Romi’s D series gets makeover

You may have seen machine tools with the same names before. But you’ve never seen anything like the new generation D series vertical machining centers from Romi Machine Tools Ltd. in Erlanger, Kentucky, said Regional Sales Manager Steve Reeves.

He said although the latest D series machines kept the names of their predecessors, “they are brand-new machines from top to bottom.”

In the U.S., Romi Machine Tools sells three D series models: the 6,577 kg (14,500 lbs.) D 800, which offers 787 mm (31″) of x-axis travel; the 6,895 kg (15,200 lbs.) D 1000, which offers 1,016 mm (40″) of x-axis travel; and the 6,985 kg (15,400 lbs.) D 1250, which offers 1,270 mm (50″) of x-axis travel. Maximum travel for all three models is 610 mm (24″) along the y-axis and 635 mm (25″) on the z-axis.

The D series VMCs have been redesigned completely for improved performance. Image courtesy of Romi Machine Tools

In most cases, Reeves said, the fact that the D 800 provides as much y- and z-axis travel as its larger counterparts is an advantage because customers usually want more travel distance along those axes. On the other hand, this also makes the D 800 a larger machine.

“If you need to get a machine into a very tight space,” he said, the D 800 “may not physically fit while some of our competitors’ smaller machines will.”

Like all Romi machine tools, D series machines feature Romi-made cast-iron beds that absorb vibration. In addition, all the machines are equipped with big-bore, 40-taper, direct-drive spindles. The company points out that direct-drive technology offers low maintenance and improved accuracy and repeatability, plus the big-bore 40-taper boosts stiffness and allows increased depth of cut during machining.

Compared with the previous D series versions, the new machines show cutting depth increases of up to 133% before vibration occurs, according to testing by Romi. In machining operations, Reeves said, the result is fewer passes and shorter cycle times.