complex machine tool

Complex Machine Tools, also known as compound processing machine tools, are processing equipment based on CNC machine tools and integrate multiple processes such as turning, milling, drilling and grinding into one. This equipment enhances processing accuracy and efficiency by reducing the number of times workpieces are repeatedly clamped, and is mainly applied in the processing of complex parts in fields such as aviation, automobiles, and molds。

Its common types include turning and milling compound centers, milling and turning compound centers, and turning and grinding compound processing machines. Some models are equipped with dual spindles, dual tool rests, and support nine-axis five-linkage processing. The machine tools adopt a 30° inclined rail casting bed structure and an automatic loading and unloading device, and achieve precise control through the numerical control system driving the servo motor. The technological development of the industry involves the optimization of machine tool design and manufacturing processes, the development of high-performance numerical control systems, and the innovation of programming technologies. "Made in China 2025" has listed this as a strategic area of contention, promoting the formation of a complete industrial chain and breakthroughs in key core technologies。

Compound machine tools represent the current trend in the development of machine tool technology worldwide. In the general development trend of maintaining process concentration and eliminating (or reducing) the reinstallation and positioning of workpieces, compound processing enables more different processing procedures to be combined on a single machine tool, thereby achieving the goals of reducing machine tools and fixtures, eliminating the handling and storage between processes, improving the processing accuracy of workpieces, shortening the processing cycle and saving the working area.

This not only meets users' demands in reducing floor space, minimizing parts transmission and inventory, and ensuring processing accuracy, but also ADAPTS to the energy conservation and emission reduction requirements of modern society. More and more complex parts are processed comprehensively by compound machine tools, which have become popular products developed by machine tool manufacturers in various countries.

Compound machine tools can be roughly classified into three categories: The first category is compound processing machine tools with turning as the main body, such as turning and milling compound centers, small five-axis turning and milling compound centers, turning and milling compound processing units, etc. The second category consists of compound processing machine tools with milling as the main body, such as five-axis bar stock processing centers. The third category includes turning and grinding compound processing machines and inverted turning and grinding compound centers.

The advanced compound processing machine tool is equipped with dual spindles, dual tool rests and nine-axis control, which can achieve four to five-axis linkage. The machine tool can complete all turning, milling and drilling processes in one installation.

(1) Turning as the main type

The compound processing machine mainly for turning processing is the turning compound center (turning and milling center). The turning compound center is a machining machine based on a lathe. Besides the tools for turning, it is also equipped with rotary tools capable of milling on the tool rest. It can process grooves and planes on circular and bar workpieces. This type of compound processing machine often has two spindles for holding workpieces. It can not only perform the same processing on two workpieces simultaneously, but also complete the processing of the clamping part by alternately clamping on the two spindles.

(2) Milled main type

The milled main type mainly refers to the compound and multi-axis development of machining centers. The compound machine tool (milling and turning center) based on milling machining centers, in addition to milling operations, is also equipped with a power rotary table capable of turning. For five-axis control machining tools, in addition to the control of the X, Y, and Z axes, to adapt to changes in the tool position, each feed axis can be rotated to a specific Angle position and positioned. The six-axis controlled compound machining machine tool can simulate the processing of complex-shaped workpieces.

(3) Grinding as the main type

The multi-axis development of grinding machines was originally only seen on centerless grinding machines. Most of them were developed with the aim of automating loading and unloading operations, and compound processing machines that can complete internal circle, external circle and end face grinding on a single machine tool have been developed. For instance, in Europe, a compound processing machine integrating thread and spline grinding functions has been developed.

(4) Compound processing of different types of work

The use of compound machine tools for processing can significantly shorten the production cycle of workpieces and improve the processing accuracy of workpieces. To enhance productivity, the development and manufacturing of CNC compound processing machine tools have become a trend in the development of CNC machine tools. The development of compound processing technology will bring revolutionary changes to future production. The production mode, production organization and production management of factories will change, indicating that a complete processing era is approaching. That is, on a single machine tool, the raw material is directly processed into a finished workpiece, which is then sent to assembly and final assembly for assembly, achieving true lean production with no work-in-progress, no semi-finished products, and no finished product warehouse.

The development of compound processing technology needs to be advanced from three aspects simultaneously: First, the optimization and improvement of the design and manufacturing technology of compound processing machine tools; The second is the development of corresponding high-performance numerical control systems; The third is the improvement of application technology level. It should be noted that the successful operation of high-level compound processing machine tools such as turning and milling centers and 5-axis 5-face machining centers in industrial production is closely related to the level of their application technologies, especially the programming technology (including post-processing), simulation inspection technology for preventing interference and collision, and tool technology in the application technologies. Some foreign companies have already achieved many remarkable results in this regard.