Milling machines are tools designed to machine metal, wood, and other solid materials. Often automated, milling machines can be positioned in either vertical or horizontal orientation to carve out materials based on a pre-existing design. These designs are often CAD directed, and many milling machines are CNC-operated, although manually and traditionally-automated milling devices are also common. Milling machines are capable of dynamic movement, both of the tool and the workpiece, and many milling machines can perform multi-axis machining. Because of variations in orientation, operation and application, milling machines have varying functions and different operating principles. Tooling Milling machines can be outfitted with a number of tool heads to accomplish different machining needs. Some of these tool heads include cutters, rounding mills, fluted mills and ball end mills. Some milling machines have rotating tool ends that can change depending on the needed task—computer programming communicates with the machine when to change its tooling. The different tooling used in milling machines is based on material and desired shape. Because materials like wood and steel have different physical properties, different tool bits are needed to properly machine the materials. If a milling machine uses a tool bit that is not strong enough to machine steel, the tooling and even the machine itself can be damaged. Tooling that is too strong for softer materials can damage the workpiece. The basic tooling bit on a milling machine is called the cutter. A cutter is a shaped bar that has saw teeth. The cutter rotates rapidly to cut down and shape materials. The cutter is attached to an arbor, which is sometimes called a mandrel or mandril, a shaped bar that varies in size, length and ending, and is used to hold the cutter firmly. A milling cutter’s saw ending can be spaced, sized and oriented in many ways. Generally, the teeth are either positioned in a straight up-and-down orientation, or angled in a helical orientation. Straight teeth are preferable in operations on denser materials, while helical teeth can create very smooth cuts on softer materials. There are a variety of cutters within these categories, including dense end cutters, t-slot cutters, and angle cutters. Cutters are subject to different standardized sizes, with CAT sizes as the most commonly-used standardization category in the United States. Types of Milling Machines Milling machines are categorized by their orientation to their workpiece and their degree of motion. Knee-Type Knee-Type milling machines employ a vertical workspace supported by a knee, which is an adjustable vertical casting. The knee supports a saddle and can be adjusted to allow for a customizable workspace. Plain Vertical and Horizontal Milling machines with a standard work surface can either be oriented vertically or horizontally. The tooling assembly is generally affixed on a turret and swivel, typically positioned parallel to the workspace. The turret and swivel allow the tool to move freely around the workpiece to enforce tight tolerances. Universal Horizontal Milling Machine A universal horizontal milling machine differs from the plain horizontal type because it has a table swivel housing, which allows the table to move out 45 degrees from the standard horizontal position. This workpiece movement allows for easier angular or helical milling operations. Ram-Type and Universal Ram-Type Milling Machines A ram-type machine is used to allow the tooling to position itself on a greater range of space with regards to the workpiece. The ram-type machine has a spindle on a movable housing, which can move within a set horizontal plane. The universal ram-type milling machine includes a swivel housing that increases the range of cutting movements. Swivel Cutter Head Ram-Type Milling Machine With a swivel cutter, a milling machine can rotate from a completely vertical to a completely horizontal position. The worktable also moves, providing the user with a very liberal degree of motion and orientation. Many swivel cutters include both automatic or hand driven settings, increasing operation options. Source: ThomasNet.com
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A colossal high-speed machining center will significantly bolster the capacity of a deep hole drilling manufacturer.Unisig recently announced the installation of the Okuma MCR-A5CII-35x100 double-column machining center in its Menomonee, Wisconsin facility.
The machine is the largest of its kind in North America. It will be used to process complex components rapidly for large-sized deep hole drilling systems. Its multiple heads allow five sides of a large part to be processed in a single setup. The MCR-A5CII also features a 118” x 394” table with a 61-ton weight capacity and a 6,000 rpm 50-taper spindle. It incorporates a radio-controlled 50-ton bridge-style crane with a 40-foot span and 17’1” clearance for safe and efficient part-handling. In preparation for the new machine’s installation, Unisig modified its production facility to include a deep, specially engineered foundation weighing 650 tons. The foundation uses helical piers to support the combined weight of the machine and the crane. The machining center enables Unisig to manufacture vital components for its systems in less time and at a reduced cost compared to traditional vertical machines. “This machine allows us to keep semi-finished part-production in-house and decreases labor-intensive finishing work,” said Unisig CEO Anthony Fettig. He continued, “By investing in new production equipment, such as the Okuma machine, we can reduce our setup times, improve throughput and minimize costly production errors…” For more information, visit Okuma and Unisig’s websites. Source: ENGINEERING.com Consortium to help finance $2 billion Engro coal-mining and power generation projectA consortium led by China Machinery Engineering Corp is set to finance a coal-based power plant and a mining project being developed by Engro Corp, a Pakistani firm.
