XYZ Machine Tools Meets Customer Needs With Extended Z-Axis Machining Centre

When approached by one of the UK’s leading thermoforming toolmakers with a request to increase the z-axis on one of its vertical machining centres by 1000 mm, XYZ Machine Tools was not in the least bit daunted. The modified machine will leave XYZ’s Devon factory today (Friday 24 April) ready for commissioning and being put into production.

While renowned for its standard range of machine tools developing one-off configurations for customers is something that XYZ Machine Tools and its engineering team are happy to respond to. In this case the customer needed the X and Y axis capability of one of its XYZ 1000LR vertical machining centres, but the height of the component required the additional 1050mm between spindle and table. By reconfiguring the machine using a specially designed riser block XYZ modified the machine to increase the standard minimum spindle nose to table dimension of 100 mm, taking it to to 1050, while maintaining the standard z-axis travel to give a range of 1050 – 1550 mm from spindle to table. These changes were achieved in a short period of time, with the modification being accommodated within new guarding and sheet metal work.

With the build complete the machine was put through the standard testing procedure undergone by every XYZ Machine before despatch, this includes extensive machine running and checks, such as the Renishaw Ballbar test to ensure that any machine shipped meets stringent quality and accuracy requirements laid down in XYZ’s procedures. With this complete the customer was keen to take delivery. testing complete the customer was happy to take delivery straightaway.