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Oct 15, 2024

GF AgieCharmilles Introduces Milling, EDM Products - Aerospace Manufacturing and Design

Manufacturing Group GF AgieCharmilles introduces its latest products in high-performance and high-speed milling, which includes an all-new high-efficient machining technology, as well as new

Manufacturing Group

GF AgieCharmilles introduces its latest products in high-performance and high-speed milling, which includes an all-new high-efficient machining technology, as well as new advancements in wire and die-sinking EDM. IMTS attendees watched several of the company’s milling solutions in action, including the Mikron HPM 450U with a pallet changer, Mikron HPM 1350U with a Siemens CNC and Mikron HSM 400U LP with a pallet changer. Attendees also got to experience the company’s wide variety of innovative wire and die-sinking EDM solutions, including the Cut2000 AWC with an automatic wire changer and Drill300. IMTS attendees also learned how the company’s Uptime program can keep them at the highest levels of productivity by offering: applications expertise, comprehensive training, technical assistance, preventive maintenance, world-class warranty, and parts and consumables. Ideal for both micro and macro machining applications, the HPM 450U is a high-performance milling solution boasting a new torque rotary/tilt table for unencumbered, interference-free 5-axis machining, and offering highly efficient spindle options. It is also a powerful solution for universal, automated production, combining dynamics and stability. It easily adapts to suit a variety of customer requirements, offering impressive machining from simple drilling to complex 5-sided and simultaneous 5-axis machining processes. The HPM 1350U, available with a Siemens or Heidenhain CNC, is a high-performance milling solution that offers simultaneous 5-axis machining, while also providing dynamic performance and high precision. By featuring linear motor technology for the rotary axis, the HPM 1350U can produce large axis movements with unrestricted access, making it well-suited for heavy cutting and precise machining within the energy industry. Built with a versatile milling tilt head and a 43.42” diameter rotary table, the HPM 1350U handles loads up to 3,306.9 lb with a rotational speed up to 40rpm. Perfect for processing aerospace parts, the HSM 400U LP provides 5-axis simultaneous high-speed machining and delivers powerful performance and accuracy on all axes. The machine achieves speeds up to 250rpm on the rotational axis and up to 150rpm on the swivel axis, with a B-axis swivel range of 220°. The HSM 400U LP also uses a liquid cooled, linear direct drive motor technology to allow for short setting times and high dynamic rigidity of the attitude control. With vector spindles available at 30,000rpm, 42,000rpm, or 54,000 rpm, the HSM 400U LP also provides excellent surface finish and part detail, while significantly reducing machining time for semi-finishing and finishing operations. The compact pallet changer automation option and up to 220 tools offer a production power house solution.The Cut 2000 AWC with an automatic wire changer allows operators to easily switch between different wire diameter sizes and types, optimizing both roughing and finishing operations and reducing production costs. The Cut 2000 AWC employs universal wire guide system, enabling it to accommodate wires from 0.010” down to 0.002” for micro-machining and super-precision applications. The automatic wire thread and re-thread capabilities of the machine also facilitates unmanned, lights-out production, and the Vision 5 numerical control on the Cut 2000 AWC allows for quick, easy organization and management of multiple unattended jobs. The Drill 300 effectively machines holes in various diameters and workpiece materials, as well as brings high levels of flexibility to mass production environments. It employs electrodes ranging from 0.012” to 0.12” in diameter and incorporates several advanced technologies to precisely machine tough materials, including Inconel, titanium, steel and carbide. The machine has an ample Z-axis travel of 17.72” to maximize autonomy and a +/- 45° tilting head to drill angled holes. Furthermore, the Drill 300’s 6-axis configuration makes it possible to drill round and shaped cooling holes in aerospace blades and vanes, while its indexing table also allows for the production of holes in a circular pattern.