A Starrag Bumotec s181 machining centre is enabling one producer of ‘traditional’ turned parts to not only finish-machine a multi-operation component with interconnecting holes to a burr-free state and with superb levels of roundness and surface finish, but the new machine is also allowing the company to welcome new business where effective and efficient single set-up, multi-operation workpieces are required.
The Fanuc-controlled s181 turn-mill centre – which effectively has nine CNC axes in total – was installed to produce a distributor for a respiratory protective device; the component that connects an oxygen bottle to a respirator mask (as used by the fire service).
Produced from a special aluminium alloy with silicon (AlSi05) forged blank, the workpiece presents a number of machining demands before it is anodised – in particular the production of a hole (H7) that is drilled to a tolerance of 14 microns and must not have burrs on the interconnecting channels. The Bumotec inserts the blank automatically then processes all six sides of the workpiece.
One critical aspect of producing the distributor is the fact that the initial blank is forged to a high tolerance, so a specially-designed clamping system – one that will hold the part rigidly but without damage or deflection – has been developed and adapted to the machine.
With HSK-40 (30,000 revs/min) spindle, the Bumotec s181 can, however, produce very small components (up to 32 mm) to 1.5 microns, and it is this quality that the new user is adamant that “will position the company internationally for the production of high-precision components” and effectively lives up to the Starrag maxim of ‘Engineering precisely what you value’.
