3 axis machining centre

THE SOLUTION PROVIDED BY LF TECHNOLOGIES

Our client is a large manufacturer of openings for the building industry.

Main functions

Objective

To carry out automatic machining of holes and milling on profiles (door frames and sills).

PROBLEMATIC ISSUES

To produce a 3-axis machining centre that is very simple to program and use, easily controlled by all types of operator, including non-machinists.

The machine must be designed to limit all idle times (tool change, workpiece clamping, etc.)

SOLUTION AND RESULT

The technical solution provided by the LF Technologies teams was to develop a machining centre consisting of several removable spindles, each with a different tool for machining, in order to drill holes of different diameters adapted to each profile, without changing tools.
The profile to be machined is placed manually on a removable support, equipped with a precise positioning device and an automatic locking system controlled by the operator. The machine is equipped with an optical sensor that automatically adjusts the machining programmes in relation to the end of the profile.
The machine is also equipped with a 3-axis numerical control (X, Y and Z) which performs 3 movements:

• The profile is attached to a carriage that moves on a double-rail support over a distance of 3 m. This movement is applied by a ball screw with a rotating nut (X axis);
• A fixed chassis, located at mid-length, houses a rigid frame with a vertical plane and horizontal movement. This frame slides on two precision linear guides and is driven by a horizontal axis ball screw (Z axis);
• Another frame with a vertical plane and vertical movement slides over the previous frame with horizontal movement. It is driven by two synchronised ball screws with a vertical axis (Y axis).

Depending on the application programmed by the operator, the electro-spindles machine the aluminium profile, with the option of X, Y and Z movements. The machining centre is equipped with 2 software programs that indicate the position of the tools in X, Y and Z, as well as allowing unlimited storage of different machining programs. This programming software is very easy to use and intuitive, as requested by the customer.