The current status and advantages of five-axis simultaneous machining centers

Development Status

Five-axis simultaneous CNC machine tools emerged abroad to accommodate the machining of multi-faceted and curved parts. With the new development of machine tool hybridization technology, turning-milling centers capable of milling operations were quickly produced based on CNC lathes. The machining efficiency of five-axis simultaneous CNC machine tools is equivalent to that of two three-axis machines, and sometimes can even completely eliminate the need for investment in certain large-scale automated production lines, significantly saving floor space and reducing the time and cost of transportation between different manufacturing units. Market demand has driven the development of five-axis simultaneous CNC machine tools in China. At the CIMT99 exhibition, domestically produced five-axis simultaneous CNC machine tools made their debut on the machine tool market. Since Jiangsu Duoleng CNC Machine Tool Co., Ltd. exhibited the first five-axis simultaneous gantry machining center, institutions such as Beijing Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Research, Guilin Machine Tool Co., Ltd., and Jinan No.2 Machine Tool Group Co., Ltd. have also successively developed five-axis simultaneous CNC machine tools.

Currently, domestically produced five-axis simultaneous CNC machine tools have covered vertical, horizontal, gantry, and floor-type machining centers in terms of varieties, accommodating the machining of complex parts of different sizes. Coupled with the development of five-axis simultaneous milling machines, large-scale boring-milling machines, and turning-milling centers, they basically meet the demands of the domestic market. In terms of precision, the high-precision machining centers from Beijing Machine Tool Research Institute, the NJ25HMC40 horizontal machining center from Ningjiang Machinery Group Co., Ltd., and the TH61160 horizontal boring-milling machining center from Jiaoda Kunji Technology Co., Ltd. all exhibit high precision, comparable to products from developed countries. In terms of product market sales, products from companies such as Jiangsu Duoleng, Jinan No.2 Machine Tool, Beijing Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Research, Ningjiang Machine Tool, Guilin Machine Tool, and Beijing No.1 Machine Tool have gained recognition in the domestic market.

On the morning of July 31, 2013, a high-precision five-axis vertical machine tool manufactured by Dalian Kede was shipped for export to Germany. Wang Weiming, Deputy Director of the Equipment Industry Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, stated, "The sale of this CNC machine tool to a western developed country marks an important milestone for China's machine tool manufacturing industry."

Advantages

It is widely believed that the five-axis simultaneous CNC machine tool system is the only means for machining impellers, blades, marine propellers, heavy generator rotors, steam turbine rotors, large diesel engine crankshafts, and more. It is a high-tech, high-precision machine tool specifically designed for machining complex surfaces, and this machine tool system has a significant impact on a country's aviation, aerospace, military, research, precision instruments, high-precision medical equipment, and other industries.

The use of five-axis simultaneous machine tools facilitates workpiece clamping. Special fixtures are not required during machining, reducing fixture costs and avoiding multiple clampings, thereby improving mold machining accuracy. The use of five-axis technology in mold machining can reduce the number of fixtures used. Additionally, since five-axis simultaneous machine tools can eliminate the need for many special tools during machining, tool costs are reduced. Five-axis simultaneous machine tools can increase the effective cutting edge length of tools during machining, reduce cutting forces, extend tool life, and lower costs. Using five-axis simultaneous machine tools for mold machining can quickly complete the process, ensuring faster delivery and better mold machining quality, making mold machining and modifications easier. In traditional mold machining, vertical machining centers are commonly used to complete milling operations on workpieces. With the continuous development of mold manufacturing technology, some weaknesses of vertical machining centers have become increasingly apparent. Modern mold machining commonly uses ball-end mills, which offer significant benefits. However, if a vertical machining center is used, the linear speed at the bottom surface is zero, resulting in poor surface finish. Using four- or five-axis simultaneous machining technology for mold machining can overcome these shortcomings. Five-axis simultaneous machining center.