCs. It supports both conversational programming via a colour LCD touch-screen and input of NC code generated off-line, making it ideal for high-mix manufacturing environments.