Triple turret time

The TX66 Y3 advanced mill/turn centre was chosen by Tony De Roberto, managing director of AD Engineering as many of the components manufactured by the company must be produced in a single set-up operation employing a number of driven tools.

Component tolerances are often less than 5µm. The company supplies components used in sensors, wind turbines, subsea connectors, pumps, fibre optics and aircraft control units. Mr De Roberto is naturally impressed with his latest purchase: “Seeing three turrets operating at the same time is incredible,” he enthused. “The speed of metal removal will allow the company to undertake work that previously offered only marginal returns.”
As well as installing a new mill/turn centre AD Engineering has also purchased a Mitutoyo optical measuring machine. This will be installed in an air conditioned quality inspection room alongside a CMM that is used to produce detailed inspection reports.

Spanish machine tool manufacturer CMZ introduces a new range of machines to the market every three years. The multi-turret, multi-spindle TX range was launched in May 2010 and is available with 52mm and 66mm spindle bores. Turret configuration can be two upper turrets, an upper and a lower turret or in a triple turret version as is the case with AD Engineering.

All of the 12 station turrets have an 18kW driven tools facility, Y-axes with ±40mm and half index to allow up to four tools per single turret station.

“CMZ is one of only two manufacturers that offer a multi-turret machine with the more rigid box guideway system,” revealed Keith Howell, CMZ UK's managing director. “Although more expensive than linear guides, CMZ believe that the additional rigidity will give end users the edge on long term cutting ability. We grind our own beds and the cost of this operation alone is more than a complete linear guide system for a competitor's machine.”

The TX is the first machine in the CMZ stable to be fitted with a 15 inch screen version of the Fanuc 31iT control.

AD Engineering
www.adengineering.co.uk

CMZ
www.cmz.co.uk