Ward CNC's New Soraluce Milling Centers Are Designed For One-Hit Finish Machining
A quartet of new Soraluce milling machines that combine power with speed, flexibility and cost-effectiveness, plus an emphasis on one-hit machining from heavy-duty metal removal through to finishing, has been announced by Ward CNC, the Spanish machine manufacturer's exclusive UK agent.
Designed for accommodating large workpieces, the capabilities of the fixed bed moving column SP-8000, floor type FR-12000 and fixed bed moving column FL-6000 models can all be enhanced by the addition of high-speed electro-spindles to complement their orthogonal/automatic indexing heads.
Not only do electro-spindles promise faster production cycles, higher quality surface finishes and 'dual' machining capabilities via the ability to rough and finish with the same spindle, but their 'cold' rotor feature also extends bearing lifetime (at least 7,000 hours compared with the usual 3,000 hours from an asynchronous unit) thanks to the very low levels of vibration generated by these low-inertia unit, and the ability to achieve balance independent of both speed and power.
With X, Y and Z axes travels of 6,500 mm by 2,000 mm by 1,500 mm, the SP-8000 milling centre boasts rapids of 25,000 mm/min and a table capacity of 8,000 mm by 1,100 mm. With 40-tool ATC, the machine features a 30 kW, 4,000 revs/min automatic indexing head (in 2.50 by 2.50 steps) with two indexing planes, one vertical to the spindle axis and another at 450.
The FR-12000 milling machine has axis travels of 12,000 mm by 3,600 mm by 1,600 mm in X, Y and Z, rapid traverse rates of 25,000 mm/min and feed rates of 5 to 10,000 mm/min. Complementary to the 80-tool ATC is a 37 kW, 4,000 revs/min orthogonal indexing head that can be indexed vertical to the spindle and at 900, both positioning every 10, and there is a 37 kW/4,000 revs/min horizontal boring head.
Having a table size of 6,000 mm by 1,100 mm and integrated fourth axis rotary table of 1,000 mm diameter, the 80-tool FL Centre 6000 has X, Y and Z traverses of 5,500 mm by 1,400 mm by 1,000 mm and rapids of 25,000 mm/min. The machine's automatic indexing head (0.0010 by 0.0010) is rated at 30 kW/4,000 revs/min and can be indexed vertical to the spindle and at 450.
Completing the new machine line-up – to complement the comprehensive Soraluce range already available from Ward CNC – is the TA-20-A five-axis bed type mill that has X, Y and Z ratings of 2,000 mm by 1,200 mm by 800 mm, a 1,000 mm by 1,000 mm fourth axis rotary table and rapids of 25,000 mm/min. Feed rates are 5 to 10,000 mm/min and the vertical automatic indexing head (0.0010 steps) is rated at 24 kW/16, 000 revs/min.
As expected of machines developed under the auspices of the Danobat Group's IDEKO research and development, all Soraluce machines are of high-quality build based around heavy-duty GG-30 cast iron construction for optimal stiffness, as well as vibration and stress absorption, complemented by INA linear guideway technology for effective rapid traversing.
SOURCE: W Ward CNC Machinery Ltd