Americanmachinist 2014 9726techtrends000000003523
Americanmachinist 2014 9726techtrends000000003523
Americanmachinist 2014 9726techtrends000000003523
Americanmachinist 2014 9726techtrends000000003523
Americanmachinist 2014 9726techtrends000000003523

Swiss show off extreme turning precision

June 30, 2005
Two new turning machines made their world debut at a special exhibition hosted by Tornos SA, Moutier, Switzerland.

Tornos' MultiDeco 32/6c's counterspindle allows end users to mount five tools (up to three live) to complete operations on both sides of a machined part.

The Tornos Deco 8sp is a CNC brushless sliding-headstock lathe for high-precision applications in the electronics market, among others.

The Deco 8sp features five independent axes, a main spindle, and a counterspindle. Altogether, the machine boasts a 21-tool capacity. Here, the Deco 8sp is equipped with two radial precision turning tools controlled by a single numerical axis that ensure excellent surface finishes.

Two new turning machines made their world debut at a special exhibition hosted by Tornos SA, Moutier, Switzerland. The company invited a select group of end users, distributors, and international press to the world premiere of the MultiDeco 32/6c and Deco 8sp.

The innovation behind the MultiDeco 32/6c is its counterspindle, which can be fitted with up to five tools (up to three live tools) mounted either vertically or horizontally. This configuration allows for complete operations on both sides of a machined part, which, according to Tornos, is a first in the multispindle market.

Company officials believe the machine is a precursor to the multispindle automatic lathes of the future that will open up new possibilities for machining components in high-volume applications, such as those in the automotive industry.

"With the MultiDeco 32/6c, we are offering a solution for machining highly complex parts," says Willi Nef, head of Tornos' multispindle business unit. "The new machine will also allow us to palletize machined parts." This is done via an integrated palletization system that minimizes floorspace requirements.

The machine also incorporates a special workpiece gripper that holds components in the machining zone and lifts them out using a CNC axis. This ensures parts are handled the same way every time, eliminates collisions, and permits the transfer of components to other machines.

The Deco 8sp is part of the company's S-Line of single-spindle turning centers. According to Carlos Cancer, head of Tornos' single-spindle business unit, the S-Line tackles fairly complex and precise parts at a "high rate of productivity and at optimized price-to-performance ratios."

Targeted at the growing Asian electronics markets, the Deco 8sp is particularly well-suited to manufacturing disk drives. However, Tornos reports manufacturers in the watchmaking, medical, and other industries will also be interested in its ±1 µ precision.

The machine, which gets its name from its 8-mm (0.315-in.) capacity single-spindle, is an automatic lathe with tailstock, five independent axes, and 21 tools (up to 6 tools for back-working operations). It delivers a top speed of 15,000 rpm, making it applicable for high-production work. Tornos will unveil two other machines this fall at the EMO exhibition in Hannover, Germany. Although details are still under wraps, the company promises highly productive systems that cost-effectively execute complete parts.