Five-Axis VMC Supports Consistent, Safe Work with Difficult, Heavy Workpieces

Okuma’s MU-8000V vertical machining center performs five-axis, multi-sided machining. Ballscrew cooling and a highly rigid left-right mobile trunnion table support the machine’s high precision and power. The low center of gravity in workpiece movement enables the machine to accommodate difficult-to-machine materials and a range of workpieces as heavy as 700 kg (1,540 lbs). The machine’s XYZ axes measure 1,450 × 1,050 × 600 mm (57" × 41.3" × 23.6") with rapid traverse rates of 50 m/min. (1,969 ipm).

The VMC is available with a No. 40 or No. 50 spindle, providing a configuration for nearly any five-axis job, the company says. An in-machine coil chip conveyor enables safe, reliable chip discharge. To aid operation, the spindle and control panel are positioned close together with easy access to the workpiece.

Automation options maximize productivity. The VMC’s design puts the pallet changes at the back of the machine, enabling connection to a Palletace flexible manufacturing system, pallet pool, large-capacity ATC and robots.

The MU-8000V can be equipped with the company’s Super-NURBS function, enabling high feed rates and ultra-fine finishes. An optional Machining Navi system monitors cutting conditions and displays optimal spindle speed to eliminate chatter. Five-axis auto tuning achieves higher accuracies by automatically measuring and correcting machine misalignments in minutes, the company says. Lastly, the company’s Thermo-Friendly concept and Collision Avoidance System are designed to ensure that this five-axis machining center performs consistently and safely from the first part to the last, regardless of warmup time or ambient temperatures.