A portal milling machine with linear drive achieves extremely high chip volumes/time of up to 4500cm3/min in aluminiumusing feedrates of up to 60m/min and spindle speeds up to 35,000 rev/min.
With the new FZ 38, Zimmermann-Boko is presenting a CNC portal milling machine with linear drive. The impressive dynamism of this machine bears witness to the highest level of compe-tency in the field of demanding drive technology. The aim Zimmermann is to offer optimum drive concepts for the specific requirements of their customers.

Towards this end, Zimmermann is making use of decades of experience at the peak of technological developments.

Current drive tech-nologies, such as linear motors, rack and pinion drive and ball screws are assessed objectively and customers profit from this: the result is comprehensive machine concepts with optimum drive for precisely defined employment pur-poses - an example of this is the FZ 38 with pure linear drive technology.

This is further proof that Zimmerman assimilate the individual requirements of each customer and focus their solutions accordingly - customer orientation of the highest quality.

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Zimmermann - the innovative company from Denkendorf near Stuttgart, Germany - offers state-of-the-art constructions for large-scale CNC portal milling machines and CNC plano-milling machines with high-speed technologies.

This year, the experts from Zimmerman will once again impress their target group at the trade show.

With the FZ 38, Zimmermann is pre-senting a CNC portal milling machine driven by linear motors that points the way to the future with its special qualities.

* Dynamism dimension 1 - exceptional efficiency - the most important aim when using linear drives is the increase in productivity.

The FZ 38 achieves extremely high time / chip volumes of up to 4500cm3/min (aluminium).

Feed rates on linear axes of up to 60m/min and spindle speeds of up to 35,000 rev/min make genuine HSC processing possible.

Just as im-pressive are the torque motors on rotational axes with feed rates of up to 150 deg/s.

The accuracy and surface quality realised in this way are decisive for this outstanding performance data.

And it is precisely in this point that the FZ 38 sets standards.

The linear drives achieve a very high level of standard control with a large Kv factor which also makes a low trailing distance and high po-sitioning accuracy possible even at high feed rates.

* Dynamism dimension 2 - well-established technical know-how - a prerequisite for the performance and accuracy values achieved with the FZ 38 lies primarily in a machine designed especially for using linear drives.

Zimmerman customers can profit here from exceptional empirical val-ues in the development of structurally stiff machines.

The solution lies in the combination of optimized lateral stands and torsion-free portal on the one hand and intelligent arrangement of the interfaces, i e, the drives on the other hand.

* Dynamism dimension 3 - high degree of economic efficiency - the overall economic efficiency of the FZ 38 is a result of the interplay of different aspects.

The high accuracy of the machine reduces manual work on finishing surfaces as far as possible or even avoids them entirely.

Due to the high feed rates, the ancillary times, e g, for reposi-tioning, tool orientation or tool change can be reduced.

The FZ 38 achieves very high levels of availability.

This is not least due to the contact-free, play- and wear-free and there-fore low-maintenance direct drives.

* Some technical details - construction method - as with all high-quality CNC portal milling machines from Zimmerman, with the FZ 38 we are dealing with a modularly constructed machine concept which allows different work areas, milling spindles and con-trol systems to be combined.

The machine has permanent lateral walls, a clamping table perma-nently connected to the foundation and an upper portal which moves in X-direction and is driven on both sides.

The workpiece is not moved.

The constantly moved masses (portal slide, cross slide and z-slide, milling head) ensure consistently dynamic behaviour - a prerequisite for optimum surface quality and the use of linear drives.

* Machine frame and guides - the machine bed is constructed from grey cast steel; lateral walls, portal and Z-slides are welded steel constructions.

The lateral walls are filled with a special compound material for dampening vibrations and stabilizing temperature.

The guides, drive and measuring systems on the X-, Y- and Z-axes are extensively protected against contamination or penetration by chips.

* Axis drive - irrespective of the make of the control system, all linear axes are equipped with the latest generation of Siemens digital linear motors.

At standstill, the machine is held in position by brake shoes on tes X- and Y-axes.

