Convert Your Existing 3 Axis Machines Into 4th or 5thaxis Machines

In the movie, The Lord of the Rings, while marching on to Minas Tirith with huge thundering army of Orcs, Gothmog, lieutenant of Morgul (The land of the Dark), announces ‘The age of men is over. The time of the Orc has come.’

Gothmog’s confidence resonates with the situation of 3 Axis machines in the Metal Cutting Industry today. An industry which turned around with the advent of the Computer Numerical Control technology and the introduction of Vertical Machining Centres (VMC) and Horizontal Machining Centres (HMC) has now hit a plateau in its development of 3 axis machines. And while there have been developments in the form of 4^th axis and 5^th axis machines, these machines are yet too expensive to completely replace 3 axis machines.

3 axis machines themselves have a few distinct advantages such as Rigidness of construction, lesser machine cost as compared to 5 Axis machines, Manual Chucks availability of trained manpower, standard work holding and tools available at reasonable costs and service support. While these advantages make 3 axis machines the most popular machines in the metal cutting industry, flexibility for angular machining is still a major lacuna.

UCAM’s rotary tables are a ready solution to improve the flexibility of 3 axis machines.

UCAM’s solutions include:

·        4^th Axis Rotary Tables – for positioning or continuous interpolation of job

·  4^th& 5^th Axis Tilting Rotary Tables for compound angle positioning and interpolation of job

·        Multi Spindle Rotary Tables for multiple part machining simultaneously 

·        Large Size Rotary Tables for heavier and voluminous components

These solutions are available in standard configurations but may also be customised to serve your machining needs.

Following are advantages that UCAM’s CNC Rotary Tables for Machine Builders offer to your existing 3 axis machining system:

1.  Indexing and Machining at angles: Machining at different angles on a 3 axis machine is difficult and time consuming. Rotary tables provide this much needed flexibility for your 3 axis machine. For component positioning and machining at angles, UCAM’s CNC Rotary Table or Multi Spindle Rotary table would be an ideal solution. For mass volume automotive components UCAM’s Rotary Production System is the right choice. For high speed and precision machining of components the Direct Drive Rotary Table with zero backlashes is an ideal solution.

2.     Setup time Reduction / Elimination: A process which may usually take 2, 3 or more setup changes for a standard automotive part machining, may be completed in just a single setup. This reduces or even eliminates the time taken for part setup and fixture change.

3.     Lowering Throughput Time:  The business of automobile part machining is all about lower throughput time. With the need to change fixtures or transfer parts eliminated, using UCAM’s Rotary Table or Tilting Rotary Table, the throughput time is reduced effecting into lower cost per component and increasing the profits.

4.     Dedicated Workstation to Flexible Workstation: In a routine shop floor 3 axis machines are dedicated to a certain metal cutting process. This may be due to setup changes required in machining or to balance the production line. With UCAM’s solutions, each machine becomes an entire production line in itself. With the need to change setups drastically reduced or even eliminated, the 3 axis machine becomes a flexible workstation completing part machining in one go.

5.     Reduced Rejections: When a part is machined partially and moved or transferred to a second setup, an inaccuracy is added due to the changed position (location, resting and clamping of the part). UCAM’s Rotary Table and Torque Motor Rotary Table solutions allow the machining to be completed in a single setup thus reducing the stack up of inaccuracies and hence component rejections.

The metal cutting machining world is moving fast towards intricate designed geometries and precision machined components. The demanding customer now requires such precision machined parts faster. Through UCAM’s well engineered solutions you can deliver and exceed your customer’s expectations. With UCAM…you can!

You may reach one of UCAM’s representative onmarketing@ucamind.com or check their Product offerings onwww.ucamind.com