High speed machining on a budget

Shown for the first time in the UK at a recent Hethel Engineering Centre event, EAME (Exhibition of Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering), in September, Haas demonstrated a 0.88 hp, 40,000 rpm Air Turbine Technology spindle on its low-cost Toolroom Mill 1P, featuring guarding and 10-tool magazine. Able to be toolchanged automatically, the 650 spindle unit was demonstrated machining 7071 aluminium with a small, two-flute Van Horn ballnose endmill from ITC – approx 2 mm diameter; and was producing a feature of some 0.3 mm thickness and 8 mm high. Milling steel of HRC53 was also performed. The 650 unit is available in 25,000, 30,000 and 40,000 rpm versions, featuring ER11 collet. Other spindle units are available, offering up to 1.4 hp. To use the spindles, a 90 psi clean, dry air supply and spindle headstock-mounted connection unit are required. The spindles can run at full speed, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, if required, said Air Turbine Technology's chairman, Simon Shane, who was also in attendance at the Hethel event, in Norfolk. The units see no thermal expansion, have ceramic bearings and remain cool via air from the turbine; runout is 0.005 mm. Haas Automation commercial director Pat Fenn said that the availability of such units in combination with low-cost Haas machines demonstrates that high speed machining is within the reach of all job shops, without huge investment. Visit www.airturbinetools.com to see the technology in action.