Five-Axis HMC Mills Aluminum for Aerospace, Superconductors

Mazak’s HCR-5000S five-axis, single-table horizontal machining center is designed for efficient small to mid-size aluminum machining for the aerospace and semiconductor industries. It offers a range of high-speed spindle options ranging from 12,000 to 30,000 rpm. Each spindle features an integral motor and ballscrew core cooling that together minimize vibrations for higher accuracy. A 40-tool auto toolchanger, which is expandable to hold 160 tools, further boosts productivity with a chip-to-chip tool-change time of 2.8 sec.

Linear roller guides enable the system to achieve 60-m/min rapid traverse rates. Additionally the guides enable 1-G acceleration/deceleration rates in the X and Y axes, plus 0.8 G in the Z axis, shortening machine cycle times. The low-friction, rigid design of the roller guides makes the machine suitable for heavy-duty and high-speed cutting applications.

The HMC has a single-table design that incorporates a rigidity bed, solid-base X-axis construction and roller gear cam systems for the A and C axes. The machine’s tilt/rotary table provides rapid traverse rates of 50 rpm in the C axis and 30 rpm in the A axis. The table positions in 0.0001-degree increments, accommodating parts as heavy as 500 kg and as large as 700 mm in diameter and 644 mm tall.

The tilt of the table, along with a chip conveyor and flood coolant, ensures efficient chip management and evacuation. To optimize chip flow, the horizontal spindle orientation enables inverted positioning, while a standard 800-l coolant tank accommodates a Niagara coolant configuration. For even higher levels of productivity and unattended operation, the machine can be outfitted with an automatic two-pallet changer as well as a Multi-Pallet Pool (MPP) system. It can also be incorporated into a fully automated Palletech system.

The Mazatrol SmoothX CNC enables 3D-part visualizations through its touch screen for ease of use.