Southern Gear has added two Hwacheon VT-1150+ vertical turning centers (VTCs) to its gear production operations. Both are capable of high-speed, complete machining of ring gears and other cylindrical parts with diameters of 1,320 mm and lengths up to 950 mm.
The machines, which feature powerful 55 kW spindles, rapid 24 m/min. axis travel and a 24-tool turret for turn-mill machining, enable Southern Gear to perform multiple turning, milling and other operations in single set-up, thus reducing the cycle times required to completely machine a typical ring gear.
The VT-1150+ provides a stable, heavy duty cutting platform with a rigid boxway feed structure, air-floating system and one-piece machine bed all designed to provide high precision with minimal thermal displacement.
"These new VTCs meet the dual challenge of delivering larger parts faster with the highest quality," explained Southern Gear President Karen Malin. "They are a great fit for our fast-growing aerospace and defense business where larger gears of this type are today in very high demand."
The addition of the Hwacheon VTCs is part of a multimillion dollar, company-wide investment in new technologies, methodologies and processes that, over the last several years, has, according to Malin, added much needed capacity to Southern Gear's vertically-integrated shop floor.
For more information contact:
Southern Gear & Machine, Inc.
3685 NW 106th St.
Miami, FL 33147
305-691-6300
sales@southerngear.com
www.southerngear.com