Vertical Turning Machine Integrates Automation Features

Emag’s VL 8 pick-up turning center is capable of turning larger workpieces ranging to 400 mm in diameter, such as components for powertrains of semi-trucks, excavators and buses. Part of the company’s VL series, the vertical turning center is designed to handle large components requiring a range of different turning and milling operations within the framework of a single closed-loop production process.

The polymer concrete Mineralit machine base provides vibration resistance, increased tool life and machining quality. The front of the base features a compound slide carrying the vertical main spindle that dynamically traverses the X and Z axes. The pick-up spindle has a chuck diameter of 500 mm and accepts workpieces ranging to 400 mm in diameter. The main spindle offers a 60-kW rating, torque ranging to 1,220 Nm and speeds as fast as 2,850 rpm. The turret accommodates 12 turning tools or, optionally, 12 driven drilling and milling tools.

The integrated Y axis enables off-center machining of complex geometries, while the high-precision separable bearings and support bearings with length compensation at the spindle end provide a sturdy construction for precise turning. An inspection probe outside the machining area checks the workpiece while it is still clamped, and corrective data is sent to the CNC so that the process can be adjusted accordingly.

The machine features integrated automation to ensure quicker production times. Workpieces are loaded into the carrier prisms of a conveyor belt and positioned via an NC axis. The pick-up spindle collects the workpieces from the lateral conveyor belt and takes them to the machining area. Two turning centers can be linked with a component turnover station to create a flexible production cell, the company says.