Multi-tasking machines are enabling new business plans for gear manufacturers. What are the indirect benefits of these technologies?
Multi-tasking machines have both milling and turning capability, a sort of lathe and milling machine combined into one. More recent developments in multi-tasking machines and programming software, combined with newly developed machining processes, have created greater opportunities for gear machining and ushered in 21st century advances.
While multi-tasking equipment demonstrates a greater capacity for flexibility, there are debates about the best method to manufacture a gear wheel on these machines when it comes to cost and productivity. When comparing two machining processes, it is common practice to compare total time of processing and cost calculations per hourly costs of owning the machine. Multi-tasking machines allow operators the additional benefit of selecting a process that will optimize the whole gear-making operation and increase productivity. Such is the case with DMG/Mori Seiki NT models, which offer a flexible B-axis combined with 5-axis machining to reduce machining time when manufacturing complex parts.
MMI offers a range of used multi-tasking machinery at greater reduced cost over new equipment, including the Nakamura-Tome Super NTMX, the Mazak Multiplex 6200Y and Mazak Multiplex 6200, Okuma Multus B-300W, a variety of Mazak Integrex models, as well as an ongoing selection of quality used Mori Seiki machines. There is a larg selection of CNC Machines available at our auction site, MMI-DIRECT.COM
Learn more in this article from GEARSolutions, The Best of Both Worlds in Gear Manufacturing: High Flexibility with High Productivity, authored by two professionals at tooling company Sandvik Coromant. Sandvik Coromant has collaborated with Mori Seiki on this new approach to gear machining through an innovative method of milling in multi-tasking machinery, referred to as InvoMilling.
