Travelling-Column Machining Centre Is Largest Yet

Travelling-column machining centre is largest yet An enormous working envelope of up to 40 metres in the longitudinal X-axis, 5.1 metres in the vertical Y-axis and 1.8 metres in Z is offered by a new, travelling-column machining centre from SHW, Germany. Called UniForce 7, the horizontal-spindle machine has been added to the top end of the manufacturer's range, axis travels being respectively 25, 12.5 and 33 per cent more than on the next largest model. Sole UK agent is Geo Kingsbury Machine Tools, Gosport.

The standard universal milling head has 64,800 programmable positions, enabling single set-up machining of very large components. The head is designed for heavy cutting using the full spindle power of up to 60 kW, which is capable of delivering 2,500 Nm of torque at up to 500 rpm. The 360-degree C-axis has a positioning accuracy of ± 3 seconds of arc, while A-axis positioning is from + 90 to - 90 degrees to within ± 2 seconds of arc.

For finishing operations, it is possible to change over automatically to a 26 kW / 20,000 rpm high frequency spindle head, which has interpolating, 360-degree C and A axes for full 5-axis machining. A considerable advantage for the user is the slim, tapered construction of the head, allowing machining of narrow contours and pockets on complicated components. Fork, horizontal, angle and customer-specific heads may be similarly exchanged automatically using the optional head changer.

Linear slideways allow very fast movements in all axes for a machine of this size, with acceleration of 2 m/s2 to a maximum feed rate of 36 m/min. A one-metre diameter, rotary table can be added at one end of the fixed table to provide an extra CNC axis for machining smaller components.

Technical data for the machine includes 50-taper or HSK-A100 tooling (-A63 for the high speed head), up to 120 stations in the magazine, minimum volume through-tool coolant, and water-cooled, twin drive motors in the Y and Z axes.

There is a choice of Siemens, Heidenhain or Fidia control.

The SHW UniForce 7 travelling-column machining centre from Geo Kingsbury can have optional auto head change and an X-axis of up to 40 metres.