Types of Horizontal Machining Center
The term “horizontal machining center” can be used to describe a wide variety of CNC (Computer Numerical Control) milling and drilling machineries that include several critical accessories designed and assembled together with the machine frame itself, such as tool magazine (there are different kind of magazine designs), ATC (automatic tool changer), power tool turret (hydraulic, powered), CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine), multi-axis working tables (with different guide movement designs), just to name a few here.
Regarding the machine tool inventory, besides the model of vertical and horizontal, there are still other categories in the machining center inventory. Vertical machining center is the arrangement of its structure that aligns vertically, and the work pieces are thus machined by cutting tools that go down and go up vertically. Meanwhile, on the contrary to the vertical machining centers, horizontal machining centers have the spindle arranged horizontally and the machining procedure is processed horizontally.
For both vertical and horizontal models, either one could be equipped with 5 axes. Regarding the 5 axis machining centers, there are mainly three types of construction methods that constitute the five axes movement. With the swing head alone that can achieve all the processing angles, the swing head model of machines is considered convenient as well as other 4+1 and 3+2 machining centers, while the latter two are with more practical advantages such as great flexibility and practical prices. Normally the 3+2 model is a conventional CNC three axis machining center to be installed with another working table whose mechanism contains other two axes. Therefore, with the two axes designed on the rotary table (i.e. working table), the x, y, and z axis can move onto two new working dimensions that permit multiple angles of possible cutting processes. The same with the 4+1 structure and all these mechanisms are all under the control of computer numerical control unit that makes synchronized actions perfectly matched with the targeted accuracy. In onsite situation, if the size of work piece is too big, the machining would cause too much vibration to the machine body and thus deteriorate the precision frame of the machining centers, therefore, manufacturers might add some other structural designs onto the body in order to make it with better rigidity. Among the many designs, double column is one of the very practical solutions to solve the machining vibration issues while improve the accuracy at the same time. The double column machining centers are normally categorized into two types: either fixed column or moving column. The former is the design that both columns stay where they are without the possibility of moving, and the latter allows for another axis to be born, thus greatly improves the convenience of machining.
The machine tool sector
Since machine tools are the most fundamental capital goods for manufacturers and play the critical role that determines the final output of the end products, the quality of the machine tool becomes the key point of the quality of the manufacturers’ final end products. The inventory of machine tools varies from time to time. Now after the invention of the machining centers and the programmed controlling system (CNC, computer numerical control), the standards of machining become more and more rigid compared with the standards before. Besides the CNC machining centers, there are also CNC turning centers, CNC milling machines, CNC tapping and milling centers, CNC drilling and milling centers, just to name a few.
Versatility is the key and the point
Those machines mentioned above, though not as versatile as machining centers, are also very strong in machining all kinds of work pieces with complicated methodologies and are usually used for specific tasks for customized projects. Therefore, the precision issue is now even stricter than ever before. Consumers from the market demand for better quality, faster speed, and shorter waiting period, so the trend becomes harsh to manufacturers. Currently, many machine tool manufacturers even integrate CMM devices into their machine tools, applying a wider field of precision standards to the machine tool sector. Machining centers, either vertical or horizontal, are powerful in all kinds of heavy cuttings especially if the machining centers are designed with double column structure. Therefore, as the era of Industry 4.0 comes in the 21st century, all kinds of machine tools are evolving towards more versatile and more machining center like in the market.
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Horizontal Machining Center, and find out which one may best suit for your industrial application, leave a message to MTS, or send your inquiry through manufacturers listed above.
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