The first phase of the $2 billion project will consist of a coal-based power plant with two 330-megawatt units in Thar Block II in the Sindh province of Pakistan and a coal mining project for power generation. The project is also part of the cooperation along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which runs about 3,000 kilometers from Gwadar to the northwestern Chinese city of Kashgar, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, a part of the ancient Silk Road linking Eurasia and Africa, CMEC said in a statement. Zhang Chun, president of CMEC, said that it is the first integration project of coal mining and coal-based power plant among the projects in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is expected to push forward the economic development in Pakistan. "I think we have opened a new chapter in the overseas market with this project," Zhang said. "Since our strength lies in foreign engineering project contracting, it will become a model project in Pakistan." The deal follows President Xi Jinping's state visit to Pakistan in April, when the two sides agreed to set up an economic corridor to bolster China's new trade initiatives-the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Wang Shida, an expert on Afghanistan at the Beijing-based China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, said that the project will help bolster Pakistan's energy supplies, something that has hindered local economic development. He said Pakistan relies heavily on imported crude oil, diesel and natural gas, with less than 0.1 percent of energy coming from coal-fired power stations, leaving much potential for growth in coal-based power projects. "The cost is very high due to the reliance on imports. Construction of more coal-powered plants will ease the demand-supply gap in Pakistan," he said. China has already invested more than $40 billion for development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor with energy projects being a major focus including hydropower plants, coal-fired stations and wind farms, experts said. The signing ceremony also involved financial groups like China Development Bank and Habib Bank Ltd in Pakistan. Source: China Daily New orders for U.S. manufactured capital goods fell in November and the prior month's increase was revised sharply lower as the drag on manufacturing from a strong dollar and spending cuts in the energy sector showed little sign of abating.
But the outlook for the economy remains encouraging, with other data on Wednesday showing consumer sentiment at a five-month high in December and personal income rising for an eighth straight month in November. That should support consumer spending and generate enough economic growth for the Federal Reserve to steadily raise interest rates next year. "The economy is not too cold, and not too hot, it is just right. The Fed can stay the course ... no need to depart from a gradual pace given what we know currently about the economy," said Chris Rupkey, chief economist at MUFG Union Bank in New York. The Commerce Department said non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxy for business spending plans, dropped 0.4 percent last month. October's increase in orders for these so-called core capital goods was revised down to 0.6 percent from 1.3 percent. Manufacturing, which accounts for 12 percent of the economy,is also buckling under businesses' efforts to reduce an inventory bloat and sluggish global demand, which has curtailed new orders growth. The dollar has gained almost 20 percent against the currencies of the United States' main trading partners over the last 18 months. At the same time, plunging crude oil prices, which on Monday plumbed their lowest levels since 2004, have put pressure on oilfield services firms like Schlumberger and Halliburton, forcing them to slash capital spending budgets. A survey early this month showed manufacturing contracted in November for the first time in three years. Core capital goods shipments fell 0.5 percent last month after declining 1.0 percent in October. Shipments of these goods are used to calculate equipment spending in the government's gross domestic product measurement. "Unless we see a big rebound in December or upward revisions, it appears that investment in equipment contracted in the fourth quarter," said Paul Ashworth, chief U.S. economist at Capital Economics in Toronto. A separate report showed the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index increased to 92.6 this month, the highest reading since July, from 91.3 in November. Low inflation, characterized by deep discounts at shopping malls, accounted for the rise in sentiment this month. The report also showed that consumers' attitudes towards purchases of long-lasting manufactured goods such as motor vehicles and other big-ticket items hit their highest level since 2005 WAGES RISING Prospects for consumer spending next year also got a boost from another report from the Commerce Department showing income increased 0.3 percent last month after gaining 0.4 percent in October. Wages and salaries advanced 0.5 percent, adding to a 0.6 percent gain in October. U.S. stocks rose on the mixed data, with sentiment also buoyed by a rebound in oil prices. The dollar firmed against a basket of currencies, while U.S. Treasuries fell. A tightening labor market, marked by an unemployment rate that is in a range some Fed officials consider consistent with full employment, is starting to lift wages. While that could generate price pressures, inflation will likely remain below the U.S. central bank's 2 percent target because of the oil price rout. "The Fed understands that the competing factors will be with us for a while and that