Vertical multi-function turning centres self-load shafts and forgings, complete-machine them - including bores and surface finish - and unload them.

The VTC Vertical Turning Center stands shaft machining on its head. Its 4-axis version VTC 250 machines workpieces of up to 180mm diameter and 630mm length (1000mm optional). The larger version VTC 315 machines axle-type components of up to 315mm diameter and 700mm length.

In its DUO version the VTC offers two stations for end machining and turning work.

Common to all the machines is their ability to self-load the shafts and forgings, complete-machine them - including bores and surface finish - and unload them.

The VTC Shaft Turning Center was developed under the same governing principles that led to the success of the turning machines for chucked components.

The cornerstone of the VTC, like that of all other turning and production centers from EMAG, is the sturdy machine base in Mineralit polymer granite.

Its vibration damping properties lead to a better surface finish and a longer tool life than those of conventional materials.

Spindle motor, work spindle, turrets and electrical cabinet are all fluid-cooled.

Its superior power rating, the high spindle speeds and the sturdy turrets that accommodate tools with 40 mm shank, make the VTC 250 a highly efficient turning center for 4-axis machining.

Tailstock and steadies are CNC-controlled.

In addition to the workpiece grippers, the remaining 11 positions of each of the two turrets can be equipped with stationary turning tools or with live tools for drilling and milling.

The VTC 250 turns workpieces of up to 180mm diameter and 630mm length (1000mm optional) and features VDI-40 workholding equipment.

The highest torque rate is 380 Nm, the maximum workpiece weight 20kg.

The machine is designed, primarily, for the manufacture of gear shafts for passenger cars.

The larger VTC 315 machines axle-type components of up to 60kg in weight, 315mm in diameter and 700mm in length and employs VDI 50 workholding equipment.

Its highest torque rate is 800Nm.

The machine is used, primarily, for the machining of HGV gear shafts.

Both centers work with four NC axes.

The VTC is available as a single-spindle machine and in a DUO version.

The latter combines the functions of two 4-axis turning machines and accommodates end working and turning operations in two machining stations.

The processes are integrated into one and the same sequence.

The two turrets carry out the cycle time-concurrent loading and unloading of raw-parts and finish machined components in the simplest way imaginable: 1) The gripper in turret no.

1 picks up the next workpiece from the raw-part storage section.

2) Conveys it to the clamping position, whilst - cycle timeconcurrent - the gripper in turret 2 picks up the finish-machined workpiece from the clamping position.

3) Removes it from the machining area and deposits it on the storage conveyor for finished components.

It has taken many enterprises only a very short time to opt for this new generation of machines, to machine short, medium size and long shaft-type components, using steadies for support.

The VTC machines are also increasingly converted to multifunctional production centers by including, for instance, end machining operations, such as sizing and centring, as a preparation for subsequent 4-axis turning, or as downstream machining operations - each of these steps as a fully automatic sequence on a single machine, of course.

The VTC design offers the following additional advantages: * 4-axis machining reduces cycle times - the cycle time-concurrent loading and unloading of the workpieces.

* Reduces idle times - the compact construction makes for a smaller footprint.

* A reduction in the cost of automation and peripherals (raw-part and finished component storage systems form an integral part of the machine).

* Less manual intervention (tailstock and steadies are CNC-controlled, whilst the operator has easy access to the turrets).

* Shorter setting-up and resetting times - direct-drive machine axes and modern control technology reduce the capital outlay for sensory equipment.

Latest multi-function machine for turning components, in the same set-up, performs prismatic machining operations using an 11kW milling spindle mounted on a swivelling B-axis.

Okuma has launched a new, multi-function machine for turning components with up to 15kW (optionally 22kW) of main spindle power and, in the same set-up, performing prismatic machining operations using an 11kW milling spindle mounted on a swivelling B-axis. Called Multus B300, the slant-bed machine is capable of high accuracy in a normal shop floor environment, as tests have shown thermal deviation to be less than 10 microns over a 24h period despite a variation in ambient temperature of 8 deg C. This performance is a result of the application of Okuma's patented Thermo Friendly Concept to both the machine structure and the spindle, together with the use of 0.1 micron resolution linear scales in the orthogonal axes.

