Video: Parts Accumulator Allows for Unattended Machining
One of the advantages of a Swiss-type lathe is that once you’ve set up the bar feeder, you’re good to go until you run out of barstock. This accumulator simplifies the other end of the operation.
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The more simple tasks a shop can automate, the better, especially when it comes to accumulating parts machined from barstock. The Rota-Rack from Royal Products is a valuable asset to any Swiss-type machine shop, allowing machine tools to run unattended for extended periods of time. The Rota-Rack is reliable, easy to set up, and is especially useful for lights-out machining, quickly delivering a return on a shop’s investment.
According to the OEM, features include a rotary spiral that directs parts to the center of the turntable and a low-friction UHMW material covering all contact surfaces for superior part protection. The Rota-Rack is especially good at protecting straight edges of milled parts—a difficult task with some other collection methods—and it can be used to keep parts in order for quality control purposes.
In addition, no machine interface is required. The unit plugs into a 110-V outlet, and the operator sets the index functions with a simple touchscreen PLC. The degree of rotation is easily adjusted, enabling the Rota-Rack to handle short and long parts. Its 36" diameter turntable provides more than 850 square inches of surface area, and its heavy-gage steel construction enables the accumulator to handle as much as 700 pounds of parts. Its universal design adapts to virtually all CNC lathes, and a conveyor with a coolant tray is available. Watch this video for a demonstration, and read this article from PM’s archives to learn more.
A rotary spiral directs parts to the center of the turntable, and a low-friction UHMW material covers all contact surfaces, protecting the straight edges of the milled parts.
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