Mikron Can Deliver Up To 500 High Precision Machined Components A Minute

Able to machine up to 500 components a minute at its 24 stations, the Mikron Multistar™ lays claim to being the world's fastest rotary special purpose machine tool for components up to 32 mm diameter. In addition to metal cutting operations such as drilling and milling, the machine is able to include turning cycles, assembly tasks or processes such as cold forming.

Dedicated to high volume production of single components to very high orders of accuracy and consistency, the modular constructed Multistar is not only able to machine a component from three sides but has the flexibility to produce a feature at any angle between the horizontal and vertical with individual spindles able to run at up to 32,000 revs/min.

Typical components include fuel injection, atomisers, gas burners and lighters, electronic parts, audio, video and computer, surgical, lock, aircraft rivets and ball and roller point pens. Materials commonly processed include stainless steel, steel, brass, aluminium and plastic.

Constructed around a central column, making the machine very compact and floor efficient requiring just 2.85 m by 1.53 m, the column carries a mechanical cam that controls rapid approach and machining stroke via lever mechanisms to each spindle. Mounted around the column is a support housing for the 24 station rotary indexing table which is driven by a central 2.2 kW motor via reduction gear and Geneva cross-indexing mechanism.

It is possible to mount up to 48 collets in a 24 station machine which gives high levels of flexibility and machining options. In addition, overturning can also be performed using rotating collets at any station. The workholding collet clamping systems, which are able to rotate, are integrated within the rotary table with both table and clamping system driven by a common motor built into the machine base. This ensures acceleration and feed rates are perfectly timed during the production cycle. By keeping the mechanical drive central, it also provides excellent access to the machining area and cutting tools for setting.

During indexing, the table is carried on an air cushion and a patented mechanical accelerator speeds up the index movement. However while machining, two opposed shot pins lock the table to maintain an accuracy position of 0.005 mm.

Components can be fed by a vibratory bowl feed, external pick and place or direct from coil to the 12 or 24 collet clamping mechanisms. Workpiece collets and fixtures can be independently indexed to any angle or rotated at any station to facilitate turning operations within the same cycle.

Spindles are driven in pairs by frequency controlled motors and timing belts with the speed of each spindle independently selected up to 32,000 revs/min. Through tool coolant at up to 100 bar pressure can be specified for deep hole drilling, for instance.

Machining can be carried out from three directions and up to two spindles can be operated simultaneously at each station. Altogether, up to 23 spindle units can be mounted vertically above the table, 22 units below and there are 16 spindle mounting positions for lateral or cross machining applications.

As part of the turnkey engineering capability of Mikron, the company's sister tooling operation Mikron Tool is able to bring some 40 years of advanced cutting tool experience and customer application engineering to create high performance, cost-effective and high consistency production alongside Mikron's machine tool expertise.

Source: Mikron Machining Technology