is why it is easy for the members to say that rates will be increased gradually," said Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisors in Holland, Pennsylvania. The Fed hiked its benchmark overnight interest rate last week by 25 basis points to between 0.25 percent and 0.50 percent, the first increase since mid-2006. The personal consumption expenditures price index rose 0.4 percent in the 12 months through November, the largest increase since December, after increasing 0.2 percent in October. Excluding food and energy, the so-called core PCE price index rose 1.3 percent in the 12 months through November, for the 11th straight month. It is the Fed's preferred inflation measure. The Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis inadvertently released part of the consumption portion of its report late on Tuesday. Source: REUTERS For the increased exchange of information and data, the vertical and horizontal integration requires high performance from devices and increased intelligence for sustainable machine controls. With the new IPC-based control hardware, Bosch Rexroth increased the overall performance of the IndraMotion MLC control system even more. It connects motion, robotics, and logic control with individual high-level language programming and thus opens up new possibilities for engineering Industry 4.0-capable overall solutions. Industry 4.0 increases the requirements of decentralized intelligence. Controls must process data in less time and flexibly adjust to changing framework conditions. To accomplish this, Rexroth optimizes the control hardware and now offers three powerful device families with one consistent system design. They are finely scaled to cover various levels of complexity in automation.
The new embedded control hardware IndraControl XM2 offers higher processor performance than previously possible and also offers modular expansion options for more flexibility in automation. OEMs combine the control with IndraControl S20 I/O modules in the same form factor. Local integration of peripherals ensures high-performance, synchronous I/O real-time data processing. The combination of hydraulic and electrical tasks is possible on all device platforms of IndraMotion MLC. Rexroth has integrated best in class controllers for hydraulic drive tasks and thus standardizes the commissioning and operation of electrical and hydraulic axes. With the new IndraControl L75 based on state-of-the-art processor technology, Rexroth provides a variant for applications with high performance requirements. The additional IPC control platform IndraControl VPB40.3 expands the system upward. The same device offers a Windows 7 operating system parallel to controlling up to 99 axes in hard real-time. OEMs can thus use the same hardware to install powerful software tools for visualization, real-time data processing, analysis, or reporting. Open for automation standards and IT world Open standards for software and communication are a decisive requirement for networked production environments. Rexroth controls support the Ethernet based M2M communication based on OPC UA and Sercos as well as all other common real time Ethernet protocols. With an expansion of the OPC UA information model, IndraMotion MLC improved the exchange of data between automation components of various manufacturers and offers transparent access to all higher system functions. OEMs can use the Open Core Interface to directly access control functions in a multitude of high-level IT languages and implement individual functions independently. This direct function access to all control elements allows the integration of smart devices, IT automation applications, and the virtual commissioning of control units without real machines. OEMs can thus program, commission, and optimize their machine controls parallel and even prior to assembly of the real machine. This significantly reduces the development times for new concepts. In addition to the previous broad range of IT operating systems, development environments, and programming languages, the newest version also includes the easy programming of sequential command chains with the lean and compact script language Lua. Automating recurring engineering tasks The engineering environment IndraWorks covers all phases of PLC-based engineering. Prepared technology-oriented solutions, function tool kits, accelerate engineering. The powerful script interface "Automation Interface", for example, automates recurring engineering tasks, which until now had to be performed manually. With the ECAD data interface, control cabinet planning for programming and documentation – which previously had to be entered manually a number of times – can be omitted during construction, at the control cabinet builder, and then during commissioning. IndraWorks continues to utilize the circuit diagram data, which are created one single time in EPLAN Electric P8, directly in PLC engineering. Economical, precise, safe, and energy efficient: drive and control technology from Bosch Rexroth moves machines and systems of any size. The company bundles global application experience in the market segments of Mobile Applications, Machinery Applications and Engineering, Factory Automation, and Renewable Energies to develop innovative components as well as tailored system solutions and services. Bosch Rexroth offers its customers hydraulics, electric drives and controls, gear technology, and linear motion and assembly technology all from one source. With locations in over 80 countries, the company generated sales of 5.6 billion euros in 2014, according to preliminary figures. To learn more, please visit www.boschrexroth.com |
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