CANADA'S LEADING INFORMATION SOURCE FOR THE METALWORKING INDUSTRY

LATEST MAGAZINE

CANADA'S LEADING INFORMATION SOURCE FOR THE METALWORKING INDUSTRY

CANADA'S LEADING INFORMATION SOURCE FOR THE METALWORKING INDUSTRY

IMTS 2022: Three new INDEX machines make their North American debut

Share This Post
The INDEX G220 turn mill center's large workspace and internal layout enables simultaneous machining with the milling spindle and both turrets. 

At IMTS 2022, INDEX featured the North American debuts of the company’s next generations of its G220 turn mill center, MS32-6 CNC multi-spindle and TNL12 sliding headstock lathe.

The new G220 incorporates and refines the design principles introduced via the larger G320, G420 and G520 machines. With twin spindles, dual tool turrets, a 5-axis milling spindle and high-capacity tool magazine, the machine can produce a wide variety of parts in a single setup.

The design concept of INDEX’s G Series machines begins with a rigid, vibration damping machine bed in a mineral cast block design. Each machine in the series combines stability and damping properties with high dynamics and generously dimensioned linear guides in the X and Z axes.

The G220’s milling spindle offers a hydrodynamically mounted Y/B axis arranged above the axis of rotation. Each of the machine’s turrets provides movement along the X, Y & Z axes and each of the turrets’ stations can be equipped with live tooling. Additionally, the G220’s large workspace and internal layout enables simultaneous machining with the milling spindle and both turrets. Combined, these features allow flexibility to cut varied part features and geometries with extremely high efficiency.

Each cross slide in the MS32-6 now incorporates INDEX’s patented W-serration locating system that provides µm-accurate alignment of the tool holder.

The new MS32-6 CNC multi-spindle features a modular design that achieves flexibility that bring the benefits of multi-spindle production to a much broader range of applications. Accommodating up to 32-mm bar stock, the MS32-6 easily handles a variety of complex parts, as the machine is equipped with two v-shaped cross slides at each spindle position. Each cross slide offers X and Z axes as standard, and C and Y axes, together with live tools, can also be implemented to allow for a broad range of machining processes, including off-center drilling, threading, contouring, hobbing and polygonal turning. Each of the machines’ slides can also be alternatively configured with a single NC axis for grooving or drilling.

Each cross slide in the MS32-6 now incorporates INDEX’s patented W-serration locating system that provides µm-accurate alignment of the tool holder. Coupled with the company’s newly developed quick clamping device, tools can be set up off of the machine and then quickly installed, reducing tool change times by 50%, the company claims.

Additionally, the machine incorporates the same W-serration system on its live units for drilling, milling and polygonal turning. By presetting tooling for these operations off of the machine, setup times can be reduced by up to 92%, according to the company. Furthermore, the MS32-6 allows users to apply twin turrets with rigid tools in up to five spindle positions. These hydraulically controlled units can alternate between tools in less than half a second. This enables the use of separate tools for roughing and finishing in the same position. The twin turrets can also be used to reduce tool changes by incorporating duplicate tools, an option that is especially attractive when working with difficult-to-machine materials.

Overall tooling capacity has been increased on the INDEX TNL12 lathe, with the capability to house up to 40 tools with the use of double and triple holders.

Comprehensively redesigned from its previous iteration, the new TNL12 sliding headstock lathe offers an exceptional value proposition to manufacturers of small parts, especially those serving the medical industry. Like its predecessor, the new TNL12 features four tool carriers that can be applied to a workpiece simultaneously, albeit with significant changes to the machine’s kinematics. While the front-working attachment and counter spindle were previously arranged on a single slide, they are now housed on separate slides. This eliminates potential interdependence between front-end and counter spindle machining, allowing for much greater flexibility in programming. Additionally, this design reduces the mass of both elements, allowing for faster and more dynamic machine response.

The features enabling rear-end machining also have undergone substantial changes. While the former model of the machine offered X-axis machining on the counter spindle, the new TNL12 provides full 3-axis machining in this position. A new back-working attachment offer six tool stations, with up to four allowing live tooling, as well as a flushing unit.

Overall tooling capacity has also been increased, with the capability to house up to 40 tools with the use of double and triple holders. This allows operators a greater degree of freedom to optimize machining of highly complex parts. Each of two 6-station tool turrets has its own servomotor and interpolated Y-axis, with chip-to[1]chip tool change times reduced to just 0.3 seconds.

Share This Post

Recent Articles




Wordpress Social Share Plugin powered by Ultimatelysocial
error

Enjoy this post? Share with your network