The MEGA-8800 HMC from Mazak is designed for heavy-duty machining of tough materials such as Inconel and titanium. The machine employs a continuous 4,000-rpm, 100-hp (74-kW) integral motor spindle that generates 774 foot-pounds of torque. Rapid traverse rates are 1,219 ipm in the X and Z axes and 1,016 ipm in the Y axis. The HMC provides 5,530 foot-pounds of torque in the X and Z axes and 5,800 foot-pounds in the Y axis.
X-, Y- and Z-axis travel measures 55" × 47" × 52" (1,400 × 1,200 × 1,325 mm), respectively. The MX hybrid roller guide system increases vibration damping and eliminates tramp oil in the coolant with a greener grease-based lubrication system, the company says.
The horizontal machining center’s NC rotary table rotates 90 degrees and features one-degree minimum increments. The table incorporates Mazak’s high-precision, 360-degree position coupling and accommodates workpieces as large as 57" (1,450 mm) in diameter and as tall as 57" (1,450 mm). The machine offers cam-driven tool changing with chip-to-chip tool change cycles of 5 sec. The ATC stores as many as 60 tools and accommodates tools with diameters ranging to 10.24" (260 mm). The standard two-pallet changer is engineered to interface with Mazak’s Palletech manufacturing system for untended operation. The 31.5" × 31.5" (800 × 800 mm) pallet can accommodate loads weighing as much as 4,850 lbs (2,200 kg).
A Windows 7-based Matrix Nexus 2 CNC control enables both conversational and EIA/ISO programming. The control provides 3D machining simulation, time study analysis and the Mazak Voice Advisor.
To meet the extreme tolerance of the telescope’s beryllium mirrors, the manufacturer had to rely on stable horizontal machining centers with a high degree of consistency volumetric accuracy.