Available in the UK through sole agent, NCMT, the machine has the added benefit of the manufacturer's new OSP-P200 control, which uses an industrially-hardened PC to run both the Okuma operating system and Windows XP.

It is therefore possible to display Excel files listing machining instructions, tooling, offsets and performance results.

Two USB 2.0 ports are provided for program download, data capture and even the attachment of a bar code reader.

A new feature of the control is the most comprehensive collision prediction and avoidance system currently available.

The entire machining area is monitored in real time during an automatic machining cycle or, unusually, in manual mode as well, preventing the axes being wound by hand into a collision situation.

Whereas the focus of competitive simulation and interference-checking software is on the tool, holder, spindle and fixture, in addition to the component, Okuma takes a wider view, mapping also the spindle head, slideways and guarding.

The result is a reduction of up to 40% in the time needed to write programs involving the simultaneous interpolation of multiple axes.

Deriving from Okuma's MacTurn range of B-axis lathes, which include a conventional live tool carrier, the competitively-priced, single-turret Multus is nominally an 8in (or 10in) chuck machine that turns components up to 630mm diameter by 900mm long.

Weighing around 10 tonnes, it is capable of high precision machining - typically under 3 microns total tolerance on roundness of a component.

Nevertheless, it can remove S45C steel quickly - for example taking a 5mm depth of cut at 0.5mm/rev feed rate during OD turning, or milling 360cm3/min when roughing.

Such big, complex machines can often be cumbersome to use, but not so with the Multus.

Its spindle centreline is a little over a metre from the floor and 500mm in from the guarding, there is a lightweight door for ease of use, a swivelling operator's panel for the OSP control, and a coolant tank that detaches from the front, rather than having to slide it out lengthways.

Access to the magazine for exchange of HSK A-63 (or Capto C6) tools is similarly quick and easy, standard capacity being 20 stations, with 40 or 60 oprtional.

Roller bearing linear guideways allow weight-bearing capacity and precision to be combined with 40 m/min rapid traverse in X and Z, 26 m/min in the +/- 80 mm Y-axis and 20m/min for the W-axis motion of the optional, opposed spindle.

The latter is of equivalent capacity to the main spindle, offering up to 5,000 rev/min in two speed ranges.

The milling spindle, which swivels through 225 degrees in 0.001 degree increments, is powered by Okuma's patented Prex reluctance motor which drives both head rotation and the live tool at up to 10,000 rev/min.

Performing machining trials over 30 components from 42mm diameter brass bar, the latest turning centre maintained a size tolerance within 3.5 microns, qualifying the quality of the spindle design.

Performing machining trials over 30 components from 42mm diameter brass bar, the latest Hyundai Super Kia SKT 15 turning centre maintained a size tolerance within 3.5 microns. In further machining trials over a series of 30 mm diameter aluminium parts, a roundness of 0.5 microns was achieved, qualifying the quality of the spindle design, and machine build with the repeatability available from the closed-loop measuring system employed. The new Super Kia machines designated under the 15/21 Series is now available from C Dugard of Hove in Sussex, UK, and can be specified in two-axis bar and chucking formats, with options to upgrade the specification to include subspindle and driven tooling.

Bar capacities are 44mm for the SKT 15 and 66mm diameter for the larger SKT 21.

On the larger machine, swing over cross slide is 350mm and maximum turning length is 410mm.

Hyundai-Kia is, by some significant margin, the largest builder of machine tools in Korea and has developed the SKT to provide higher accuracy and short cycling over a wide range of components.

Constructed on an exceptionally rigid single cast iron bed, it carries a three piece coupling designed turret with hydraulic clamping and a thermally symmetrical headstock with direct drive spindle.

Both the spindle with 11kW or 15kW motor giving 6,000 or 4,000 rev/min respectively and axis drives to the 12 station turret, have been specified for fast acceleration to minimise non-cutting times with the spindle able to accelerate to 6,000 rev/min in 2.2s and the rapid traverse from zero to 36m/min in 0.1s.

