Hydrafeed has successful MACH

A ‘mock’ turning centre gave Hydrafeed the ability to highlight the productivity and automation potential it can bring to turning centres, and this resulted in an extremely high enquiry level at the show. At the barfeed side of the lathe, the company showed the MultiServo 3-80 short magazine bar feed unit that accurately places bar in the lathe. The opposite side of the ‘mock’ lathe accommodated the X-Tract CNC automatic part unloader. Designed for the efficient and safe unloading of parts too long to be caught in standard part catchers, the X-Tract accommodates bar up to 1.5 m long. The combination of the two systems allowed Hydrafeed to show how it can enhance prolonged unmanned running of turning centres by loading and removing the part from the machining area. In addition, the new Rota-Rack rotary part accumulator on show has proven a success since its introduction earlier this year, says the company, with an installation at Air Bearings of Poole already running. This installation has generated considerable labour savings and productivity improvements on extremely sensitive parts. Seen at MACH for the first time, the part accumulator is suited to limited space environments as it can be set at the left- or right-side of the machine.