Published 5/6/2010

Turning Center for Large Part Turning

Mazak’s slant-turn Nexus 550M CNC turning center is designed for large parts such as oil field pipes, pipeline control valves, turbine wheels, aircraft and off-road parts.

Edited by: MMS Editorial Team

Mazak’s slant-turn Nexus 550M CNC turning center is designed for large parts such as oil field pipes, pipeline control valves, turbine wheels, aircraft and off-road parts. It is also suited for the production of power-generating components for the aerospace, oil, gas, coal and nuclear industries.

The headstock features a bore, measuring 10.8" in diameter, mounted on a 60-hp, 1,000-rpm turning spindle, which generates as much as 5,163 foot-pounds of torque. The spindle is also used as a C axis and is capable of indexing in 0.001-degree increments to accurately position the part for slotting cuts and precisely drilled holes, the company says. Additionally, the C-axis spindle is a full-function CNC controlled axis for milling.

The turning center utilizes a 12-position drum turret for rapid tool indexing. The machine is also equipped with a 10-hp, 4,000-rpm, high speed milling spindle for roughing, grooving, end milling and face milling operations, enabling multiple processes to be completed in a single machine cycle. The turning center’s total travels are 18.25" in the X axis and 129.88" in the Z axis. Swing capacity is 40.7" and steady rest capacity is 16.14" in diameter.

The machine also features an NC servo-driven tailstock for automation. The tailstock is fully programmable, driving the W axis on its own AC servomotor and ballscrew. Through the part program, the tailstock will retract to a known position, and its center contacts the part with consistent holding pressure. Further, a positive, independent drive system enables the tailstock to drill holes on a shaft center line, adding versatility to the jobs it can process.

The Mazatrol Matrix Nexus CNC simplifies multitasking operations on the STN550M. It offers a 12" LCD color display. The machine can be programmed conversationally in Mazatrol language while it runs or offline in a CAD/CAM system. Once imported into Mazatrol Matrix, a 3D cycle simulation verifies the machining cycle and checks for machine interferences, reducing the need for test cuts, the company says.