Zone: Multi-Spindle Screw Machines

Competing On A Multi-Spindle

For many high-volume applications, multi-spindle automatics are the right technology for production machining. Increasingly, that production efficiency has been pressured by changes in the needs of shops in the form of shorter run jobs and higher tolerances. This article looks at some of the steps one OEM has taken to address quick change-over issues on its multi-spindle machines and their tooling.

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Czech Out This New CNC Multi-Spindle
8/19/2009 Production Machining: A new CNC multi-spindle is available in the U.S. for the first time. Manufactured in the Czech Republic, it has a long pedigree in Europe, but has been reletively unknown here--until now.
Video Profile: Lean Machining at Vanamatic
6/24/2009 Modern Machine Shop: See how this Delphos, Ohio, screw machine shop has saved considerable time by making its process on the shop floor more lean.
MFG.com: Marketplace For Manufacturing
4/6/2009 Modern Machine Shop: (Sponsored content) An MMS InMotion presentation along with a collection of user profiles all describe how machine shops are winning new business using this online resource.
Taking CNC To The Next Level On A Multi-Spindle
3/10/2009 Modern Machine Shop: A new generation of multi-spindle automatic lathes from the Czech Republic may change the thinking about the best way to produce complex parts in small to medium volumes. An innovative drive system on these machines enables users to optimize spindle speeds for specific machining operations.
Multi-Spindle Production Center
3/4/2009 Production Machining: The eight-spindle Mori-Say TMZ 867 CNC multi-spindle multifunction production center can accommodate barstock as large as 72 mm in diameter and can operate as an open-front chucker. The multi-spindle offers high precision CNC production capability to a range of part sizes that, until now, required other types of machines, such as rotary transfer machines, the company says. Provided with a double Siemens 840 D CNC, the machine offers as many as 72 CNC axes and can perform almost any metalcutting operation on precision parts including drilling, tapping, milling and hobbing.

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Overview Of:
Multi-Spindle Screw Machines

As an automatic lathe, the multi-spindle screw machine allows multiple tools to cut multiple pieces of material simultaneously. Usually configured in 4, 5, 6 or 8 spindle models, each spindle is attacked by a cross-slide and end-slide tool effectively making each spindle a 2-axis lathe. As CNC is applied to some or all slides on these historically cam actuated machines, their ability to machine complex and high accuracy parts has grown significantly. Numerous attachments are available for use on one or more stations for specific metalworking operations. The multiple spindles are carried in a precision machined drum that rotates in a horizontal orientation. In production, the operations needed to be performed on a part are divided among the number of spindles. Because each spindle station is being machined simultaneously, when the drum indexes from one station to the next a complete part is produced. In other words on a six-spindle multi, six parts are completed with one full rotation of the drum. While the cycle time on a single spindle machine is additive--it’s the sum of the operations performed—because the multi-spindle is cutting six parts simultaneously its cycle time is simply whichever is the longest single operation performed. Multi-spindles are either automatic bar or chucker depending on the raw stock being used. Bar machines uses a drum feeder that aligns the machine’s spindle number. On a chucker the first station is loaded externally using a feeder system and increasingly, a robot or gantry loader. Bar machines usually employ collets to hold the raw stock while chuckers use either collets or external chuck to secure the workpiece. Multi-Spindle Trends: Individually programmable spindle motors Linear axis motors on tool slides Internal gantry load/unload and palletization In-process gaging and sensing Quick change tooling Closed loop feedback for tool compensations Compound slides for single point turning Robotic loaders