XYZ holds press event to launch new 400 UMC

Devon-based XYZ Machine Tools Ltd has over 40 years’ experience of selling machine tools (over 26,000 to date) and has continually brought new products to market, products designed to enable workshops to become more efficient and increase profitability, such as the UMC5X introduced in 2017 — an advanced, high-technology full five-axis machine that raised the profile of XYZ and today has a base price of £220,000.

Recent customer feedback showed there is now demand for a five-axis machine that, compared to the UMC5X, has a smaller footprint and slightly less capacity, while maintaining the same high level of build quality — and available for a lower capital investment. At the beginning of October, the company launched its Autumn Seminar programme with a press event at its headquarters in Burlescombe to introduce the new XYZ 400 UMC. A five-axis bridge-type machine, designed and manufactured in Taiwan by XYZ’s long-term partner King Rich and aimed at reducing set-up costs when multi-face machining — whether in 4+1 applications or fully simultaneous five-axis machining — prices start at £110,000.

Pictured left: XYZ’s headquarters in Burlescombe, Devon has over 300 machines in stock at any one time for fast delivery

Martin Burton, XYZ’s managing director, said: “This new product has been brought to the market to help manufacturers tackle the issues of reducing setup times, producing more complex parts with fewer spindles, tackling the skills shortage by producing more with less, and allowing for the adoption of automation. With the launch of this new machine our aim is to make five-axis machining accessible to every workshop in the UK.”

This compact machine, which has a footprint of 3,030 x 2,340mm including the standard swarf conveyor, features a substantial Meehanite cast iron construction and linear roller bearings on the three linear axes, which are 800mm in X, 600mm in Y, and 510mm in Z. Also featured is a 400mm-diameter fourth and fifth-axis tilt/rotate table with a maximum load capacity of 250kg.

Rigorous testing
Mark Higson, XYZ’s applications team leader who went to the machine’s manufacturer in Taiwan to fully test the 400 UMC before it came to the UK, said that with this load capacity the ruggedness and accuracy of the tilt and indexing mechanism are key to achieving comprehensive machining capabilities — hence the use of Japanese manufactured roller cam systems rather than the traditional worm and wheel arrangement. During exhaustive cutting tests, Mr Higson noted a backlash on the tilt of just 0.003deg and 0.006deg on the rotary, which resulted in the “the quality of the test parts produced in Taiwan being stunning, even at high material removal rates.”

Mr Higson also highlighted a benefit of the substantial X-axis stroke being the ability to access the top of a component when it is tilted on the B axis; like the C axis, this can rotate at 30rev/min. Meanwhile, the rapid-traverse rate is 32m/min and the maximum cutting feed also 32m/min.

Regarding cutting performance, the 400 UMC features a built-in 25.7kW spindle with a BBT40 interface for face and taper location, which gives rigidity, particularly when using long tools. Standard spindle speed is 12,000rev/min, with 15,000rev/min available as an option. The machine comes with a 30-station tool changer as standard, which is expandable to 60. Tools weighing up to 7kg and 125mm in diameter are accommodated, and XYZ is currently investigating a 120-tool version.

Pictured right: The 400 UMC with guards removed

There is also through spindle coolant, which — XYZ says — allows three- to four-times the feed rate when drilling than without; this coolant supply also ensures efficient chip evacuation and prolongs tool life. Furthermore, the 400 UMC features a chiller for the spindle and ballscrews, for ensuring accuracy is maintained during long-running programs.

Control is via the latest-generation Siemens Sinumerik One CNC system with a 22in touchscreen and Shopmill conversational programming, the latter ‘adding to the simplicity of the package’. Indeed, Mr Higson says that with Shopmill fitted, programming in 4+1 can be carried out on the machine, with the transfer of programs from CAD/CAM done either via USB or networking if available.

Regarding flexibility, those investing in a 400 UMC don’t have to plump for a full simultaneous machine from the outset. They can have a 4+1 model, but if they later need a full five-axis simultaneous capability the machine can be readily upgraded in situ by an XYZ service engineer.

Adopting automation
Mike Corbett, ‘Machining Mike’ in XYZ’s podcasts, said that this machine has been designed for automation from the outset. For example, there is a front and side door for part loading, plus there are hydraulic and pneumatic services to the table. He also points out that the 800mm of X-axis travel is split across the centreline of the machine and offers 345mm in the positive direction and 455 in the negative direction — a configuration that supports automation.

Pictured left: XYZ’s managing director Martin Burton

Mr Corbett said: “Not long ago, the company decided that its ranges of vertical machining centres and turning centres should allow users to integrate with automated machine-tending systems. This journey started with fitting a RoboJob part-loading system supplied by Milton Keynes-based Hydrafeed — a supplier of automation equipment — to an XYZ 800 HD machining centre.

“This collaboration between XYZ and Hydrafeed has seen the development of an interface for the Siemens controls to accept these robot systems, which allow users to become more efficient by adopting lights-out machining, addressing the skills shortage and deploying staff to carry out higher level tasks that generate more profit.

“There is a variety of options available with RoboJob, including Mill Assist and Turn Assist systems for both VMC and turning centre applications; these include standard stacker arrangements, loading and unloading from pallets, and the adoption of tower systems. The permutations provide the opportunity to not only select raw materials but also increase flexibility within workshops by allowing the changing of items such as grippers for the robot and collet chucks on a lathe.”

Mr Burton added: “It is important that as a company we offer new and existing customers the opportunity to increase production, become more efficient and help them to generate more profit. This work carried out at XYZ to create the interface between machine and automation allows us to show users, at our showrooms, what is possible with the RoboJob and how automation is going to help the UK move up the global league table of robot adopters — it is currently in 24th place.”

Optimising efficiency
Mr Corbett went on to say that despite the benefits offered by automation, manufacturers still want to use every means to maximise machine productivity, and it is here that the latest software package from Siemens achieves greater efficiency by using on-machine learning to improve cycle times, extend tool life, and reduce the possibility of tool breakage, adding that Siemens’ Adaptive Control and Monitoring Suite (ACM Suite) software can help companies achieve their aims of increased productivity and profitability.

Pictured right: Mike Corbett demonstrating how the ACM Suite can increase productivity and profitability in any workshop

Mr Higson continued: “With the current shortage of skills, having staff available to optimise programs can be difficult, but this intelligent software package from Siemens allows the control to be ‘trained’ in real time on the operations being performed. Indeed, the operator can make choices about each tool used in the process, decide if they ignore the control’s recommendations, just monitor for tool breakage, or apply adaptive control that allows an increase of the feed rates to a specific threshold.

“The software not only allows for cycle time reduction but also assists in reducing production costs by enabling unsupervised operation. The ACM Suite can detect abnormal cutting conditions, such as hard spots in material or additional tool loading on components and reduce feed rates automatically to protect tools from unusually high loading. The package can also reliably detect tool breakage, even for the smallest of tools enabling both milling and turning machines to be run without operator presence.

“This AI based software package offers advantages to companies of any size, as it offers real-time machining learning to then make improvements to machine performance and protect tools from overloading. Moreover, its simple interface makes reducing cycle times at the machine control quick and easy, with benefits seen immediately.”

XYZ Machine Tools is planning to hold two further Autumn Seminars for customers to see the new XYZ 400 UMC in action, and discuss automation and AI solutions to help them improve manufacturing efficiency. The first one will be held at XYZ’s Burlescombe headquarters on 6 November and the second one will take place at the company’s Nuneaton showroom on 2 December. For more information or to register to attend, visit the website here or email: .