Multienhancing
FEBRUARY 2007 / VOLUME 59 / NUMBER 2 ➤ BY JOSEPH L. H AZE LTON, SENIOR EDITOR Multienhancing Multitasking machine tools, like this mill/ turn center, can reduce setups, shorten handling time and increase workpiece accuracy by allowing for complete machining within one enclosure. Mill/turn centers, the most com- advantages: fewer setups, reduced mon type of multitasking machine handling time and greater part Machine tool tool, appear to be the ultimate in accuracy. builders continue process consolidation. Inside its Everything has limitations, enclosure, a mill/turn center can though, and there are trade-offs to improve perform many of the functions with multitasking machine tools. A the capabilities of a 5-axis horizontal machining mill/turn center provides the ben- center—boring, drilling, milling, efit of process optimization, but its of mill/turn centers. tapping—as well as turning, once various operations may not be as limited to lathes. fast as they would be on separate That consolidation offers several machine tools. So the cycle time Doosan Infracore Doosan Infracore for a part produced in a mill/turn based multitasking machine tools ture includes twin ballscrew drives center can be longer than the sum could be described as 70 percent for both the X and Z axes and thereby of the cycle times if the part were turning machines and 30 percent permits driving at the center of grav- produced on separate milling and milling machines, according to Gerald ity. Mori Seiki refers to the design as turning centers. Owen, national applications manager DCG (Driven at the Center of Grav- That longer time, however, is usu- for machine tool builder Mori Seiki ity).
[Show full text]