ZPS America reports it will introduce the new 8-spindle ZPS 867 CNC multispindle production center, able to accommodate stock to 72-mm diameter.
Provided with a double Siemens 840 D CNC control, the European-built machine offers up to 72 CNC axes and can perform nearly any metalcutting operation on precision parts from drilling and tapping to milling, spline gears, broaching and hobbing. With a cast iron base and total weight of more than 30,000 lbs., the 867 is extremely rigid. Combined with the highest spindle torque in the industry (191 NM), the stable 867 can handle difficult materials with great precision.
“This new multispindle offers for the first time high-precision CNC production capability with its 16+1 tool carriers to a range of part sizes that until now have been processed on transfer machines,” said Olaf Tessarzyk, managing partner and president of ZPS America.
The ZPS CNC Multi line offers very high processing flexibility and fast changeover with the ability to drop a variety of complex precision parts complete as either a bar-fed or chucker operation.
The machine’s versatility is provided through its standard features: eight independent AC-driven CNC horizontal spindles, eight independent compound slides (X and Z), eight independent tool carriers with eight 12,000-rpm driven tools, five backworking tools (three driven), and a wide range of standard presettable VDI tooling for quick changeover to increase flexibility.
However, it is the patented state-of-the-art designed spindle drive system that sets the ZPS machines apart. It is the key to the machine’s precision, thermal stability, and high reliability. According to tests performed at a technical university in Europe, the ZPS spindle drive system proved to be superior to other multispindle drive systems due to its mechanical precision and genuine simplicity.
Each of the machine’s eight spindles is linked by a composite shaft to its own motor into the spindle drum, which employs a precise Hirth coupling. This makes it unnecessary to reverse-index the drum at the end of each 360° cycle, connect, and disconnect the motors to the spindles with each indexing and cool the drum to dissipate the heat generated by the spindle motors. The result is greater precision and reliability across high duty cycles. Spindle indexing takes only 1 second, not only saving time, but reduces energy and cost. In addition, this system allows for the strongest and most adjustable clamping power in the industry.
The mechanical rigidity and thermal stability are the reason for the built-in accuracy of the machine. Therefore, the use of refrigerant is not needed, which is what makes the ZPS machine so interesting to users. Even without spindle compensation this machine tops the precision of its competitors. Using the built-in mechanical compensation allows for a new dimension of accuracy in CNC multispindle machines. Because hydraulics and refrigeration are eliminated through innovative design in the spindle drum, the machine has a significantly higher uptime, has greater thermal stability, and as a result provides higher precision and efficiency than other CNC multispindles on the market.
The innovative, patented technical solution developed by ZPS allows the independent control of the speed and C-Axis of each spindle and the power of each AC spindle motor according to the requirements of specific machining operations performed by each customer.
The machine is provided complete with all options and includes capabilities that make it effective on today’s precision machining floors: quick changeover; simple, intuitive programming; single-point presettable driven tooling; and teaching software as well as a standard CAM programming software.
A range of optional equipment includes a CNC pick-up spindle with up to 5 tools (3 driven) for backworking, attachments for radial and axial drilling and milling operations from cut-off slide, parts handling gripper or ejection slide, parts conveyor, bar stock feeding and high-pressure tool coolant system.
ZPS customer support for the series of multispindles includes complete setup of part and turnkey at the ZPS headquarters in Indianapolis and optional real-time Internet monitoring of installed machines.
Over the last five years, high-precision, high-volume parts production is increasingly being handled by multispindle CNC machines, which offer the advantages of quick cycle times, the precision of a single spindle turning center, and rapid changeover to handle a wide range of parts.
“To help customers maintain trouble-free performance, we offer full preventative maintenance plans for each of our machines. Prompt factory service from local resident service and applications engineers and spare parts are very important to all our users,” says Olaf Tessarzyk. “The ZPS North American headquarters and factory is the sole source for ZPS cam-driven multi-spindle lathes and the line of TMZ CNC multi-spindle production centers. All new machine sales, spare parts, maintenance, rebuilding and refurbishing, and factory trained local service come only through ZPS America in Indianapolis.”
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