GF Machining Solutions’ Mikron MILL S600U five-axis machining centre for mould and die makers is now equipped with new HVC140 (StepTec) spindles. The StepTec Opticool spindle system, with its enhanced polar thermal balance, controls the temperature of the machine’s spindle and spindle bearings to improve part accuracies and surface finishes.

StepTec’s HVC140 spindles deliver high power and speed (13.5 kW/42,000 rpm), and feature proven OptiCool technology. Also contributing to the spindle’s performance is an all-new bearing design using ceramic hybrid bearings. As a result of their incorporation, radial and lateral stiffness are increased by 16% and 60% respectively. Furthermore, radial and axial run-out, as well as repeatability, of less than 2 µm
is achieved at the tool interface.
The machining centres, with their rigid base construction, combine high dynamic direct-drive technology with a range of design and build features and integrated ‘Smart’ software modules. These include: Ambient Robust, which monitors and regulates thermal variation detected in the machine’s base and drives; OSS (Operator Support System), which helps customers optimise their machining processes based on workpiece specifications/dimensions and their specific machining priorities – speed, accuracy and surface finish; and ITC/ITC 5AX (intelligent Thermal Control), which eliminates the need for, or reduces the time required for warm-up cycles.
For further information www.gfms.com

That the Industry 4.0 integrated information initiative holds great benefit for machine tool users is patently clear to Soraluce – and will be to its worldwide customer base.

“The developments we are instigating now with machines and automated manufacturing systems are just scratching the surface of the possible rewards that users could harness from 30 years or more of advances in IT and computer technologies,” says Xabier Medizabal, R&D director at Soraluce, which is represented in the UK by TW Ward CNC Machinery (Ward CNC). “The correct use of these technologies holds the key to information gathering in automated machining scenarios that will enable users to not only boost production output but also help guarantee machining quality and consistency. These solutions are not expensive and they are available now. But the real challenge is being able to gather the information efficiently, then to trust and utilise that data and make objective decisions in order to gain real benefits.”
Reinforcing Mendizabal’s comments, Soraluce’s new ‘Smart Machine’ technology highlights how real-time machine status from smart sensors can be viewed and harnessed.
Based on cloud computing, the system captures and records all relevant information on overall machining cycle performance and energy consumption, as well as temperature, tooling usage/wear, energy consumption and downtime. It also, for example, produces alarms (including by email) of key process signs/preventative maintenance requirements. All data is accessible via PC and mobile devices as well as the internet.
For further information www.wardcnc.com

Brother has introduced an uprated version of its Speedio M140X1 five-axis, 30-taper mill-turn centre. Called Speedio M140X2, the machine was launched at the JIMTOF 2016 exhibition in Tokyo last November and is now available in the UK and Ireland through sole agent Whitehouse Machine Tools.

Improvements include an integrated, high-output, direct-drive motor in the C axis to replace the previous roller drive powering the 2000 rpm turning table. Furthermore, the A-axis trunnion rotates through a 50% larger angle, from +120 to -30°, allowing features at the rear of components to be machined. This also facilitates loading and unloading of parts at the front of the machine.
Among additional improvements, the A axis is now tilted by a backlash-free roller drive, promoting high-accuracy cutting, says Whitehouse. A holding force of 400 Nm, without the need for a mechanical clamping mechanism, is said to deliver high-speed indexing combined with rigidity when milling parts at an angle or turning them in the horizontal plane.
A new option is a 16,000 rpm BIG Plus face-and-taper contact spindle (10,000 rpm spindle supplied as standard). Focusing on the elimination of non-productive time, the spindle motor’s rapid acceleration and deceleration – along with a responsive servo control – enable a 0.2 second start/stop time. What’s more, the start-up time of the turning table from zero to 2000 rpm is less than 0.3 second. Travels in the X, Y and Z axes of 200, 440 and 305 mm remain the same, but the distance between the table surface and the spindle nose has been increased to 455 mm.
For further information www.wmtcnc.com