The Horizontal Machining Center (HMC) concept favours uninterrupted production work. One reason for this is that the horizontal position encourages chips to fall away, so they don’t have to be cleared from the table. More significantly, the horizontal design allows a two-pallet machine to be incorporated into a space-efficient machine. To save time, work can be loaded on one pallet of a horizontal machining center while machining occurs on the other pallet.
Horizontal Machining Center Applications
There are many benefits associated with horizontal machining, some of which include:
- Shorter processing time per part – With horizontals’ ability to swap pallets, there is no significant delay between machining cycles for job change-over. Plus, on the tombstone fixtures, various pieces can be completed in a single cycle.
- Lower prices – Horizontal machining has brought down the overall price per part quoted to customers.
- Three-side machining – The B axis allows three faces of the part to be reached in one cycle. Parts with similar features can also be machined in the same cycle to ensure accuracy.
- Complex part machining – Complex parts can now be machined more quickly and cost-effectively than ever before.
- Advanced tooling platform – Horizontal machining centers take advantage of the latest in cutting tool technology.
- Multi-customer Response – The ability to run multiple jobs on alternating pallets of the same machine allows use to fill orders for two customers in the same shift.
Depending on the job we offer a variety of diverse types of horizontal workholding to fit all your machining needs.
HMC Applications Examples
Kurt Product: Kurt Vise/Tombstone
Machine: 630mm HMC
Customer: Machine Equipment Manufacturer
Comment: 9 pallet FMS, all Kurt Workholding, 8XLPT vises on two faces, 2″ x 2″ grid on two faces for Kurt ML35.
Kurt Product: Kurt Vise/Tombstone
Machine: 630mm HMC
Customer: Machine Equipment Manufacturer
Comment: 9 pallet FMS, all Kurt Workholding, DL640 and 6XLPT Vises for large variety of work pieces.
Kurt Product: DL430 Three Sided Tombstone
Machine: HMC
Customer: Hydraulics Component Manufacturer
Comment: Unique triangular shape allows large parts to be clamped without exceeding the work envelope
Kurt Product: 5 ea. DL640 & 5 ea. DLU4 Specialty Vise Tombstone
Machine: HMC
Customer: Automotive Tool Products Company
Comments:
- Hard jaw vises for rectangular parts and machinable jaw vises for irregular parts.
- Large parts on one side, small parts on the other. Hydraulically actuated for operator efficiency
Kurt Product: Specialty Vise Tombstone W/ 2 ea. 6XLPT & 1 ea. 8XLPT Vises
Machine: HMC
Customer: Mold Shop
Comments: Large mold bases in 8XL and small mold bases held in the 6XL allows a large variety of parts.
Kurt Product: Specialty Vise Tombstone W/ Four D810’s
Machine: 630mm HMC
Customer: Mold Shop
Comments: Allows clamping for four 10” x 12” mold bases
Kurt Product: CT640 ClusterTowers
Machine: 20 Pallet HMC
Customer: Job Shop
Comment: Job shop environment requires many jobs to be set up and ready to go.
Kurt Product: CTU6 CarvLock ClusterTower
Machine: 10 Pallet HMC
Customer: Hydraulic Manifold Manufacturer
Comment: Unique combination of steps to clamp a wide variety of sizes.