Citizen enhances M32-VIII sliding-head mill-turn capabilities

This will appeal to small turned part sliding-head machinists who want to combat price per part pressures by producing larger multiple feature parts in one hit. A third Y-axis cross feed, with a nine tool multi-head, has been added to the M32-VIII back toolpost and an additional B-axis and adjustable angle rotary tool device has been fitted to the gang toolslide. These enhancements – coupled with a further development of Citizen's Streamline control software, greater axis acceleration/deceleration to 32 m/min rapid traverse – should reduce non-cutting times, it is claimed, by 30% on a typical cycle. The Citizen M32-VIII comprises a main spindle powered by 7.5 kW, and a 2-axis back spindle having a 3.7 kW drive. The speed of both spindles has been improved to 8,000 rpm, and the speeds available for each driven tool increased, with a much greater torque of 9.5 Nm available at the cutting tip giving a higher rate of metal removal. The 10-station all-driven turret, with each position able to half-index and carry multiple tooling arrangements, has a 1.5 kW, 6,000 rpm motor and an Z-axis stroke extended to 212 mm. As the turret can be indexed at any position without retraction to its return position, the index time is now within 0.5 sec. Other improvements include a graphical Eco-Monitor that records and displays information such as power consumption and provides performance ratios of auto operational times and set-up, alarmed stoppages, cutting against non-cutting and overall times lost when the machine is not operating. The Streamline system will automatically optimise axis overlap to help reduce non-cutting elements and give a smoother action, helping suppress any vibration. It will also apply direct spindle indexing, and provide tool life management and a graphical interference collision check of the program. An automatic skip function avoids any elements that could negatively influence the cycle time when not being used as part of the programmed operation.