* Safety concept - if electricity fails, the Z-slide is effectively secured by powerful clamping heads and all axes are braked by the backfeed of the poten-tial energy through the effect of the generator.

* Cooling - the linear drives are uncoupled effectively from the machine by precision coolers with separate cooling cycles for magnet and motor ele-ments.

* Accuracy - the dynamism of the machine and the extreme inherent stiffness enable high levels of accuracy, in particular when finishing with high speeds and feed rates.

* The new VH 6 milling head with MuST technology - the new VH 6 milling head is especially designed for the HSC technology.

The drive of both rotation axes is carried out by backlash free torque motors.

With the high driving power the rotation axes can be used for simultaneous operations or they can be electronically fixed in position.

In addition, the two axes can be clamped hydraulically.

Both axes drives are designed following the Thermosandwichprinzip, and are equipped with a power and a supplementary precision cooling unit.

This drive technology enables a combination of precision, high driving power and increased dynamics.

In general two different spindles with various specifications are available for all application areas such as roughing, finishing and fine finishing.

* Universal spindle for all kinds of machining of aluminium, composites and light machining of cast iron and steel.

* Finishing spindle - high frequency spindle designed for finishing, for milling of fine contours and for fine finishing with highest surface quality.

Concerning flexibility Zimmermann came up with even more ideas.

Due to its modular design, the MuST system enables different configurations.

1 - One spindle is fixed in the milling head - however this can be changed manually as well.

2 - Semi-automatic spindle change system.

3 - Full automatic spindle change system - enables unmanned shifting * Areas of application - thanks to high stability and stiffness, constantly moved masses and highly dynamic linear drives as well as the spindle changing concept MuST, the FZ 38 is suitable for HSC work on all common materials in making tools, moulds and models as well as in the aircraft industry.

* Aluminium chipping with extreme feed rates.

* Compound materials.

* Overall processing of heavyweight materials such as steel, cast products and even titanium.

Conclusion - Zimmermann's strength is to offer efficient combinations of different machine concepts, drives, milling heads and spindle types.

Zimmermann is consistently enlarging its machine program and with its latest innovation, the FZ 38, it is now enriched by the ultimate high speed type dynamics and speed directly turn into benefit for our cus-tomers.

Rolf Roehm, Zimmermann sales and marketing director resumed: 'The perfect combination of machine design, tools, tool and work piece clamping devices, material technology parameters, the applica-tion know-how as well as the so called C-techniques has highest pri-ority when consulting our customers'.

A CNC 5-axis gantry milling machine will be mainly used to manufacture carbon fibre products for the aerospace industry, but is also capable of machining steel and other metal products.
The new H and H ULTRA5 Gantry milling machine using the Siemens Sinumerik 840D CNC, Simodrive 611D digital drives and 1FN3 linear servo motors, on X, Y and Z axes, with 1FT6 motors on A and C, has been supplied and is supported by CNC Design. The machine, designed and built in Australia by H and H Machine Tools, was supplied to CTRM in Malaysia and will be mainly used to manufacture carbon fibre products for the Aerospace industry, but is also capable of machining steel and other metal products, with full 5 axis capability. Axis travels on this machine are: X = 6500mm; Y = 4500mm and Z = 1500mm.

Distance between columns is 5800mm.

Length of working area is 9500mm.

The 20kW (S1) spindle runs at 30,000 rev/min with +/-110 deg of tilt and +/- 360 deg of rotation.

Maximum feedrate is 60m/min As the machine design uses linear motors on X, Y and Z axes, variations in axis travel can be easily accommodated.

A retrofit grinding wheelhead can be mounted directly to or replacing the tool post units of most centre lathes or vertical boring machines, for carrying out internal or external cylindrical grinding.
Turn your lathe into a grinding machine A retrofit grinding wheelhead can be mounted directly to or replacing the tool post units of most centre lathes or vertical boring machines, for carrying out internal or external cylindrical grinding. Jena-Tec, part of the Avingtrans Technology Group, has launched the Duplex tool post grinding range to the UK and European markets. The product range has been strengthened and improved using Jena-Tec's precision rotating equipment knowledge to provide improved serviceability and durability ensuring that we continue to provide a quality machine tool attachment.

