Manufacturers want to make parts

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1 Photo courtesy Mitsui Seiki (USA) Inc. Machining Centers & Cells Production of a 66 (1676-mm) diameter titanium helicopter main rotor hub at Sikorsky Aircraft, weighing more than 10,000 lb (4535 kg) with the fixture, required a system featuring two 1900-mm tables, designed specifically for the application. Each of the two large envelope, five-axis trunnion HMCs mill away a total of 1053 lb (477 kg) of material to establish the various pockets and arm profiles. Solutions Come in Many Sizes and Shapes Advanced technology helps when selecting machining centers and cells, but so does expert support Jim Lorincz Senior Editor Manufacturers want to make parts and hit their schedules with a minimum of problems. Job shops, in particular, have their own need for a great deal of flexibility, enabling them to switch from one job to another with the minimum of wasted time. For medium volume, high mix production, manufacturers can benefit from the latest automation on multipallet single machines or in multiple machine cells. Five-axis machining centers are all the rage in the commercial airline manufacturing supply chain and medical device industry. Large energy, off highway, construction, ag, and mining equipment components fit nicely on the beds of large HMCs, vertical turning lathes and boring mills, or traveling in tightly scheduled automated FMS machining systems. July 2014 ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com 73

2 It s important to select the right machining technology, said Tim Pearson, consultant and owner of Great Glen Solutions (Cleveland), but don t overspend on something that is too complex. Pearson is an advocate of lean manufacturing and was its practitioner at a major health care manufacturer of Nuclear Medicine and CT devices. Five-axis machining in the right application can provide an important competitive edge, and robots can run through the night, but the most critical factors are high quality and even flow. These decisive elements are facilitated by the process capability of the equipment, and the involvement of the working team, in order to create even flow through minimal setups and preventive maintenance. Technology Center Gathers Solutions Providers Advanced machine technology can go a long way, but there are all those other ancillary areas where equally sophisticated products for fixturing, tooling, CAM programming, and gaging and measurement must be handled so as not to create unnecessary delay and downtime. A recent technological advance at the company is the support that our Center for Multitasking & Manufacturing Excellence can provide our customers, said Chuck Birkle, VP Marketing, Mazak Corp. (Florence, KY). When we look at all the elements that a successful installation of one or more of our big e-vertical multitasking machines requires, for example, the role of the Mazak Technology Center facilitating communication among the various third-party technology providers is critical. Mazak calls these third-party suppliers, among many other things, of programming, CAD/CAM, tooling, workholding and quality monitoring devices, VIPs, or value-inspired partners. Some of them have desks right here in our Technology Center to conduct business, shortening up the food chain going from challenge to solution, said Birkle. In general, our customers are trying to do more with less: reduced tools, fixtures and floorspace. If we can consolidate those processes and also have only one loading and unloading mechanism for multiple 74 ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com July 2014

3 machines that becomes a big benefit. For example, in our Palletech automation, we start with a pallet clamping mechanism for one workholding surface and design it in common among different machine systems. This allows dissimilar machines to be included in the cell, said Birkle. As a result, a four-axis machine can do the roughing and semifinishing, sitting right next to a five-axis machine that does the finishing. Also, one machine may have tool reach and capacity advantages the machine right next to it doesn t. EXPECT MORE... PROFITS EPIC R/T Technology Produces Parts, and Profits, Fast T he name of the game is always profit making, we all know that. What you may not know about is the incredible power of the full CNC EPIC R/T, Hydromat s flagship of our rotary transfer machine line-up. Through some exceptional innovation, created right here in St. Louis, the EPIC R/T platform provides our partners with the ultimate in productivity resulting in exceptional profit making potential. All across the country, with this advancement, small batch and part family production on EPIC machines are now an everyday occurrence as job lots get smaller and JIT inventory programs change the dynamics of what production means. Manufactured for small, medium and large production quantities, the EPIC R/T is a versatile, flexible production workhorse. The key to this design is modularity. All of our EPIC machines feature EMC Technology, Embedded Motion Control, an advancement that gives each station its own control system integrated into each toolspindle unit resulting in a plug & play control architecture. Each axis of motion is fully independent and expands programmable functionality. Hydromat EPIC R/T rotary transfer technology increases production and drives down costs per part, adding to your bottom line. No other precision machine tool manufacturer is more ideally suited to increase your production and profit potential than Hydromat - your flexible solutions partner. Give us a call and we ll discuss how Hydromat can help you fully realize your profit potential Commercial Aircraft Spur Five-Axis Machine Demand According to Scott Walker, president, Mitsui Seiki USA Inc. (Franklin Lakes, NJ), there is a big demand for trunnion machining centers in sizes from 1 and 2.5-m, especially for job shops looking for new business in the emerging aircraft market. Just to meet the growing aircraft industry demand for metalcutting capacity, about 1000 new five-axis machining centers are required. The market is being driven by an estimated $4.8 trillion in new aircraft slated to be built between now and 2035, said Walker It s all about production! Hydromat Inc Adie Road St. Louis, MO p f GROB G series machines are different from other five-axis machines by their compactness that gives the end user a smaller footprint and table, while supporting very long tools. 76 ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com July 2014