Both the SKT 15 and SKT 21 have a wide range of options such as driven tools for every turret station and a C-axis.

Tools are powered by a 3.7kW, 4,000 rev/min motor giving a drilling and end milling capacity of 20mm and M 16 for tapping.

When the subspindle is specified for 'one-hit' production cycles the chuck size is 135mm and is powered by a 3.7kW, 6,000 rev/min motor.

Indexing at 5 increments can also be added to cater for more complex work.

Rapid traverse of the subspindle is 30m/min for quick automatic part transfer from the main spindle.

A parts-catcher is optional to service both the main spindle or subspindle.

A one-touch tailstock is available having a 9s positioning time at 3 m/min rapid traverse rate.

Clamping and unclamping is automatic and the retraction rate is doubled to 6m/min to reduce lost cycle time.

Quick-change chuck jaws that can be exchanged within one minute are optional and a Q-Setter is standard to enable tool offsets to be automatically captured.

Turning centres machines are now becoming a machining centre as well as a lathe and more users are purchasing this type of machine to make complex parts in one set-up.

Steeped in a tradition of high specification machine tool sales and distribution, Macro CNC of Brierley Hill in the West Midlands, UK, has sold the renowned Japanese Miyano turning centres for over 25 years. In this time, the manufacturing industry has changed drastically and it has required machine tool development to do likewise. Macro CNC has also changed.

* Changes at Macro CNC - to meet the evolving market needs, Macro CNC has also undergone change.

Acquired by Miyano in 2001, the now Macro CNC general manager John Stretton commented: 'One of the aims for 2006 was to enforce the Miyano name upon the UK marketplace and this will continue into 2007.

However, not only has the company changed but so has the marketplace.' The fast pace of change has also noted Miyano forming an equity and business alliance with Citizen Machinery Co, a division of Citizen Watch Co in recent weeks.

This alliance sees Citizen acquiring a 29.9% stake in Miyano Machinery.

However, concentrating on the product range Stretton continued: 'More customers are making extremely intricate components.

However, customers also want more flexibility to coincide with their complexity.

The goal is all about making complex parts, which is changing the development of the turning centre.

Our machines are now becoming a machining centre as well as a lathe.

More customers are now purchasing the Miyano ABX range of machines.

This is because companies want to make complex parts in one set-up.' * Evolving market needs - with the market demands requiring the ability to produce a wide variety of complex parts with the minimum of changeover times, the Miyano ABX range is increasingly in demand.

'The goal of our customers is to leave these machines set-up.

Manufacturers now want to leave all tools set, so the machine setter is only changing the bar size, putting in the program and hitting the start button.

This philosophy drastically reduces set-up and machine downtimes, increases productivity and allows the part to be produced in one operation.

The customer now wants to make lower batch sizes and then change over to another part very quickly,' continued Stretton.

Customers are looking for flexibility as well as savings on the cycle times and meeting all these demands has seen the machines evolve.

Unmanned running is increasingly in demand and to meet this, tool monitoring is now standard, drill and part off breakages are also monitored to allow the machines to run unmanned.

The company recently supplied a machine with 22 driven tools that spends 50% of its time conducting prismatic machining operations.

'For us as a company, this has changed the business drastically in the course of 2006; the size of the projects has undoubtedly increased.

This change of project size has increased our applications work.

The ABX range of machines from 51mm to 64mm diameter is allowing us to do this - we can now mount 72 tools with 36 of them being driven.' Stretton continued: 'With this complexity we now spend more time with customers, so our support and applications philosophies have changed, we now work more closely with tooling and chuck suppliers and are often working with their OEM specialists.' However, a large slice of the company's success stems from the exceptionally popular Miyano BNJ series of machines.

The BNJ is still the biggest seller with almost 40% of all Miyano UK sales.

'It is a very good value machine that will fit with customers making difficult components below 42mm diameter, yet wanting more power than what is available with a sliding head machines.' Our new 8-axis two turret BNE series of machine and the BND-51SY have both undergone recent developments to meet the evolving needs of the end user.

