A compact, Fanuc controlled flat bed CNC lathe is equally useable for manually operated single part cycles over a wide range of chucking, collet and shaft type operations.

MultiTurn is a compact, Fanuc controlled flat bed CNC lathe that is equally useable for manually operated single part cycles over a wide range of chucking, collet and shaft type operations. With the launch of MultiTurn, Colchester Lathe redefines the comparison chart tabulation normally put together by machine buyers to determine functionality against price for CNC lathes intended to cover production, small batch and single part machining. Capitalising on its Colchester heritage coupled with an intensive value engineering development programme, which brought new high specification centre lathes to the UK market at previous secondhand prices, Colchester Sales is now launching the first of a new series of competitively priced cast iron, flat bed CNC combination lathes with turret or quick-change toolpost options.

MultiTurn combines the versatility of full CNC, electronic and manual operation through Fanuc's latest Series OiTB CNC LCD contouring control and digital drives package.

It has twin electronic handwheels, conversational programming and is directed at machine shops wanting additional CNC capacity or lower batch size solutions.

In addition, it will be equally productive as a universal turning machine to the education, training school and general machinist demanding high flexibility or needing to replace or upgrade existing flat bed lathes with a reliable high quality metal cutting machine without compromising the investment budget.

MultiTurn is available as an electrically-operated, eight-station VDI tool turret or quick-change toolpost machine.

In both guises it is powered by a full 7.5kW Fanuc driven spindle having a 12 inch chuck capacity and 400mm swing by 1250mm between centres and, as a demonstration of its rigidity, it weighs in at well over two tonnes.

With the 165mm 'gap' piece removed the swing is extended to a massive 585 mm which is ideal for large faceplate based turning operations.

There are three programmable speed ranges of 15 to 300, 35 to 860 and 120 to 2,700 revs/min with feed rates available between 0.3 and 0.6mm/rev.

Rapid traverse rates are 10m/min.

The Fanuc OiTB control has an 8.4 inch LCD flat colour screen with a 10 GByte hard disk and electronic handwheels for manual operation.

Programming can be via DNC, ISO code and contour assist or through combinations of advanced canned cycles such as stock removal, threading and grooving.

These are easily integrated with manual operation.

Automatic cycling direct from memory gives a full CNC capability from within the fully enclosed twin slide-aside guard doors.

A full range of options include a range of chucks, faceplates and steadies to provide added versatility to the type of operations to be performed.