Compact Automation System Designed for Large-Part HMC

The HCN-5000 horizontal machine center (HMC) from Mazak is now available with the company’s Multi-Pallet Pool (MPP) system. The system enables shops that lack the floor space necessary to accommodate a conventional linear horizontal pallet stocker to automate for continuous unattended operations.

The automation system features a carousel-style design that maximizes utilization of space, enabling the features of a larger Palletech system while occupying 40 percent less room. Servomotors on each axis, as well as a two-level pallet arrangement that keeps each pallet the same distance from the center of the stocker, ensures fast and stable loading and unloading.

Designed to expand as production needs grow, manufacturers can reconfigure the system’s standard 10-pallet stocker to house 16 pallets for increased output. With the large, heavy part operations of the HMC in mind, the company designed this system to accommodate larger part sizes. The system houses 500-mm square pallets that accommodate workpieces up to 800 mm in diameter and 1,000 mm tall.

For overall process optimization, the company includes its Smooth MPP software in the HMC’s Mazatrol SmoothG CNC. Operators can monitor production status with scheduling functions, tool storage monitoring and system utilization analysis accessible from the control’s capacitive multi-touch screen. Options for network access also enable remote monitoring of production.

The MPP makes the HMC more flexible. A variety of high-speed or high-torque integral motor/spindle types ensures that shops can match spindle performance to specific materials, including both steels and nonferrous metals. Part production also benefits from the machine’s highly rigid spindle, numerous tool magazine options, rapid traverse speed and vibration-free acceleration/deceleration.