Self-contained broaching unit for CNC lathes

The EWS-Slot self-contained broaching unit simplifies the application of in-cycle broaching on turret-equipped CNC lathes. Grooves up to 10 mm wide and 30 mm length can be generated. The Horn broaching system is highly flexible and has proved capable of very high levels of accuracy and repeatability when generating slots and keyways on a wide range of materials. In most instances to date, the Horn tool has been mounted in a fixed station on the lathe’s turret or platen. C-axis positioning is used to locate the workpiece radially and the broaching operation is carried out using Z-axis movement with feed per stroke set using the X-axis. The X-axis is also used to lift the tool at the end of the cutting stroke for the return stroke. However, it does require that the saddle/turret assembly be in constant reciprocating motion throughout the broaching cycle and demands careful set-up to eliminate risk of tool/workpiece collision. The unit occupies a powered station on the machine’s turret and this provides the drive. A broaching stroke of 30 mm is available with cutting speed regulated by the turret motor’s speed. Lifting of the tool for the return stroke is an integral feature of the mechanism.