Gantry Type Machining Centers Guide
The gantry type machining center is not only used for the double column design of the machining center frame, but also a highly developed machine. It can handle many heavy duty precision machining tasks at once. At first, in the middle of the last century, the gantry structure was developed from a milling machine. Since then, the development of this special type of machine has made good progress in the industry, especially in the aerospace field. Today, the CNC gantry type machining center is widely used in various industries and has made great contributions to the development of the world's industry.The Milling Process
Regarding the milling process of the gantry type machining center, it is a process of using a spinning tool to remove the workpiece material by advancing the tool into one or more workpieces. This processing method can be done in different directions on CNC gantry type machining centers. In addition to turning, milling of gantry machining center covers a variety of operations, ranging from a single tiny part to heavy and large milling tasks. Similar to turning, milling is one of the most commonly used machining methods, and can achieve precise tolerances within the exact requirements.
In other words, the application and practicality of the gantry type machining centre stimulated the development of milling methods, and later became very popular in the industry that requires strict machining accuracy. Traditional lathes are relatively difficult to achieve the production and effective performance of workpieces with complex profiles. With this expectation, the following development and machine center concepts were gradually formed. The term "machining center" can be used to describe various CNC (computer numerical control) drilling and milling machinery, such as a CNC gantry type machining center. CNC gantry type machining centers are usually equipped with some key but sometimes optional accessories, which are equipped with the body, such as tool magazine, ATC (automatic tool changer), power tool turret, CMM (coordinate measuring machine), multi-axis worktable, etc.
Classifications
Back to the classification issue, the inventory of machining center can be broadly divided into two categories: vertical and horizontal machining centers, and there are still other categories in the machining center inventory. The vertical gantry type machining centre has the vertical alignment of its structure, and the workpiece is processed by a cutting tool that moves vertically. In contrast, the main axis of the horizontal gantry type machining centre is placed horizontally, and the gantry machining is performed lying down. With the vertical design, the weight of the workpiece would help to make itself firmly located on the clamp for a heavy vertical cutting route without much worry on route deviation. In addition, with the help of the power turret, the cycle time of CNC gantry type machining centre is thus shortened in a significant range.
Tool magazine
Among all accessories for CNC gantry type machining centers, in addition to power turrets, tool magazines and automatic tool changers (ATC) are also the best-selling products of Taiwan machine tool accessory suppliers. Taiwan's tool magazine and ATC system can provide the best tool time according to the customer's cycle engineering to help manufacturers meet the order requirements. Compared with global competitors, Taiwanese know how to provide comprehensive services to the best-planned global customers according to local conditions, so products equipped with machine tools or accessories have actually been upgraded to the latest version to meet the order requirements.
Spindles, chucks, and corresponding hydraulic cylinders are also well developed in Taiwan. Along with the CNC lathes’ market, there are a bunch of lathe products and accessories that have been widely distributed in different industrial fields and applications around the world. At the same time, the CNC horizontal lathe is a conventional design, which has been developed and widely used for more than a century. The horizontal feature makes the lathe easy to use and maintain, and is more widely used in many industries due to its convenience and structure. Therefore, for users, there is no better standard answer in the horizontal or vertical direction, but only the application field.
Work Piece Processing
In addition, the workpieces processed by gantry type machining centers are usually not circular, but other complex profiles. The former can be handled with higher productivity by a lathe with a power turret. The RPM of the spindle is a key parameter that determines the performance of the machining center. For the gantry type machining centers, the RPM (revolutions per minute) standard is different, and there is no such universal range. At the same time, manufacturers in Europe, Japan, and Taiwan have a consensus on RPM standards, but regional differences are still very large. When customers are looking for the best gantry type machining center for their production line, the specification problem is a big problem because it will determine the final result.
Gantry and heavy cutting
In the machine tool industry, the invention of gantry devices for milling machines, such as advanced milling centers and 4 or 5 axis machining centers, provides good additional assistance for vibration management and heavy machining. Other gantry types and columns are designed as movable machining axes. Because another movable axis is added, the milling capacity of the corresponding machining center is improved.
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