GF Machining Solutions will demonstrate at MD&M 2015 on Feb. 10-12 at the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA. "GF Machining Solutions will show the precision, performance and efficiency of milling and EDM systems designed with medical machining applications in mind," said a company spokesperson. "Visitors to the company's show booth 4161 will experience the Mikron HSM 200U LP (linear performance) milling machine with pallet changer (PCH) as well as the AgieCharmilles CUT 20 P wire and FORM 20iRTC sinker EDMs.
"Available in 3- and 5-axis versions, the Mikron HSM 200U LP is designed to bring speed, efficiency, precision and superior surface finishes to the machining of small, complex components, including steel denture bars, medical implants, tiny sinker EDM electrodes and other highly detailed parts," continued the spokesperson. The machine is built to accommodate the medical industry's increased need for lean manufacturing via small-footprint, high-speed machines. "Additionally, the Mikron HSM 200U LP's compact size allows it to fit into facilities with limited floor space and tight working areas such as dental labs," said the spokesperson.
The Mikron HSM 200U LP is designed to produce workpieces via true 5-axis simultaneous high-speed machining. "Linear motor technology in the main machine axes and optimized direct-drive motors for the B and C axes result in high precision and part surface finishes as fine as Ra 0.05 um," said the spokesperson. According to the company, the machine's 50,000-RPM, 11.4-HP Step-Tec spindle also contributes to precise part details and excellent surface finishes.
To enhance productivity, the Mikron HSM 200U LP is capable of 24/7 unattended machining using its optional Mikron pallet magazines with System 3R and Erowa interfaces. These integrated pallet magazines are designed to be loaded without interrupting cutting operations already in progress. The automation of tool or workpiece handling is possible from three sides of the machine.
According to the company, a HEIDENHAIN iTNC 530 control system and Smart machining modules on the Mikron HSM 200U LP provide advanced levels of monitoring critical to the production of high-value precision medical parts. The system allows the machine to automatically check and evaluate tools and workpieces, inspect tools for breakage and perform measurements of the workpiece. Additionally, the Smart machine modules automatically monitor spindle vibration, calibrate machine geometry and transmit process status messages to an operator's cell phone.
"To avoid inconsistent loading of small tools and 3D geometry errors due to the inaccurate measurement of those tools, the Mikron HSM 200U LP features Intelligent Tool Measurement (ITM)," said the spokesperson. ITM records the complete tool tip up to a diameter of 0.47" on image sensors. Special software cleans and measures the recorded tool geometry for repeatability in the micrometer range.
"On the wire EDM side, the AgieCharmilles CUT 20 P delivers speed and increased performance to medical applications such as cannula tube machining," said the spokesperson. Accommodating wire diameters from 0.006" to 0.12", the machine comes standard with 0.10" wire guides, while 0.006", 0.008" and 0.012" wire guides are also available.
Featuring X-, Y- and Z-axis travels of 13.77" x 9.84" x 10", respectively, the CUT 20 P is designed to accommodate maximum workpiece dimensions of 35.4" L x 26.7" W x 9.8" H. "When considering the machine's fluid bath, the CUT 20 P can hold submerged workpieces weighing up to 960 lbs.," said the spokesperson. The machine also achieves taper cuts of +/- 25 degrees over 3.15" in height.
"The machine's Integrated Collision Protection on its X-, Y- and Z-axes prevents any breakage of sensitive parts and costly elements, allowing the operator to work with more confidence during job preparation and execution," said the spokesperson. Glass scales on the X- and Y-axes are built to enhance positioning accuracy and repeatable results.
"Adding to the design of the machine's control is the inclusion of GF Machining Solutions' 'Speed' technology package, which allows the CUT 20 P to achieve competitive results in terms of precision, time and surface roughness when machining jobs with two to four cuts," said the spokesperson. "The CUT 20 P's low energy consumption combined with the long working life of the wear parts reduces operating costs and helps to ensure profitability.
"As one of the first sinker EDMs to sport the GF Machining Solutions recently developed AC Form HMI (human machine interface), FORM 20iRTC centers on user friendliness and intuitiveness to shorten the learning curve for beginner EDM operators," continued the spokesperson. "The machine excels in burning deep-cavity ribs into mold cores and significantly reduces overall burn times by hours for such parts."
"As a Windows-based platform, the FORM 20iRTC integrates into workshop management systems," said the spokesperson. Other features such as eConnect, eSupervision and eTracking are designed to enhance machine functionality for process control and outside system connectivity.
The FORM 20iRTC is a compact standard die-sinking EDM, yet provides ample axis travels of 13.78" x 9.84" x 9.84". Within its footprint, the machine also includes an integrated four-position linear tool changer.
"At the heart of the FORM 20 is GF Machining Solutions' proprietary, high-end Intelligent Power Generator (IPG) with built-in quality-boosting and cost-saving intelligence," said the spokesperson. "With every machine pulse, the 70-amp generator on the FORM 20 optimizes the EDM process and reduces electrode wear as well as provides uniform surface finishes. The machine reliably generates surface finishes of Ra 0.1 um and radii down to 0.0007 inches. Also embedded within the FORM 20 machine is GF Machining Solutions' TECFORM module that eliminates the need for operators to adjust the machine generator parameters."
For more information contact:
Gisbert Ledvon
GF Machining Solutions
560 Bond St.
Lincolnshire, IL 60069-4224
800-CTC-1EDM
gisbert.ledvon@georgfischer.com
www.gfms.com/us
mdmwest.mddionline.com