F5 Pro6 Vertical Machining Center

Makino announces the F5 Pro6 vertical machining center designed to provide stiffness and rigidity for chatter-free cutting, agility for high-speed/hard-milling and accuracies for tight tolerance blends and matches typical of complex, 3D contoured geometry associated with die/mold and medical production.

The design begins with a unique axis configuration - featuring no overhangs - and incorporates large castings that provide a robust cutting platform. It then integrates 8 mm fine pitch ballscrews and 0.05 micron scale feedback - as standard equipment providing superior precision. Temperature controlled, core-cooled ballscrews and support bearings insure long-term thermal stability. Even the servo systems are tuned for peak performance. Together these features reduce variability for hours of continuous, tight tolerance machining.

The F5 features X-, Y- and Z-axis travels of 35.4”, 19.7”, 17.7” respectively, a 39.4” x 19.7” table and a maximum workpiece size of 39.4” long x 19.7” wide x 17.7” tall. With a table load capacity of 2,204 pounds and a 30-tool magazine provides capacity for a wide array of tooling. An optional 60-tool magazine is available to provide a larger tooling compliment – reducing tool set-up and change-over times.

Included in the standard configuration of the F5 machine is a highly productive 20,000 rpm, HSK-63A spindle which incorporates Makino’s patented core-cooling, under-race and jacket spindle temperature control system. The two-range spindle supplies unique, wide range capability with the stiffness and rigidity at lower ranges for roughing operations - and vibration, chatter-free production of small details and fine features utilizing small tools at high rpm.

The F5 utilizes the Makino Professional 6 Control providing a fine blend of the proven stability of FANUC hardware and Microsoft Windows Embedded Operating System, the cutting-edge Pro6 providing streamlined operation, on-screen operator assistance and expanded functionality. The graphical user interface (GUI), touch-screen is designed to move operators logically through machine set up, empower them with easily accessible information – accelerating productivity for machine shops and tool, die and mold makers with streamlined screen layouts, operator guidance and latest machine functions. The Professional 6 control gets you from parts to profits faster with enhanced functionality by making the point where the operator meets the machine, a seamless transition. Cycle-time savings and dynamic-control capabilities have been added to the new control’s Geometric Intelligence functions to help lower costs per part.

Also featured on the F5 is the next generation of Makino’s proprietary Super Geometric Intelligence (SGI.5) software – developed specifically for high-feedrate, tight tolerance machining of complex, 3-D, contoured shapes involving continuous tiny blocks of NC data insures production rates faster than standard CNC systems while maintaining high accuracy. SGI.5 helps provide the lowest cycle times and costs achievable by reducing machining cycle times on dies, complex cavities and cores and medical parts by as much as 40% when compared to most other control technologies.