Major Tool & Machine Adds Large-Part Production Capacity

MAG IAS reports that Major Tool & Machine, a contract producer of large parts for the aerospace, energy, nuclear and other industries, has placed a multi-million dollar order for large part machining systems. The order consists of a new VTC 2500, a new U5 XL 2500 universal portal mill with turning capabilities, and a rebuild of a DSI turn-mill gantry machine. 

 

In addition to milling, the U5 will provide large-part turning with an integrated 4-meter (13 ft) rotary table. Major Tool's existing DSI machine will be retrofitted with a new cross saddle and ram from the MAG U6 line, along with five interchangeable cutting heads and Siemens 840D sl CNC. Scheduled for completion in 2015, the machines will be delivered to, and retrofit work done at, MTM’s 500,000-square-foott climate-controlled campus in Indianapolis, which serves the nuclear, aerospace, energy and general industrial markets.

 

Steve Weyreter, chairman and CEO, says the new U5 machine will initially replace production capacity during the rebuild of Major Tool's massive DSI gantry mill/turn machine. The rail-type U5 XL 2500 will introduce the newest and largest model of the U5 portal mill series, continuing the expansion of the Cincinnati U5 line that was launched more than a decade ago. Major Tool's U5 XL 2500 will be equipped with a 2.5-m (8.2 ft) Z-axis ram and multiple automatically changed cutting heads for five-axis and complex-geometry machining of large, tall parts. Configured with 22 m (72 ft) of X-axis rail, the machine's X range can be lengthened in 3.6 m (12 ft) increments. Y-axis range is 5,000 mm (196.85 inches). Machining heads purchased by Major Tool include a turning head with Sandvik Coromant® Capto C8 tool interface, and 5-axis gimbal, vertical and horizontal heads with CAT 50 Big Plus tool interface. Dual-range 52-kW (70 hp) spindles enable aggressive cutting in difficult materials. MAG will configure the machine for integration of a 4-m (13 ft) rotary table to be purchased by Major Tool, and then install the table and drive. Upon acceptance of the U5 machine, MAG technicians will begin rebuild/retrofit of the DSI in Major Tool's plant.

 

As part of the rebuild/retrofit of the DSI (Dörries Scharmann) mill/turn gantry machine, MAG will adapt a new cross saddle – including a U6 2.5-meter ram with integrated C axis – to the machine's existing cross rail. The saddle and ram modules will be unit-assembled at MAG's Hebron, KY, plant, complete with utilities, plumbing and wiring, prior to shipment and installation. The ram has a robust cross section of 697 mm (27.4 in) by 769 mm (30.3 in) to withstand high cutting forces during heavy metal removal. "These new modules need to interface precisely with the existing way/bearing systems and drives on the DSI machine, so it's a significant engineering and installation challenge," said Randal Von Moll, MAG Director of Technical Sales. Five interchangeable U6 cutting heads for the machine include vertical milling (97 kW/130 hp), vertical offset (37 kW/50 hp), right-angle milling (97 kW/130 hp), 5-axis gimbal (52 kW/70 hp) and turning.

 

The retrofit also includes a five-position head changing stand, new distance-coded X-Y-W scales, a new 60-pocket tool changer and Renishaw spindle probe and laser toolsetter. Distance-coded scales minimize the axis travel (and time) needed to re-home, aiding in shortened cycle times, according to Von Moll. The machine's 6-m (19.7 ft) rotary table will be equipped with a new electric motor/drive as part of the Siemens CNC retrofit, then tuned to make it position more quickly and accurately. As a final step, MAG service engineers will check and correct the machine's geometric alignments, calibrate the axes, and conduct circle/diamond/square and horsepower test cuts.