Multitasking Gantry Center Performs Five-Sided Milling, Turning, Laser Hardening

Fermat introduces a five-axis, multitasking gantry center with a fixed table and a movable column combining drilling, milling, turning, grinding and laser hardening operations. According to the company, the multitasking center can machine large workpieces on five sides in one setup and performs various manufacturing operations without moving the part or requiring manual intervention. The machine is designed for high rapid traverse rates, boosting productivity and reducing production costs. Improved rigidity, increased ram stability secured by the box-in-box design of the cross rail and reduced footprint are some of the other advantages of this machine, the company says.

The machine is controlled by a Sinumerik 840D sl, supporting numerous controlled axes to accommodate the gantry center’s complexity. Eight motors and two linear scales are employed with the machine’s X axis; the Y axis has two motors and two linear scales. One motor and one scale are used for the rest of the axes. Tool changes are performed by a Kuka robot, with a capacity for 120 tools.