The Mazak VCE-600: the right specification at the right price

Designed and built in the UK, the new Mazak VCE-600 vertical machining centre is a new 3-axis VMC with an impressive specification and appealing price-point.

The next generation machining centre presents an attractive proposition for a wide scope of manufacturers from job shops and small subcontractors through to OEMs.

The result of extensive market research, the new cost-effective VCE-600 incorporates a variety of features and new technologies that demonstrate high levels of productivity, performance and ease-of-use all delivered in a compact footprint with quality and service that is assured by the Mazak brand.

Despite the compact 2.9 x 3.12 x 3.14m (H x W x D) footprint that will appeal to manufacturers with a limited floor area, the VCE-600 has a generous 1.3m by 600mm table with X, Y and Z-axis travel of 1,050 x 600 x 600mm that permits the machining of particularly large components, especially in the Y-axis stroke.

Travelling above this work area is a 12,000rpm 18.5kW dual winding spindle with 119.4Nm of torque. At the low-winding speed range, the spindle provides exceptional torque for heavy-duty milling and drilling while at high speed, the spindle generates a high-power output for machining lightweight materials and profiling parts.

The 7/24 No 40 spindle with through coolant is supplied with cutting tools via a 1.9 second tool-to-tool quick-change 24 position ATC that can accommodate a maximum tool diameter of 75mm. To improve operator access to the ATC, an optional ATC door can be specified to reduce set-up times.

As well as a high performance spindle, the new VCE-600 demonstrates its build quality with extremely rigid linear roller guides on all axes that underpin the machine’s ability to perform both heavy-duty cutting as well as high-speed machining. This is complemented by direct drive servo motors on all axes and fully ground pre-tensioned ballscrews that provide optimum levels of precision and repeatability.

Commenting on the new arrival to the Mazak stable, European group product manager Mark Hall says: “The new VCE-600 is the first in a new range of vertical machining centres that we believe will generate a lot of interest from industry. The reason for this is the specification touches a lot of applications and at the same time, offers performance and value.

“One of its standout features is its versatility. It has a large work envelope, high performance spindle and the new SmoothEz CNC control that is fast to programme. The machine is ideal for subcontractors, entry-level businesses and companies that processes a variety of workpieces.”

To simplify ease of use and reduce set-up times, Mazak has incorporated several design features that are both practical and ergonomically friendly for the operator. For example, the VCE-600 has been designed with a single sliding door with a large window providing good operator visibility and accessibility during machining.

The new Mazatrol SmoothEZ CNC has also been designed with ease of use and productivity in mind.

It features an intuitive 15 inch touchscreen display that operates like a smartphone or tablet where the display can be customised with the positioning of data easily adapted to suit the user. By customising the display, data can be checked and edited by the operator with minimum screen transition.

For ‘Ez Machining’, the Mazatrol SmoothEz allows customers to use the Mazak Mazatrol interface to create, check and edit programmes via a 3D model of the workpiece or alternatively through full EIA/ISO functionality for G-Code programming – offering users the utmost in flexibility.

Added to this, the SmoothEz offers ‘Ez Setup’ where all manufacturing data such as programs, fixture setup, machine models, tooling data and coordinate systems, can be synchronised by Smooth Project Manager to SmoothCAM Ai.

Mark Hall continues: “For manufacturers with high mix and low-volume component production, it is critical that we cut down setup times and this is where the SmoothEz performs with several easy-to-use features that make it easy to move from part set-up to production.”

With automation increasingly more commonplace on the shopfloor, Mazak has designed the VCE-600 with the facility to integrate front, left or right-side loading doors for robot access while optional tool and workpiece measurement systems such as the Renishaw RTS and RMP60 touch probe can be integrated.

Also, there’s an abundance of optional extras to meet the exact needs of the end-user. This includes a 30 or 48 position ATC, a selection of tool measurement, setting and breakage detection packages, swarf and coolant management packages that include flood, bed wash, air blast and also spiral and chip conveyors, plus essential automation options such as automatic door opening, robot interface and hydraulic or pneumatic fixture preparation.

The machine can also be specified with 4th axis units to provide additional flexibility.

Yamazaki Mazak UK
www.mazakeu.co.uk