Mounting directly to or replacing the tool post units of most centre lathes or vertical boring machines, ranges start from the D26 providing 60mm diameter external wheel and 20mm internal wheel through to the D35 providing 500mm diameter external wheel diameter.

This range is also complimented by the high frequency direct drive 12,000 rev/min D68 and D69 units used for intermittent internal grinding of hardened components that replaces a standard turning tool in the tool post.

The standard modular cartridge spindle design allows replacement of a variety of different options for example for grinding deep bores that would be otherwise un-accessible with a turning tool due to deflection of the tool.

Jena-Tec can provide spindles with 610mm depths for internal bores.

While this provides a range of precision grinding options, Jena-Tec also have introduced abrasive band tool post grinders that allow fixed or adjustable angles using low cost abrasive bands for roll finishing, de-burring and polishing of large cylindrical components again on standard centre lathes.

Units are designed to accept band widths 25mm to 100mm.

The Duplex range have distinct advantages as a machine attachment to allow customers to grind cost-effectively on standard centre lathes and vertical boring machines.

Increasingly, Jena-Tec is seeing non-machine tool applications such as robotics and special purpose machines.

Applications are as diverse as precision tool room grinding through to grinding of blade tips on gas turbine rotors.

This concept which is unrivalled by their competitors in terms of product variety and scope offers a low investment method of attaining grinding capability without investment in a dedicated grinding machine.

Prices start at below GBP 800 for the base Duplex model providing both internal and external grinding capability.

For oil and gas industry applications a heavy duty flat bed eight station VDI turret combination lathe - up to 4m between centres - has Fanuc 210i-TA CNC with six programming methods.
Colchester Lathe's heavyweight Combi 6000 flat bed eight station VDI turret combination lathe, with a massive 800 mm swing over the bed and a 170 mm large bore that is ideal for oil and gas industry type applications now has bed length options giving 2000, 3000 and 4000mm between centres. Sold through the Colchestersales (UK) of Heckmondwike, West Yorks, it is the Fanuc 210i-TA control with its single screen program creation software and six methods of programming that really set this muscular flat bed combination machine apart from the competition. It has the flexibility for cost-effectively producing single cycle turning operations using the intuitive menu selection and extensive 960 tool library memory with simple to use macros giving step by step operation sequences.

However, most important is its ability to re-enact programmed cycles in automatic mode for batch production.

Having some 26kW of power available at the spindle with a low and high range providing speeds between 10 and 1,500 rev/min according to specification, it is the control system that enables the versatility of the machine to be fully explored according to the skill level available or type of machining required.

For instance, the Fanuc 210i-TA control can act as a simple digital readout in conjunction with electronic handwheels, be used in a teach and repeat mode or the operator can make full use of the on-screen icon-based command CAD/CAM capability and virtual tool and solid modelling programs.

In addition, the system will accept off-line created program download via DNC.

With each method, the control will automatically convert the input data into G-code format which means editing at the machine is very simple using copy and paste similar to a PC editor.

Once created, programs can be transferred or used with any Fanuc compatible machines.

Programs can be stored on the hard drive in the control and once prepared can be subjected to 'fast-check' simulation cycles involving the tool tip shape depicting the relevant toolpath.

The Combi 6000 has a swing in the gap bed of 870mm, ideal for face plate work and has a cross slide travel of 400mm.

The quill diameter of the power operated tailstock is 120mm with 210mm travel and there is a choice of toolposts from Multifix (size C) or Parat size 3 or 4.

As an aid to batch machining, the machine can be specified with a choice of two types of VDI 50 automatic indexing turret, an eight-station disc or four-station head unit.

Both are fully programmable.

There is also a range of stationary or travelling steadies, face plates up to 790mm diameter and three jaw self-centring 400mm or 535mm chucks or four jaw independent chucks of either, 460mm or 610mm diameter.