Lathe Remains Stable Turning Long Workpieces at High Speed

DMG MORI’s NLX 3000 | 3000 lathe provides a distance between centers of 3,000 mm, accommodating long workpieces such as shafts and hydraulic cylinders. A high-rigidity bed and other design features enable high-speed, high-precision machining with a maximum turning diameter of 430 mm and a maximum turning length of 3,123 mm, the company says. The model uses slideways on all axes, damping vibration and promoting dynamic rigidity. The large slideway width enables stable cutting in milling as well as turning. The high-rigidity structure controls chattering that could occur during heavy-duty cutting of difficult materials, promoting good surface quality.

The Built-in Motor Turret (BMT), which achieves a maximum speed of 10,000 rpm, is said to minimize heat generation and vibration, increasing cutting performance and accuracy as well as production capacity, especially during high-speed machining. The increase in speed from the previous model’s 6,000 rpm enables this machine to maximize performance in aluminum cutting and small-diameter drilling, the company says.

The wide door opening ensures better accessibility for easy loading/unloading of long workpieces by a crane. The chuck cover with a pocket for tool overhang prevents interference. With additional LED lights inside the machine, the lathe also achieves good visibility. The quick-change steady rest is available as an option to reduce setup times for long workpieces.