Production Machining - Your access to the precision machining industrial buyer.
Issue link: https://pm.epubxp.com/i/105154
Redefining Swiss-Type wiss-type machining is evolving well beyond what its original developers could ever have imagined, and no end is in sight. Continuous innovation adds more machining stations or tool posts and more axes of motion. More powerful controls on CNC machines enable simultaneous machining by various tools on each part and eliminates servo lag, which helps reduce cycle time and improve throughput. Moreover, synchronized subspindles allow machining on the back end of parts, leaving no surface inaccessible. Swiss-type machines were developed for making high precision, long, slender parts essential to the renowned Swiss watch and clock industry. Swiss-type's distinct S All Swiss, All the Time Te Roberts Swiss staf in Itasca, Ill., describes the company as "all Swiss all the time." Te point is that Swiss-type machining isn't just a part of what the company does, it's all it does. Tey make parts from 0.008-inch to 1.5-inch diameter, from 0.03 inch to 24 inch in length. With rare exception, all parts are made complete in one Swiss-type operation with no secondary operations. Machining difcult parts for the medical industry is a key to the company's success. Interestingly, many of these parts seem to defy the traditional defnition of a Swiss-type part. "Specializing in Swiss has great advantages for us," says V.P. Fernando Ortiz Jr. "Anyone can buy a Swiss-type machine tool, but knowing and understanding their idiosyncrasies and capabilities comes with years of experience. With a 60-year track record and a depth of tremendous employee expertise, we see things diferently. Still, we don't only train and nurture our own future leaders. We also like to hire from outside the company to bring in a fresh perspective. We know that as experts, we need to constantly challenge ourselves and be open to other ideas in order to grow." :: The contoured shape is sidemilled using a 0.040 inch end mill. This generates the tight 0.020-inch corner radii. Note that the barstock has been drawn back into the bushing to keep unsupported part extension to a minimum. advantage is its unique support of the workpiece—a guide bushing. Material is held in the main spindle and advanced through the guide bushing, only exposing the portion being machined from the bushing. Tis concept of supporting the material in a bushing and advancing the material through it is the very essence of Swiss-type machining. Supporting the material very near the cutting tool virtually eliminates chatter by eliminating defection. Tat same support from the bushing, along with singlesetup simplicity also eliminates runout. For longer parts, a subspindle can also grip the fnished front of the part to support it as the part extends further through the bushing. Te net result is higher productivity and accuracy at once—a win-win for the manufacturer and the customer. Routine investment in new capabilities is a big part of Roberts' growth. Today it runs more than 85 Swiss-type machines, including 30 CNC Swiss-types. Amongst the CNC machines, there is a variety of capabilities, all geared to having the right machine for every job. Bar capacities range to 1.5 inches (38 mm) and all machines have magazine-type bar feeds. Also, all have subspindles and multi-axis capability, up to 12 controlled motion axes. Swiss Parts—Really? As we toured the shop foor, Mr. Ortiz showed us several boxes of parts, seemingly endless examples of parts they've machined throughout the company's 60 years. Many were simple pins, which is how Roberts got its start, machining phonograph needles. However, some only looked simple productionmachining.com :: 29