For the production of medium-sized to large series of high accuracy prismatic parts of a few centimetres of edges, the manufacturers active in microtechnology and watch industry had had, for years, the choice between transfers machines - highly productive but not very flexible - and versatile slower machining centers. Today VFM presents a modular machining solution benefiting from the advantages of the two aforementioned technologies. Meeting in Brugg with M. Roland Gutknecht, director and promoter of the new "microtechnology" strategy of the company.
At the beginning of this year VFM exhibited its axes of developments, they involves a wide coverage of the fields of microtechnology. In Eurotec 387 we presented the Roku-Roku highly precise solution for the realisation of unit parts and small series (you can read it here in French/German/English). Today the company unveils the range of Hasegawa machining centers for high production and "networking machining".
Setting-up "networks"...
Imagine a small 3 axis very accurate machining center with a very attractive price. Associate 5 of those; give them a loading position and handling system and you will find yourself with a tailor-made turnkey solution. Offering very high productivity and the guarantee of total flexibility, this type of installation is a very interesting alternative to other technologies available on the market. (And also cost effective!)
...and custom development
M. Gutknecht presents us a concrete project and says: "We work by project in close collaboration with our customers. In this case, the cycle time of the watch part reaches about 5 minutes. To make the part according to the specifications, we combined 5 Hasegawa vertical machining centers, three to manufacture the top of the part (with 42 tools) and two to machine the bottom (with 28 tools)". A robot is responsible to take parts from the pallets and put them on holding systems (3R, Yerly or other) and for ensuring the operations of transfer from a machine to the next one, flipping, cleaning and brightening.
Ultra-compact milling center
With a footprint of 600 mm wide (both for vertical centers and horizontal centers) machines are designed with a gantry on a cast iron base. The spindle being seated in the heart of the gantry, forces are distributed symmetrically. The tool magazine with 17 positions is also located directly in the gantry, just behind the spindle. The tool change is done very quickly. Designed for accuracies in the order of the micron, the Hasegawa centres are equipped with up to 30,000 rpm spindles (60’000 optional) and display the latest versions of Fanuc 0i-MD touchscreen NC.
"The ‘networking’ of Hasegawa machines is an innovative solution that offers an interesting ROI. Customers having first discovered it, especially in the watch industry, are convinced” says the director.
We will go into deeper details in Eurotec’s next issue, don’t miss it.
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VFM Machines SA
Industriestrasse 26
P.o. box 217
2555 Brügg BE
Tel. +41 32 374 35 - 45 | Fax +41 32 374 35 49
[email protected]>mailto:[email protected]]
www.vfmsa.ch->http://www.vfmsa.ch]
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