4 The other challenging area involves the new engine programs, like the GE LEAP, Pratt Whitney Gear Fan, and the Trent These engine programs require all new materials to burn hotter for fuel efficiency, and new spindle requirements for machining IBRs [integrally bladed rotors] and single blades, and to machine really difficult-to-machine materials like Ti Aluminides, said Walker. There s a good replacement market for very high-tolerance machines in the mm-size range for manufacturing gear boxes and engine casings where there are enough machines to accommodate the market, said Walker. SECO TOOLS US 2805 BELLINGHAM DRIVE TROY MICHIGAN TEL. (248) SECOTOOLS.IAPPLICANTS.COM PUT YOUR TALENTS AND EXPERIENCE TO WORK EMPOWER YOURSELF WITH A CAREER AT SECO Join an industry leader that provides manufacturers with total metalcutting solutions Enjoy competitive pay and benefits, along with a progressive work environment Get the satisfaction of using your skills and knowledge to boost the competitiveness of American manufacturers Become part of a team of experts who work together to develop cutting edge solutions SMTCL-Americas offers a complete line of vertical and horizontal milling and turning centers. Strategies for making blades is going to change with one or two machines to handle all the operations, according to Walker. Technology required for machining blades like fan blades for the Boeing 777 will have to deal with an unusual combination of materials. The big black fan blades for the 777 will be a composite prop with titanium leading and trailing edges able to withstand the impact of a bird. I ve been asked to design bigger blade machines, one that can hold the single blade between centers and rotate it and go around the outside with a cutting See us at Booth #W ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com July 2014

5 tool. And if possible I can also do the root work and the tip work in that platform machine, or in a subsequent operation. Additive Technology Mated with Subtractive Machines DMG MORI (Hoffman Estates, IL) has introduced the second in its line of hybrid additive/subtractive machines that integrates 3D printing technology onto its CNC machine platforms. A prototype of the Lasertec D, which is based on the turn-mill NT4300SZ platform, will be debuted at IMTS. Production of the Lasertec D begins later this year, with shipment expected in This marks the second of the company s CNC machine platforms with 3D printing technology with more to follow. The Lasertec 65, which debuted in late 2013 and begins shipping later this year, was the first hybrid additive/subtractive DMG MORI machine. The machine platform chosen was the DMU 65 monoblock five-axis machining center. The hybrid machines use a metal deposition process in which a powder nozzle sprays metallic powder into the laser beam, melting the powder in layers into the base material. DMG MORI said the process is up to 20 times faster than laser sintering in a powder bed. Most common metal powders can be processed, including steel, nickel and cobalt alloys, and brass. The spray process builds up successive layers of different materials with wall thicknesses of mm possible, depending on the laser and the nozzle geometry. Complex 3D contours can also be generated in layers without supports. The individual layers can then be accurately machined before the areas become inaccessible to a cutter or other tools due to deposited material interference. Universal Five-Axis Machining Centers Built on Automotive Platform GROB Systems Inc. (Bluffton, OH) has expanded its five-axis universal machining center line with the introduction of the G750 with a work envelope of 1280 diameter 1005 Visit our booths at IMTS! W-2464 Workholding N-6377 Automation Machining parts for the oil and gas industry is tough, but RÖHM lessens the challenge with its extensive selection of precise clamping products that provide maximum holding power and safety. From pneumatic and hydraulic front-end chucks for pipe production to swivel chucks for machining couplings, RÖHM has a durable solution that can handle the aggressive requirements of this manufacturing sector. Get a better hold on your oil and gas applications by visiting rohm-products.com or calling today! July 2014 ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com 79

