FIVE-AXIS CHIRONS PUT CAMSHAFT WORK IN THE FAST LANE

The five-axis machining capability of Chiron FZ 12S Magnum vertical machining centres is enabling a major automotive first-tier supplier to produce finished parts in a single set-up and satisfy its annual output requirement of 300,000 components with minimal manual involvement.

Configured as a Flexline high-volume manufacturing system, four Chiron Magnums are located side-by-side and fed by linear component carrying robot to machine camshaft adjusters required at the rate of 75/hour.

Each Chiron's 20-tool magazine is equipped with the appropriate tooling to accommodate variations in the family of parts, and each machine performs both fourth- and fifth-axis machining without workpiece reclamping. One operator maintains all four machines by, for example, ensuring that sufficient parts are provided at the load station, then unloading finished-machined workpieces.

The camshaft adjuster forgings are manually clamped onto a fixture plate that has an HSK toolholder at its rear, for location into the carrier robot and subsequently into one of the individual VMCs. The workpiece is manipulated under NC in a single clamping to machine four faces in a simple fourth axis rotary indexer, and all compound angles using a fifth axis tilt and rotary device.

Each Chiron Magnum performs a variety of machining routines in sequence - including drilling piston apertures to a tolerance of +/-0.01 mm.

Because each unit is essentially a standard VMC, the resulting system is not only easy to program and operate but it is also one of the most cost-effective, fastest and efficient manufacturing systems available - thanks to the machines' characteristic fast speed of operation and attractive price tags.

Each FZ 12S Magnum has X, Y and Z axes travels of 550 mm by 300 mm by 425 mm, rapid traverse rates of 40 m/min and boasts a tool change time of only 0.9 sec with chip-to-chip being 2.4 secs. Spindle speed is 15,000 revs/min. The complementary robot workpiece carrying system operates at 250 m/min.

In addition to fast throughput times, other benefits of such high-speed machining are clearly appreciated on the camshaft adjuster line where the high spindle speeds combine with through-tool high-pressure coolant to consistently maintain an SPC requirement of 1.67 CmK.

The Magnum's impressive specification – and the fact that all machining programs and tools are housed in the machines – makes Flexline the ideal choice for producing complete families of parts in small or large batches either simultaneously or consecutively.

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