A new five-axis, horizontal-spindle machining centre, designated T1, has been introduced by Makino for high-efficiency cutting within a working envelope of 500 x 1,300 x 2,000mm.
The fully enclosed temperature-controlled twin-pallet machine, which is suitable for machining large prismatic or cylindrical workpieces to high levels of accuracy across a wide range of industries, is available in the UK from the Japanese manufacturer’s sole agent, NCMT Ltd, Thames Ditton (
www.ncmt.co.uk).
The HSK-A100 direct-drive spindle offers 1,000Nm of torque from 20 to 1,000rev/min and is suitable for milling titanium alloys.
The typical metal removal rate is 202cm3/min for Ti-6Al-4V; aluminium components, on the other hand, can be machined at 4,636cm3/min for A6061 using 56kW of continuous power up to the full spindle speed of 12,000rev/min.
Furthermore, the T1 spindle’s mid-range power and torque levels allow for the efficient machining of materials ranging from cast iron, tool steel and stainless steel to Inconel.
Box-way castings, wide slideway surfaces and a deep monolithic column provide high levels of rigidity and dynamic stiffness, while active damping suppresses cutting vibrations for precise machining — plus increased metal removal rate and tool life.
Meanwhile, high-volume high-pressure through-spindle coolant improves both tool life and chip evacuation.
The T1’s +45 to -110deg A axis provides a full five-sided machining capability for parts up to 1,500mm in diameter; the machine’s configuration also allows -90deg spindle centreline positioning up to 550mm beyond the pallet centre, so large workpieces can be machined in one hit.
The B-axis rotary table has a rotational speed of 3,600deg/min and 10,000Nm of continuous torque.
The Makino T1 offers numerous capabilities for maximising utilisation and reducing non-cutting times. Feed rate in X, Y, and Z is 25m/min, while the 60-position automatic
tool changer (137-position optional) and automatic pallet changer ensure uninterrupted operation.
The T1 can be integrated with Makino’s MMC2 automatic pallet transfer and storage system for long periods of unattended operation.