6 mm (H) with axis travels of mm, table load capacity of 1500 kg while utilizing some of the highest rapid positioning rates in its size class. The new G750, which was introduced at EMO 2013, can handle large workpieces for applications like moldmaking, aircraft parts, and general engineering, said William Vejnovic, vice president. Basically, GROB took their proven HMC platform, which had dominated the automotive industry, and created a new model to serve industries also demanding high precision and reliability, but in lower volumes, said Vejnovic. GROB G series machines are different from other five-axis machines by their compactness that gives the end user a smaller footprint and large work cylinder, while supporting up to 500-mm long tools with no interference between the largest part and the longest tool throughput of the five-axis work envelope, said Vejnovic. Also a full fifth-axis capability of full work cylinder 835 mm (H), allows the part and table to be fully inverted for machining upside down so chips just fall away from the part. The G750 was shown as a milling and turning machine at EMO in versions with and without pallet changer. In the milling/turning version with the HSK-T100 interface, the motor spindle delivers 306 N m and can be used for turning. For a maximum workpiece diameter of 1280 mm, the turntable will allow a maximum speed of 500 rpm and generates a drive torque of maximum 4050 N m. The first machines in GROB s line of stand-alone universal machining centers were the G350 and G550, both of which were shown at EMO with design improvements to NC axis acceleration, the addition of a nonwearing torque motor to the A axis, and the incorporation of dual Y-axis ballscrews and drives located as close to the spindle gage line as possible for improved static and dynamic rigidity. Energy Poses Difficult-to-Machine Metals Challenge We approach many different markets trying to come up with better processes, said Tim Leoni of Toyoda Machinery Coolant and Oil Fluid Management Tools FILTER FINE GRINDING SOLIDS WITH AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL CENTRIFUGES Start with better filtration, improve product finishes and tool life, and reduce coolant costs. RECYCLE COOLANTS AND OILS Cut costs and increase productivity with the Freddy EcoVac sump cleaner and TOS Tramp Oil Separator. RECLAIM, RECYCLE, DISCHARGE Ultrafiltration technology, separate water from oily waste water. Systems sized from 100-3,000 gal/day. 23 Walpole Park South Walpole, MA T sales@sanborntechnologies.com IMTS BOOTH N-7538 SEE THE DEMOS AND MEET THE EXPERTS! 80 ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com July 2014

7 (Arlington Heights, IL). We re going after the energy sector, In the energy sector, we ve been working with different oil and gas, with emphasis particularly on the fracking market cutting tool manufacturers, looking for heavy metal removal and have done quite a bit with product testing, and working whether you start with a big block of 4140 steel, or stainless for different kinds of materials, said Leoni. the fracking applications. Components like pumps wear out fast so the market is trying different materials to make pumps last longer before they Most MOST extensive EXTENSIVE need to be replaced, said Leoni. For another customer we re trying to TOOL tool HOLDER holder line LINE TOOL tool HOLDING holding SYSTEMS systems partner with another machine tool builder BILZUSA.COM in IN the THE industry! INDUSTRY! bilzusa.com to combine our two types of machines into a single process using our 1250-mm 450 SW HMC for roughing and the other THERMOGRIP SYSTEMS builder s facing machine for contour finishing, said Leoni. Again in the energy Patented features on holders and machines. field, there are a lot of five-axis machining Best tool TIR of any tool clamping opportunities for drill bits, which we have system. always done on our horizontal machining centers. We re integrating floor-mounted Maximum tool shank clamping strength. robot loading into the process. ThermoGrip allows maximum cutting tool life. Complete ThermoGrip System - Holders/Machines. CNC TOOL HOLDERS Comprehensive Product Range. Large inventory ready to ship. Highest TIR accuracy. Superior application support. TAPPING SYSTEMS Improved tool life - guaranteed! Unmatched thread integrity. Improved machining efficiency. Dry or coolant-through. All of our products All of our are products best in are class best technologies, in class and technologies, we ll prove it! and we ll prove it! N. Main Street, Lombard, IL N. Main Street, Lombard, IL our Technology is Your advantage Complete Lines of Machines for Tougher Metals SMTCL-Americas (City of Industry, CA) is a subsidiary of the Shenyang Machine Tool Group (SYMG) companies. SYMG, which builds 80,000 machine tools annually, has established a threepronged product development system with R&D and design engineering in Germany, and manufacturing in Germany and China. SMTCL manufactures a complete line of CNC milling, boring, turning, and drilling machines for the aerospace, defense, medical, energy, construction, and consumer products industries, among others. To meet its customers requirements, SMTCL-Americas has been creating automated cells and continues to develop the cutting data for machining difficultto-machine materials like those being used extensively in the aerospace industry. For aerospace parts machining, the challenge is to be able to machine more titanium, more Waspaloy, more very See us at Booth #W ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com July 2014

