Sep 6,2000 --- Compumachine demonstrates VIBRA-FREE Ultra High Speed "Hard Milling" machining center with fifth-axis at IMTS 2000

Chicago, Illinois, September 6, 2000 --- Compumachine, Inc. exhibited two of its new ultra high-speed "hard-milling" machines in Booth #5130 of McCormick Place during the recent International Manufacturing Technology Show. One of the machines was equipped with a new fifth-axis table for added versatility, and was demonstrated machining deep pockets in a plastics blow mold.

Designed specifically for North American tool, die, and mold makers, the new Vibra-Free Ultra-High-Speed Hard Milling Machining Center (UHSHM), is a bridge-type vertical and is the result of a collaboration with one of Japan's leading designers of ultra high-speed machines, FMC.

The machine is manufactured at Compumachine's subsidiary, CKM, in Sanjo City, Niigata, Japan, where the company currently builds its COMPUMILL HMC-410 horizontal machining center.

The heart of the machine is a custom Swiss-built, high-frequency 12-hp spindle capable of more than 40,000 rpm. The spindle is supported by an extremely rigid and thermally stable cast bridge that virtually eliminates flexing and distortion. The 27.56" x 17.72" table supports up to 800 lbs, and traverses the 23.62" x 16.5" workplane at speeds to 1,180 ipm, accelerating at 1G. Filling out the workcube is a deep-throated 15.75" Z-axis travel.

The cast iron machine bed is FEM analyzed and designed with massive ribbing to absorb vibration, eliminate deflection, and virtually shed any heat. The table rides on premium linear guideways, automatically lubricated with unique K-seal wipers, and driven by over-sized hardened, ground, and polished ballscrews, delivering full-stroke positioning within 0.0001", as well as +/- 0.0001" repeatability.

The SKI-25 tooling is stored in an easily reached 18-tool, random access, bi-directional carrousel-type magazine, contained completely within the full-machine guarding as well as totally shielded from the work.

All axis drives are Fanuc AC units with absolute position encoders to eliminate maintenance-prone limit and proximity switches, while permitting start-up anywhere within a part program. Machine control is via the most advanced Fanuc 16i CNC, incorporating advanced NURBS software and high-speed algorithms, to dramatically increase spindle and tool life, maximized accuracy, and provide outstanding mirror surfaces.

The new Vibra-Free has proven equally adept cutting graphite or tool steel, and in operation, has cut dies and molds in the hardest materials in the same time or less than it would nominally take to machine graphite electrodes.

Compumachine, Inc., is a major Northeast machine tool distributor. Through its plant in Japan, it is also a manufacturer and importer of horizontal machining centers and ultra-high-speed machining centers for hard milling and graphite machining.