Mitsui Seiki's HU100-TS Five-Axis HMC Presents Alternative to Trunnion Machines

Mitsui Seiki’s HU100-TS tilting-spindle five-axis horizontal machining center is built to machine large and hard workpieces that may be better suited for tilt-spindle processing than trunnion-table operations. The rigid machine’s fixed table and tilting head arrangement facilitates use of shorter, more rigid tooling. These features make the machine effective with tough materials, such as titanium and Inconel, that are commonly machined in aerospace and power generation applications.

The horizontal table can accommodate workpieces as long as 1,900 mm (76") and 1,250 mm (50") in diameter, weighing up to 2,000 kg (4,400 lbs). The X-, Y- and Z-axis travels measure 1,300, 1,500 and 1,400 mm (52", 60" and 56") respectively, with  360-degree B-axis rotation and A-axis rotation of -30 to +120 degrees. The machine’s 5,530 × 8,431-mm (221" × 337") footprint is similar to that of its four-axis counterpart.

The column width and length/height ratio of the HU100-TS are designed to maximize stability during heavy machining. The HSK-A100 spindle provides up to 150 kW (201 hp) power and 1,508 Nm (1,112 foot-pounds) of torque. A 60-tool automatic toolchanger can be loaded with tools as long as 500 mm (20") and ranging to 125 mm (5") in diameter. Tools stored without adjacent tools can be up to 216 mm (8.6") in diameter.

Scott Walker, chairman of Mitsui Seiki USA, sums up the machine this way: “For aerospace manufacturers and others machining tough alloys, the new HU100-TS offers five-axis, tilt-spindle flexibility and the automation potential of a horizontal machining center as well as the rigidity, accuracy and reliability of a heavy-duty design.”