'As a market leader and an innovator Miyano will be further developing current models as well as launching new products throughout 2007.

Our customers are very pleased with the current range of Miyano options available and with further product launches expected, we are optimistic about our potential for 2007,' concluded Stretton.

CNC turning centres with a swing over bed of up to 720mm and turning length of 1000mm between centres have a drive power up to 46kW and a speed range up to 4,000 rev/min.

Leader CNC of Nuneaton, UK, is proud to announce that it has been selected as the UK Distributor for German manufacturer Monforts, whose range of high specification CNC lathes complements the DMC turning centres and Toshiba and Kitamura machining centres already distributed by Leader CNC. Leader CNC sales director Mike Serzeniewski commented: 'This new agency now puts Leader CNC in an ideal position to offer the marketplace a complete range of machining and turning centres'. 'As expected of a German manufacturer, the Monforts range has an exemplary build quality with productivity and capabilities to compete with just about any turning centre on the market'.

'This range will be supported by our exceptional sales and service ability that has been proven with Leader CNC serving as Main European Dealer for Toshiba Machine and our award for 'Commitment, Innovation and Excellence' from Kitamura Machinery.' * The Monforts range - with over 100 years experience in design, manufacture and assembly of high quality machine tools, the Monforts range will no doubt achieve considerable success of in the UK.

Now available from Leader CNC is the Monforts RNC, DNC, MNC and the KNC range of turning centres.

The RNC line is the main product line available from Leader CNC and it has the SingleTurn, DuoTurn and MultiTurn options.

The RNC 400, RNC 500, RNC 600 and RNC 700 are available with 420, 600, 640 and 720mm swing over bed diameters respectively and a turning length of 600mm (RMC 400) and 1000mm.

Available with Siemens or Fanuc controls the RNC range has a drive power up to 46kW and a speed range up to 4,000rpm dependant upon the option selected.

All MultiTurn machines come with 12 driven tools and a drive power of 12.6kW and 13.6kW dependent upon control selection.

The RNC 400 and RNC 500 DuoTurn series are available with an A6 spindle nose, 64mm spindle bore 52mm bar capacity in the draw tube and a maximum drive power of 22/25kW.

For complete machining of intricate components the DNC 500 DuoTurn twin spindle turning centre will be available with a Z1/Z2 and X1/X2 traverse of 600/600mm and 260/260mm respectively plus an 85mm bar capacity on both spindles.

With two turrets and two spindles this machine is a successful integration of two high performance machines in a single machine concept that enables turning, drilling and milling for complete machining of complex parts.

For machining of larger components up to 90 and 85mm (125mm option available), the MNC 500 and MNC 1000 range of SingleTurn and MultiTurn turning centres are heavy duty machine tools with 12-fold turrets and driven tools delivers a true sense of complete machining.

The driven tools permit the machining of eccentric bores, threads and milled faces.

The MNC can be developed to suit the exacting requirements of the end user with a tailstock or subspindle, steady rest or lower slide, Fanuc or Siemens control and a Y-axis as just a few of the options on offer.

For machining even larger parts up to 1500mm length, the UniCen turning centre from Monforts is available in two variations - the UniCen 500 and UniCen 1000.

The UniCen is a turning and milling centre with up to five interpolating axes including an integrated B-axis permits the machining of free form faces.

This high productivity machine incorporates an NC controlled chain magazine that has 34 tool positions with the option of 60 or 90 tools, which are available in HSK63 or Capto C6 fittings.

As a measure of quality, all Monforts CNC machines incorporate a maintenance and wear free longitudinal guiding system.

This hydrostatic main guide is free of any frictional contact independent of the rate of traverse.

This hydrostatic slideway comes complete with a 10 year guarantee.

Beside the high specification CNC range of turning centres Leader CNC will also be providing the Monforts KNC 500S, KNC 600, KNC 800 and 800S and the KNC 1000 range of conventional turning centres.

With 580, 630, 830 and 1100 swing diameter over bed, this series of turning centre utilises the MTC K series control system with a control philosophy that is suited to the practical experience of the operator.