The Okuma Spaceturn LB3000 EX II turn-milling centre will appear at MACH on stand 120 in Hall 19 with the Armroid robotic arm, the first in the world to be integrated inside a CNC machine tool. It will be configured for automated handling of shaft-type parts. All Okuma machines are sold and serviced exclusively in the UK and Ireland by NCMT.
Three different end-of-arm effector options are available for the robot, capable of performing different tasks. One is for blasting the cutting zone with air to improve chip management, another provides additional support during the cutting process to prevent chatter and the third effector automatically loads and unloads workpieces weighing up to 5 kg.
While most conventional robotic systems require complex integration and special training for staff, Armroid needs neither. As the robot is part of the machine tool, separate system integration is unnecessary. A longer and more powerful robotic arm, the Armroid Type 2, will be integrated into an Okuma Multus B250II multi-tasking lathe for high mix, small batch billet work. It is capable of handling workpieces up to 10 kg and possesses a fourth end effector with a 3-jaw workpiece hand.
There will be a second Multus machine on show, a U4000 2SW with an opposed spindle. It will be set up to demonstrate the ease, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of power skiving for the production of external and internal gears and splines.
The process is intended for producing gears from solid billets in large volumes using a dedicated skiving tool to sequentially rough and finish each type and size of gear. Even with deep tooth profiles, a Class 6 spur gear can be achieved due to accurate synchronisation of tool and workpiece rotations. Other gear production techniques are also possible, including hobbing, shaping and spiral bevel milling.
The final turning machine on the stand will be a Genos L2000 with a gantry-type workpiece load / unload system. Production of a flange-type component will be demonstrated.