An upgrade of its milling capability and improved setups let a job shop improve productivity on a key job more than 200%. With 24 employees, a job shop serves the packaging, energy, hydraulic industries, and government projects specializing in tight tolerance milling and turning demanded by its many customers.
This is a high quality job shop producing precision machined components in various materials such as aluminum, tool steel, plastics, high alloy steels, stainless steels, brass and bronze, quantities from low to higher volume with emphasis on quality of product made to customer specifications.
“We were looking for a larger machine to do multiple setups,” said Chris, vice president, “so we wanted a mill with a fairly large work area, yet we had to accomplish this within limited floorspace and it had to be a high rpm machine. The Hwacheon Sirius UM vertical machining center fit our floor perfectly. We created a new fixture for the machine that allows us to do four aluminum parts for one of our packaging customers in one setup. Previously, we were taking 7 minutes to do two. Now, with the Hwacheon and the new setup we are doing 4 pieces in 5 minutes.” The job includes milling, drilling tapping and creating slots.
Another job became available that the Hwacheon made possible to quote. “We could not quote the job before as we lacked the spindle rpm required to put a .062” end mill into a pocket running at 17000 rpm,” Chris said. “Now, because of the additional speed the machine provides, we successfully quoted the job and we are getting greater productivity,” he added.
Where does the job shop quality come from? In part, from the Hwacheon machine it operates.
“Hwacheon is a family business,” Chris pointed out. “They design cast their own bases–as well as many for other machine tool companies–make their gearing and couplings, and chucks. The base is to me is a key component of the machine. As a properly designed foundation, it provides us a much better chance at running optimally.”
Heavy, extremely stable, and competitive with the other machines in its class, the Sirius UM, is a high speed, high precision 3-axis vertical designed for mold and die work. The machine has a 850 mm (33.46”) x 500 mm (19.70”) work table with 800 kg (1764 lb) load capacity, strokes of (X, Y, Z) of 750 mm (29.53”) x 500 mm (19.70”) x 450 mm (17.72”), and rapid positioning of 24 m/min. Rigid roller linear guide ways support stable performance at the job shop over long cycles. The 40-taper tools are changed in 2.5 seconds.
The machine design eliminates vibration and heat during machining. A bilateral gate structure distributes the vibration, weight, and heat throughout the entire machine frame. The distance between the spindle and the body is designed short, so the machine stays stable even during long shifts and multiple operations—something we required to support our quality mission.
The 20,000 rpm spindle is integrated within the motor to limit vibration, noise, and power loss at high speed rotation. Cooled oil is injected directly onto the spindle bearing for effective cooling, and the motor and the spindle assembly are jacket-cooled to limit the displacement caused by heat. To achieve greater precision, standard Hwacheon software (HSDC) monitors the spindle for possible thermal displacement and makes necessary adjustment in real time.
In addition, high pressure though the spindle coolant has made a big difference in the job shop’s ability to tap and drill parts faster.
Sirius UM provides powerful feed performance using the Z-axis 6-block LM guide. The servo motor is coupled directly to the drive; and while the tensile preload ball screws provide smooth operation, the roller linear guide allows for rapid feed and rigid performance.
Before final finish passes, the machine can, with Hwacheon HFDC (Hwacheon frame displacement control system) software, dynamically compensate for any changes that may have occurred in machine kinematics due to temperature, vibration or changes in the tool itself.
“Within reason, I always am looking to take advantage of the latest technological developments, such as high feed cutters, variable pitch end mills, Solidworks, and Delcam’s Vortex milling paths,” Chris said. “I find that doing so can keep us ahead of the competition.”
Learn more from Premier as we are your exclusive distributor of all Hwacheon products for the state of Wisconsin and UP of Michigan including the Sirius series of Mills.
Sales – 414-254-5150 / info@pmtmidwest.com
