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Tongtai’s brand new iVU-5 from Absolute Machine Tools Inc. is a rotary-type ultrasonic assisted machining center that operates as a dual function vertical machining center combined with rotary ultrasonic assisted machining of advanced materials.
Typical applications for this system include microhole drilling and machining of glass, sapphire, silicon carbide, quartz, ceramic, hardened steel, high nickel alloys and nonferrous materials. Any material that is softer than the cutting tool can be ultrasonic-assisted. Rotary ultrasonic machining combines high-speed spindle rotation with high frequency vertical vibration of the cutting tool. The diamond tool impacts the material with high contact speed, reducing cutting force and producing ultrafine finishes while improving cutting efficiency three to five times faster than conventional machining.
The Tongtai iVU offers X, Y, Z-axes travels of 500mm (20”) x 400mm (15.7”) x 350mm (13.8”). It features a Meehanite cast iron frame and roller type linear slideways for rigidity and fast, precise movement. The 25mm (1”) diameter ballscrews are class 3 with a double nut pre-loaded design allowing a standard rapid traverse rate of 1,890 inches per minute in the all axes with acceleration of 1.2G. The iVU-5 is equipped with a 30-tool arm type automatic tool changing (ATC) system. The fast, high-speed arm type ATC changes tools in only 0.8 seconds and 1.3 seconds chip-to-chip time. The 3-hp, 20,000-rpm, direct-drive spindle comes standard in dual contact Big Plus 30 taper (BBT-30). A spindle chiller is standard.
For ultrasonic operation, the Tongtai iVU-5 comes standard with automatic frequency search and lock via M-codes. The auto tuning range is from 15-45 kHz. Amplitude range is 1 to 10 microns. The machine has a range of standard features for successful ultrasonic machining and long machine life.
The 3-axis machine is equipped with Siemens 828D control with 10.4” TFT with ShopMill and Advanced Surface. The 5-axis version is equipped with Siemens 840D control with 17” IPC, the Sinumerik MDynamics Technology package for 5-axis milling, and ShopMill.
Related Glossary Terms
- alloys
alloys
Substances having metallic properties and being composed of two or more chemical elements of which at least one is a metal.
- cutting force
cutting force
Engagement of a tool’s cutting edge with a workpiece generates a cutting force. Such a cutting force combines tangential, feed and radial forces, which can be measured by a dynamometer. Of the three cutting force components, tangential force is the greatest. Tangential force generates torque and accounts for more than 95 percent of the machining power. See dynamometer.
- gang cutting ( milling)
gang cutting ( milling)
Machining with several cutters mounted on a single arbor, generally for simultaneous cutting.
- inches per minute ( ipm)
inches per minute ( ipm)
Value that refers to how far the workpiece or cutter advances linearly in 1 minute, defined as: ipm = ipt 5 number of effective teeth 5 rpm. Also known as the table feed or machine feed.
- machining center
machining center
CNC machine tool capable of drilling, reaming, tapping, milling and boring. Normally comes with an automatic toolchanger. See automatic toolchanger.
- milling
milling
Machining operation in which metal or other material is removed by applying power to a rotating cutter. In vertical milling, the cutting tool is mounted vertically on the spindle. In horizontal milling, the cutting tool is mounted horizontally, either directly on the spindle or on an arbor. Horizontal milling is further broken down into conventional milling, where the cutter rotates opposite the direction of feed, or “up” into the workpiece; and climb milling, where the cutter rotates in the direction of feed, or “down” into the workpiece. Milling operations include plane or surface milling, endmilling, facemilling, angle milling, form milling and profiling.
- rapid traverse
rapid traverse
Movement on a CNC mill or lathe that is from point to point at full speed but, usually, without linear interpolation.
- ultrasonic machining
ultrasonic machining
Material-removal operation in which an abrasive slurry flows between a tool, vibrating at a high frequency, and a workpiece.
