DA300 5-Axis Vertical Machining Center

Makino announces its latest full 5-axis machine solution, the DA300 vertical machining center, reportedly providing the ideal blend of speed, precision and flexibility for complex part applications. Inspired by the best design characteristics from both vertical and horizontal machine platforms, the DA300 delivers the highest productive capabilities for multi-axis workpieces in the smallest of machine footprints. These features make the DA300 ideal for single setup, multi-side accessibility, or full-contouring capability to quickly and efficiently tackle a wide variety of complex production part applications commonly found in industrial hydraulic and pneumatics elements, optical, electrical and semiconductor components, medical and dental products, die-cast parts, automotive components and aerospace parts.

“The DA300 integrates numerous features that increase productivity and efficiency by providing significant reductions in non-cut time,” said Bill Howard, VMC product manager at Makino. “The machine provides a 50 percent reduction in spindle acceleration time, 15 percent reduction in positioning time, 40 percent reduction in tool-change chip-to-chip time and includes a standard vision-type broken-tool sensor [Vision B.T.S.] that optically checks tools outside the work zone to ensure tool consistency and part quality while simultaneously reducing non-cut time during tool changes by 80 percent. Individually, each element reduces part cycle time and increases productivity; however, when all of these time savings are combined, the result is a dramatic advantage in reduced part-production times and increased profitability.”

The DA300 worktable is an integral, 340mm by 300mm table, accommodating workpiece sizes up to 450mm in diameter, 400mm tall and weighing 250 kg. The machine provides X-, Y- and Z-axis travels of 450mm, 620mm and 500mm, respectively, at feed rates of up to 60,000mm per minute. The direct-drive, motor-driven A-axis table offers 150 degrees (+30 to -120) of tilt capability at 100 rpm. The rotary C-axis has full 360-degree rotational positioning at 150 rpm. Combined, these rotational axes have the range and speed necessary to achieve the highest productivity in complex five-face or full 5-axis machining application. Equipped with scale feedback on all axes, the DA300 also offers a rare blend of speed and precision.

The DA300 comes standardly equipped with a 20,000-rpm HSK-A63 spindle, delivering the speed and flexibility to tackle high-speed, highly productive machining of various workpiece materials, including aluminum, die-cast, steel and titanium. Acceleration and deceleration to and from full speed can be accomplished in a mere 1.5 seconds, reducing chip-to-chip times. Additionally, the machine’s standard configuration includes a 60-position ring-type tool magazine with capacity for a wide variety of tooling as well as a Vision B.T.S. to verify the integrity of the tooling prior to use.

With a perfect blend of the proven stability of the FANUC hardware and Microsoft Windows Embedded Standard 7 OS, the Professional 6 (Pro6) control helps move operators fluidly through machine setup, empower them with easily accessible information and protect them with enhanced safety. Cycle-time saving and dynamic-control capabilities have been added to the control’s GI functions to help lower costs per part.

Included is GI Drilling, a unique G-code drilling cycle that enables the spindle and tool to arc from hole to hole instead of following a square path. This simple change reduces non-cut time by as much as 15 percent on common hole-pattern drilling.

 On complex 2-D paths, testing has reduced cut time up to 35 percent. While not every tool can make use of these functions, advanced motion control GI is proven to reduce overall cycle time by 3 to 8 percent in typical production components. This reduction saves substantial cost in both high-volume and low-volume production environments by reducing the number of spindles required and freeing up machine availability to take on more work.

Other intelligent machine functions include Inertia Active Control (IAC) designed to further speed up machine motions based upon system dynamic attributes and Collision Safe Guard (CSG), a real-time crash-avoidance feature that has a look-ahead function and takes real machining conditions into consideration to prevent collisions.

Designed to eliminate interferences in accessing the pallet, the DA300 can be configured using several approaches, including direct part handling as a stand-alone machine, manual handling using a table chuck and pallet, one of the workpiece pallet systems (WPS) or third-party automation using an EROWA chuck and pallet system. The DA300 can be field modified to add multiple pallet magazines, starting with a seven-pallet workpiece pallet system (WPS-7), and up to a 19-pallet workpiece pallet system (WPS-19). These configurations deliver high productive capabilities using minimal floor space.