8 hard metals, said Jerry McCarty, COO. The quantities aren t necessarily the largest, but machine technology must be flexible to handle parts in different sizes and materials. Other product focus for our machine technology includes aerospace fasteners, medical components, and consumer electronic products. In R&D, we continue to work on macines and controls that are more reliable, more economical, and more productive. (HMC) solutions. Although traditionally more expensive upfront, horizontal machining centers are viewed by many manufacturers as an alternative to vertical machining centers, for several reasons. Benefits from HMCs include accessible three-side In general our customers are trying to do more with less: reduced tools, fixtures and floorspace. We have been working with FANUC to create cells in which turning centers fed by bar feeders are unloaded by a robot and parts are then put into a tapping center, said McCarty. The SMTCL model line-up includes a VMC, VTC, and Viva Turn 4 horizontal turning center. Designed in Germany and built in China, the Viva Turn 4 features a turning diameter of 260 mm, machining length of 800 mm and spindle with bar capacity diameter of 66 mm. To address the need for trained replacement manufacturing talent, SMTCL- Americas has entered into an agreement with California State Polytechnic University (Pomona, CA) to supply equipment to establish a Machine Lab for its engineering students. SMTCL-Americas will train a Cal Poly intern in CNC machining and engineering each year. CUT THE CABLES Here's an ingenious value proposition: use the innovative i-wave wireless bore gage and hands-free Merlin Mobile data computer both with Bluetooth wireless technology for total portability to take measurements when and where you need them throughout the plant, then upload the measurement data to your secure quality network. Plus you can rapidly interchange an assortment of nosepiece sizes and styles, even ones already in your plant. Eliminating cables enables your operators to work smarter and faster. That s another reason why innovation is part of every cost-competitive gaging solution we deliver. MARPOSS MAKES SENSE. Visit us at Check out the versatile new "Mini Wave New KIWA Horizontal Machining Centers Offer Many Benefits Bernie Otto, KIWA product manager at Methods Machine Tools Inc. (Sudbury, MA) sees an industry trend for costeffective horizontal machining center The Bluetooth word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Marposs is under license. Machine Tool Gage & Fixture Makers Automotive Aerospace Glass Energy Medical Electronics See us at Booth #E-5519 & #N-7433 July 2014 ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com 83

9 machining, the capability of having multiple parts on a fixture, and multipallet pools that provide many advantages, including reduced setup times, longer run times, greater spindle uptimes and the potential of lights-out manufacturing, said Otto. At its Metal Storm 2014 open house event in June, Methods Machine Tools introduced a newly expanded line of KIWA HMCs. The new KIWA KMH series has pallet sizes ranging from 300 to 1250 mm, a 30 and 40-taper 300-mm pallet machine, and a 40-taper 500-mm model. The new machines include the KMH-300 series, offering dual 300-mm pallets, a 15-hp (11-kW), 15,000 rpm direct drive 30-taper spindle, an integrated full rotary B axis, and a FANUC Oi-MD control. The KMH-300 series offers excellent chip evacuation and easy access for setup/maintenance, said Otto. With the introduction of the KMH Series, we now offer our customers an affordable, entry solution for horizontal machining with the dependability and consistency they expect from a KIWA machine and Methods Machine Tools. ME Want More Information? DMG MORI Ph: Web site: Great Glen Solutions Ph: tpearson@greatglensolutions.com GROB Systems Ph: Web site: Mazak Corp. Ph: Web site: Methods Machine Tools Inc. Ph: Web site: Mitsui Seiki USA Ph: Web site: SMTCL-Americas Ph: Web site: Toyoda Machinery Ph: Web site: 84 ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com July 2014