Published 07/29/2026

Seeing Advances in Large-Scale Multitask Machining

At a recent open house, WFL Millturn Technologies highlighted new forms of automation, tooling and process control for its sizeable turn-mill equipment.

Derek Korn

Editor-in-Chief, Production Machining magazine

You might recognize this huge crankshaft which was on display at WFL’s recent Technology Meeting 2026 in Linz, Austria. That’s because the company commonly displays it at IMTS, too. It likely will be at IMTS this September in its booth number 338666 in the South Building alongside the new M70 Millturn with automated angular head technology, which can boost the processing of complex parts requiring internal machining operations. Source (all photos): Modern Machine Shop

In May, I was invited to be the sole U.S. media representative to attend WFL Millturn Technologies’ Technology Meeting at its Linz, Austria, headquarters on behalf of Modern Machine Shop and sister brand, Production Machining. This wasn’t my first visit there, but a good bit of time had passed.

It was intriguing to see how the company has advanced its large-scale, multitasking machine technology not only in terms of the machines themselves but also in ways such as automation, digital tools, in-process probing and angle-head technology.

I was one of approximately 1,000 guests from Austria and abroad to see 12 of the company’s machines in live operation. Its equipment is used for myriad applications including turbine and generator shafts; automotive and large-scale construction components; plasticizing screws for injection molding machines; aircraft components; components for military applications; oil and gas parts; crankshafts for ships and power generation applications; printing equipment cylinders and more.

Most machines are based on a modular design, meaning they can be customized per a customer’s needs. Possible machining operations include multiaxis turning, milling, drilling, ID machining, boring, skiving, hobbing and grinding.

What follows is a sample of what I saw during my visit.

The 20-ton steel roller for sheet metal manufacturing in front of this five-axis M100 Millturn offers clear perspective of the size of parts a machine like this can accommodate as well as the multitasking capabilities it can perform to machine it complete. Turning, milling, boring, gear cutting, gun drilling as well as ID machining can be performed. This model features a nominal center distance of 12 meters and four steady rests, and the single-piece, 60-degree slant bed made of grey cast iron combined with wide guideways are said to provide high stability and optimum anti-vibration properties.

Automatically changing cutting tool assemblies stored in an automatic toolchanger (ATC) magazine on CNC machining centers is nothing new. However, WFL has developed a new advancement for swapping tools in and out of the angle heads used on its large-scale multitasking machines, those tools being stored in and accessed from the machine’s central ATC. Internal machining has long been one of the most challenging disciplines in metalcutting. Components featuring deep cavities, internal pockets, ribs, radii, threads and seating surfaces often require multiple specialized tools and extensive manual intervention. These challenges become even more demanding when machining lightweight, thin-walled structures, particularly in aluminum.

To address these requirements, WFL has developed an angular head concept that fundamentally differs from conventional systems. While traditional angular heads typically require manual tool changes and are often limited in speed and rigidity, the WFL solution introduces a fully automated approach. Tools are exchanged automatically through the machine’s standard tool magazine, eliminating manual handling and enabling uninterrupted machining processes. (And keep in mind that the angle heads themselves are also automatically changed out and stored in a their own pick-up magazine.) This will be displayed at IMTS on WFL’s M70 Millturn it is introducing to the U.S. market. The company says one key advantage of the M70 is its modularity, meaning the machine can be configured to meet specific customer requirements while maintaining the core principle of complete machining in a single setup.

WFL presented a number of its digital solutions at the event. One example is iControl process monitoring, which protects machines even during unattended production throughout the night. Depending on the machine, as many as 16 configurable process signals are continuously monitored. The design is said to contain more complex and intelligent monitoring options, offering comprehensive safety during production. Multistage monitoring logics are used, which respond if the collision limit or adaptive process limit is exceeded or if there are significant, rapid changes in cutting force.

Other software offerings include CrashGuard Studio for virtual simulation and collision prevention; Millturn Pro for efficient programming and process optimization; ScrewCAM for fast creation of complex threading programs, MyWFL which is a central digital platform for service, documentation and production support; and CrashGuard for real-time collision protection.

WFL is known for its in-process touch-probing capabilities and programming cycles. For turning, milling and boring operations, the sequence “semi finish cut – probe – finish cut” produces high accuracies in size and position even with complex workpieces.

But at the event, the company demonstrated noncontact, in-process measurement of plasticizing screws for injection molding machines on an M70 Millturn configured for complete machining of those complex components. For this, a Hexagon M&H LS-R-4.8 wireless laser scanner was used. Because data is transmitted via radio to the machine control and measuring software, the sensor can be automatically changed in and out of the tool changer. Accurate machine tool measurement typically involves capturing data for a limited number of points on a part using a touch probe. With a metrology-grade laser scanner integrated into the machine tool, users can quickly capture and analyze a complete, data-rich image of a part and act to address flaws while the part is still clamped.

This M80CSX Millturn with disc milling unit is well-suited for machining large, forged crankshafts for power generation applications. The machine offers 70 kW of milling power and 12,000 Nm of torque for the disc milling unit at a maximum of 100 rpm. This enables it to achieve 1,100 cm³/min material removal rate for rough-milling operations. Maximum disc cutter diameter is 1 meter, and the M80CSX can be fitted with two disc cutters operating independently to effectively cut cycle times in half. A gantry robot can be added to automatically replace discs as, ideally, another disc with fresh/indexed inserts would be set up offline and immediately installed in the machine.

The machine at the event was a tailstock model, but it can be installed with a counter spindle to perform complete rough machining of crankshafts. Probing capability is available to measure runout, index position and general diameter and spacing measurements. Programming cycles have been created so part parameters can be entered to simplify program creation. In addition, feed regulation capability helps compensate for variations in forged raw materials that can vary in terms of the amount of stock from one crankshaft to another.

The WFL Automation Solutions division creates turnkey projects with input from the customer as to its needs for a custom, automated, 24/7 machining solution. This typically extends much beyond robotic part loading and unloading, and close communication and collaboration with the customer to develop a solution to meet its needs is key. Manfred Fahrion, the division’s director of turnkey projects, quips that the customers often say they know what they want, but don’t necessarily know what they actually need to achieve it. That’s where the experience of the Automation Solutions division comes into play.

For example, installing a robot in front of a machine might work for part loading, but wouldn’t be ideal if an operator needed to enter a cell to access the machine on a regular basis. In this case, an overhead, linear gantry system might make more sense (assuming there’s sufficient ceiling height). A linear gantry system likely also would be the better option for automating multiple machines in a cell. In addition, other processes might be added to further minimize or eliminate human intervention, such as washing, deburring and measuring stations.