Machine Long, Thin Workpieces Without Reclamping

Weiler North America Corporation (Mount Pleasant, SC) has a newly developed, German-built 4-way bed precision lathe, the V90. With the introduction of the V series, Weiler joins an elite group of only a few German manufacturers offering this type of machine.

The innovative development of the V series is available in two versions: the V90 and the V110. Both lathes feature automated cycles and digital drive technology.

The V90 has a swing over bed of 940 mm/37 in and swing over cross slide of 590 mm/23.22 in. With the larger V110 having a swing over bed of 1160 mm/45.66 in and swing over cross slide of 810 mm/31.88 in.

Both the V90 and V110 have been specially developed to machine long and thin workpieces with a weight of up to 8 t without needing to reclamp.

In addition, the slides can overrun the fixed steady rest. The 4-way bed precision lathe takes its name from the four guideways along which the steady rest and slide can be moved.

HIGH PRECISION AND LONG-TERM ACCURACY
The main spindle is available with spindle bores of 165 mm/6.49 in, 262/10.31 in or 362 mm/14.25 in and is driven through two different gear stages with a power output of 45/37 kW (60 percent/100 percent duty cycle). This enables the main drive on the spindle to reach maximum torques of 8300 Nm to 11400 Nm and feed forces of 20 kN.

Supporting a distance between centers of up to 6000 mm/236.22 in, the V90 and V110 have a longitudinal drive with precision ball screws powered by a three-phase drive. The models with larger turning lengths have a rack and pinion drive with pre-stressed pinions and a direct path measuring system.

The distance between centers can be chosen from 3000 mm to 5000 mm in steps of 1500 mm. To ensure utmost precision during positioning and machining as well as long-term accuracy, the machine is equipped with a heavy-duty and torsion-resistant bed made of high quality cast iron, anti-friction bearings for the bed slides and cross slides as well as hardened and finely ground steel rails for the tailstock and steady rest.

Positioning devices include an electro-magnetic holding brake for the main spindle, an indexing device as well as an engageable C-axis drive. The tailstock with a quill diameter of 140 mm has a pressure gauge to indicate the setting force as well as centralized lubrication through a hand pump.

Available options include an integral bearing, an automatic clamping device on the bed or a separate drive for traversing operations.

HIGHEST LEVEL OF MACHINING FLEXIBILITY
Weiler offers a wide range of suitable traversable steady rests. To ensure that a number of applications are covered, these include manually and hydraulically actuated, self-centering versions.

The range of threads that can be cut is also extremely wide: all types of threads can be easily cut; the thread cutting range is from 0.5 mm to 2000 mm per turn.

Increased machining flexibility is also provided by the wide variety of tool systems that can be used: from quick-release plates with air and coolant supply up to four station turrets, the company offers a number of suitable tool carrier systems. There are also drilling and milling attachments with a Y-axis stroke of up to 200 mm.

Various manually or hydraulically actuated clamping devices such as face plates or chucks ensure that a number of different workpieces can be reliably clamped. Additional available options include supports for drilling rods and a boring block for clamping lengths up to 500 mm with a removable top for attachment to the quick-release plate.

ERGONOMIC HANDLING AND THREEFOLD ENERGY EFFICIENCY WITH “E-TIM”
The new V models are aimed at a number of different markets, from general machine building to the oil, hydraulics and shipbuilding industries through to the energy sector. A number of mechanical engineers benefit from the excellent operability and handling of the precision lathes.

The control panel can be moved and turned independently of the protective cover in the longitudinal and transverse directions. User-oriented software with intuitive graphical user interface is used. This operating concept has been developed on the basis of a proven Siemens control system.

Also available for the 4-way bed precision lathe is the innovative “e-TIM” energy saving system that has been specially developed to provide the user with a threefold saving in energy:

1) all the braking energy is fed back into the power supply network,

2) a timer automatically switches the machine into the standby mode when a predetermined time period has elapsed, and

3) the machine automatically shuts down the ancilliary devices that are not used.

THE V-SERIES: A COMPLETELY NEW DEVELOPMENT
The V90 and V110 4-way bed precision lathes were conceived and designed from scratch at the request of a renowned British oil company that was already using a similarly-sized E-Series cycle-controlled lathe and has been putting their trust in the quality of the machines from Emskirchen, Germany for a number of years.

The period between the design and delivery of the first V90 machine to the customer in England in March 2012 was only eighteen months. Since then, the robust and reliable machine has been in use with the customer to their complete satisfaction. So much so that a further machine of this type was shipped to the customer in May.

www.weilerusa.com