Vertical Turning Center

shoff · Feb 11, 2010

I need some help with finding a turning center.

This is what I need.

Needs to be Vertical
a rigid machine
Have C axis with milling capabilities
sounds simple enough, the kicker

Must be able to use a live center.

With out the live center we might as well just use a horizontal lathe. Parts are too skinny and long to get by without the live center.

Ox · Feb 11, 2010

Do such things exist?

I have contemplated the ability to doo such on the B axis of my HMC. Physically about the same deal ...

:popcorn:

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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

bryan_machine · Feb 11, 2010

Why does it need to be vertical?

PixMan · Feb 11, 2010

Indeed, why would it need to be a vertical type if it needs to be able to use a live center? Most work done on a VTL (CNC or manual) tends to be shorter length to diameter ratios, and too bulky, heavy or out-of-balance to run between centers.

machine1medic · Feb 12, 2010

Ox said:
Do such things exist?
I have contemplated the ability to doo such on the B axis of my HMC. Physically about the same deal ...

-----------------
Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Yeah me two......
there is a simple beauty of parts held in a fassion where
gravity is your friend instead of Foe.

In times of old.........when bars had tail-stocks,
such a thing could be contrived to "jib" a center out in space.
Could an attachment afix to the rail on a Bullard?
Might have to be off-set to the side opposite the controlls.
m1m

shoff · Feb 12, 2010

bryan_machine said:
Why does it need to be vertical?

Well, we are purchasing two machines for these parts. Right now one is going to be a mill/turn for first operations and roughing, probably something like the Mazak 300y. The other one is a will be a twin turret lathe.

These parts are not easy to hold, and consist of a casting and a shaft welded to the casting. We are having problems with our first op causing issues down stream, so we are trying to come up with a way to hold the parts to machine the datums before we do any work to the pieces. Well with gravity pulling against us would make for a tedious task to get the part aligned correctly. If we had our first operations machine vertical with live center it would make every ones life easier. It would be more ergonomic for operators and I think it would be safer, think stress/strains.

With the vertical reason said, the first operation has been done on a mill/turn or a horizontal machining center with the same crappy results. So in order to machine the datums we either need to mill or turn one section of the part. The material we are working with has a machinablity of 0, or maybe 5%. We have found that it works better to turn then mill, so the reason for a mill/turn rather then just your standard vertical mill.

So the question arises.

Is their a Vertical lathe with a tail stock?

And before someone ask, no I can't show you the parts and no you can't know the material either.

DNiem · Feb 13, 2010

Chevalier makes a VTL with live tools. Their FVL-MC series, and a tail stock is an option.

VTL Series Lathes

machine1medic · Feb 13, 2010

shoff said:
With the vertical reason said, the first operation has been done on a horizontal machining center with the same crappy results. So in order to machine the datums we either need to mill or turn one section of the part. The material we are working with has a machinablity of 0, or maybe 5%. We have found that it works better to turn then mill, so the reason for a mill/turn rather then just your standard vertical mill.

And before someone ask, no I can't show you the parts and no you can't know the material either.

"on a horizontal machining center with the same crappy results."

Limited of corse by your final statement;
I have to think the inaddequit results, would be more a reflection of
the horizontal man than the horizontal machine.
A good CNC bar with a inovative machinist on it can do nearly
any bizzar thing that comes along. Might take some real brainstorming,
but castings, forgings, weldments, large molds, even a giant connecting rod
bigger than the "X" travel of the bars at my former gig were all
done well by guys who were at home on "the Bar".
m1m

micro · Feb 13, 2010

How big are these parts?

shoff · Feb 15, 2010

micro said:
How big are these parts?

shaft length of 330mm, overall length of 415mm. Diameter of shaft runs out to 9mm on small end and larger end is about 120mm in diameter. So not large by any means, but not small either.

shoff · Feb 15, 2010

DNiem said:
Chevalier makes a VTL with live tools. Their FVL-MC series, and a tail stock is an option.

VTL Series Lathes

Thank you.

shoff · Feb 23, 2010

Anyone else?

machine1medic · Feb 23, 2010

shoff said:
Anyone else?

How many Duck-billed Platipusses do you expect to find?

m1m

shoff · Mar 2, 2010

machine1medic said:
How many Duck-billed Platipusses do you expect to find?
m1m

Hey I can always dream right?

To your post above. Our shops job is to run the current parts while working on the process to hand off to a different business unit. Whatever business unit takes on these parts will have semi skilled machinist, (AKA push buttons). So we have to find the best process for parts that on a scale of 1 to 10 to machine with in spec is an 8 or 9.

Ox · Mar 2, 2010

Read:

"Offshore"

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:toetap:

Ox

shoff · Mar 2, 2010

Ox said:
Read:

"Offshore"

-------------------

Ox

Highly unlikely for these parts, lower quantities mainly. Some stuff done in the past has been that way though.

Mark McGrath · Mar 2, 2010

Index do a vertical twin chucker,so it`s feasible the bottom or top chuck could hold a centre.Can`t remember the model but I`ve seen one in the flesh.

Mark.

jdj · Mar 2, 2010

Roughly how big is the "non-shaft" portion (casting) of this part, or roughly how much does it weigh?

Jeff

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