Mazak highlights aerospace capabilities

The UK’s aerospace sector and its supply chain will benefit from a range of new machining solutions being exhibited on the Mazak stand at MACH 2018.

Mazak will be displaying a collection of machines, specifically developed for the aerospace sector and all capable of reaching new heights of production capability.

Leading the way will be the HCR-5000S, a 5-axis horizontal machining centre that has been developed for high-speed machining of aluminium, amongst other applications. Aluminium is one of the most popular materials in the aerospace supply chain, given its weight-saving benefits and strength. However, it does present a number of machining challenges, particularly the management of chip volumes created during the cutting process.

The HCR-5000S is equipped with a tilting rotary table design featuring a through-centre conveyor, which has the ability to evacuate large chip volumes quickly, without disturbing the machining process.

The machine is equipped with a Ø6300mm table offering a best-in-class large Ø700mm and 500kg workpiece capacity. This exceptionally agile machine has fast acceleration and a high jerk rate, allied with an optional 30,000rpm 80kW high-performance milling spindle for ultra-high productivity.

Also making its UK debut at MACH will be the VARIAXIS i-300 AWC (Auto Work Changer), a compact 5-axis automation cell developed for high mix, low volume production that offers a solution to the manufacturing challenges faced in today’s aerospace sector.

The machine has a gantry box structure with a fully supported trunnion table that houses a high-rigidity HSK-100 workholding interface for 5-axis applications up to Ø350mm x 315mm in size. The i-300 AWC has a 12,000rpm main spindle as standard, with options up to 30,000rpm to suit a variety of applications.

The multi-tiered Auto Work Changer provides unmanned running capability with a capacity of up to 32 or optionally 40 work holders, whilst attention to ergonomics has been carefully thought out with a side-loading design, offering uninhibited front access for the operator.

To eliminate downtime, the AWC software application, integrated into the SmoothX CNC, takes care of scheduling and provides resource checks for tooling and programs. To further enhance the lights-out machining capability, the machine is equipped with a field expandable magazine that can hold up to 505 tools.

Also on the Mazak stand will be the INTEGREX i-800V/8, a machine
that combines full 5-axis milling with powerful turning operations and pallet-changing capabilities. The machine, which is equipped with SmoothX CNC, has the ability to quickly process large, highly complex workpieces on a vertical platform, making it ideally suited to large aerospace components, such as commercial jet engine parts.

Fitted with a tilting high power 10,000rpm 37kW main spindle, capable of machining a wide range of 5-axis applications, the i-800V/8 also benefits from a 45kW turning table powered by a direct drive motor for a complete DONE-IN-ONE solution.

Other machines of interest particularly to the aerospace sector, will be the latest variant of the UK-built VTC-800/30SR equipped for the first time with SmoothX control; the VARIAXIS j-600/5X AM a new 5-axis additive manufacturing machine, and the new INTEGREX i-500, the largest of the i-series machines which has a maximum machining capacity of 700mm and high torque main and milling spindles.

www.mazak.com

  Ask For More Information…