Double Column Twin-Spindle Machining Centers Guide
In heavy-duty milling processing, experienced engineers and onsite operators often use double column and twin spindle machining center in the industry for complex machining, and it is a highly researched and developed machine tool. That can simultaneously handle multiple machining tasks at once on one single machine. The double column machining center was developed from a milling machine in the middle of the 20th century. Since the appearing of column design used in machine structures, the development of double column machining centers based on milling has progressed well in the metal processing industry. The double column machining center is widely applied in all kinds of industries and contributed a wide range of industrial efforts to the world platform.What is milling?
Milling is one of the functions of a double column twin spindle machining center that uses a spinning tool to remove workpiece material by advancing the tool into the workpiece. By moving the shaft mounted on the machine, this machining method can be realized in different directions. Similar to turning, milling process on double column machining centers can cover a variety of different operations, ranging from single small parts to heavy milling and large milling operations. Milling is one of the most commonly used machining methods to provide precision tolerances. The research and development of milling processing is very popular in industry and academia due to high efficiency and effective features. It can process complex contour workpieces, and the traditional turning method of lathe is difficult to achieve.
What can milling do?
Therefore, with this expectation, the afterward development and innovative ideas of the machine center have gradually formed. The term machining center can be used to describe various computer-based drilling and milling machines, such as double column twin-spindle machining centers. These double column machining centers equipped with some key but often but not always, optional accessories provided with the random bed, such as tool magazines, automatic tool changers, electric tool turrets, coordinate measuring machines, multi-axis worktables, robotic arms, laser-based inspection facilities, etc.
Phase arrangement
In addition to processing based on vertical and horizontal arrangements, there are other categories in the machining center inventory. The vertical double column twin spindle machining center is an arrangement in which the structure is aligned in the vertical direction, and the workpiece is processed by a cutting tool that vertically moves up and down. In contrast, the twin spindle arrangement of the horizontal machining center is placed horizontally, and the machining process is lying flat. With the vertical design, the weight of the workpiece will help it be firmly positioned on the fixture to make a heavier vertical cutting path without worrying about path deviation. In addition, with the help of the power turret, the cycle time can be greatly reduced compared with the traditional working model.
Work piece
Workpiece processing performed by double column machining centers with twin spindles is usually not circular, but other complex profiles, because the former can be processed in a more efficient manner by a lathe with a power turret. Regarding the five-axis machining center, there are three main methods of constructing a five-axis machine tool. Using only a swing head can be achieved most processing angles. This type of machine and four other plus one and three plus two machining centers are considered convenient, and the latter have more practical advantages. On the other hand, the conventional machining center is designed to have at least three axes, namely x, y, and z axes.
Currently, the industrial process is complicated due to the need for fewer processes. The machining center with the fourth and fifth axes is designed to complete all cutting tasks on stop, and the computer-based controlled double column machining center, which is designed with twin spindle. The design of twin spindle is for processing large and thick workpieces. Under normal circumstances, machining will produce large and unbearable vibrations on the frame, resulting in uncontrollable deviations from the target accuracy. Therefore, the design of double column can reduce cutting vibration during machining and increase the rigidity of the tool. Double column plus twin spindle designs can provide the best and optimal machining quality of machining center for various work piece materials.
Spindle type
Many double column twin-spindle machining centers adopt the built in spindles as their driven force. This type of spindles is also called motorized in other areas in the world, but they are in fact the same thing. They are of high speed and high frequency, and these are features that are not likely to happen together with high torque if we are talking about spindle technology. Since most high speed spindles are with high precision feature, they are very suitable to be applied in double column twin-spindle machining centers. A stable and higher RPM is much more significant than torque which is, on the other hand, more important for like heavy duty turning or grinding duties. In the machine tool sector, there are a very wide variety of spindle designs that is structures specifically for different kinds of processing circumstances in the industry.
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