B-Axis Lathe Has Lower Live Turret For Mill-Turn Flexibility
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At DMG's open house in Pfronten, (February 2011), the German machine tool manufacturer launched a CNC lathe capable of single-hit production of complex, multi-sided components. Designated CTX beta 1250 TC 4A, the machine features a powerful upper B-axis mill-turn spindle and a conventional lower turret with live tool stations and direct drive.
Harry Junger, Managing Director of GILDEMEISTER Drehmaschinen GmbH, commented, "The CTX lathe is now our top model for the production of medium-sized workpieces up to 1,250 mm long by 390 mm diameter, or from bar up to 65 mm or optionally 76 mm.
Compared with the single B-axis variant of this lathe, the new model with additional bottom turret is able to carry out more complex work at the main spindle. Either or both turrets can operate at the counter spindle if that option is chosen, or else simultaneous work at both spindles can be undertaken.
Harry Junger estimates that productivity potential has been increased by up to 50 per cent in the new lathe compared to the purely B-axis version.
He added, "As long as turning, deep-hole boring, gear milling, out-of-round turning, 4-axis roughing, high-performance milling, off-centre turning and milling, or even simultaneous 5-axis milling is included in a program and a manufacturer wishes to complete these tasks with maximum flexibility in one machine, the CTX beta 1250 TC 4A is the ideal choice."
The B-axis with its 12,000 rpm motor spindle swivels by ± 100 degrees and is supplied with HSK-A63 / Capto C6 tools from a 24-position disc magazine, although an 80-position chain magazine is an option.
The bottom VDI 40 direct-drive turret has a ± 40 mm Y-axis and 12 driven stations (optionally 16) capable of speeds of up to 10,000 rpm. All tool stations are equipped with the DMG TRIFIX interface, which offers reduced set-up times as well as increased tool precision and stability.
The robust machine structure features widely spaced linear guideways to ensure high stiffness, and a thermo-symmetrical design. These,
together with cooling of main and counter spindle as well as the tool spindle, allow top precision machining, assisted by linear scales. Rapid traverse speed is 45 m/min, raising productivity by keeping idle times short.
The 19" screen of the DMG ERGOline CNC enhances reading comfort, while SOFTkeys allow the integration of additional and more detailed status information. The Siemens ShopTurn 3G user interface provides G-code or conversational programming, or a combination of the two, together with process simulation and an Ethernet port for fast data exchange.
