CNC Machines Information

Machine tool builder Okuma America Corporation has introduced a new CNC lathe to address the growing need for a family of products suited to the needs of both first-time CNC users as well as experienced manufacturers supplying diverse industries with precision turned parts. Designated the Crown, Okuma's lathe offers a high-torque spindle motor, direct-drive headstock, servo-driven tool turret, an economically-configured machine enclosure, and a compact 95.47 by 69.4 inch machine footprint.

The new lathe is currently available in three models, the 10 hp Crown-E, the 15 hp Standard Bore, and 20 hp Big Bore. A V12 hydraulic turret is standard with the Crown-E. The Standard Bore and Big Bore models both use a V12 numerically controlled servomotor turret. Okuma engineers note that the new lathe is intended to be what they describe as "an evolutionary" product driven by the demands of end-users and the worldwide machine tool marketplace. Okuma officials project the production life-cycle of the Crown family at some 10,000 units through the year 2005.

Okuma America president John Hendrick explained, "We began production of the Crown this past April, initially producing some 40 units which comprise the first shipments to our Okuma distributor locations throughout North and South America. These first lathes began shipping from our Charlotte plant in June, with production reaching 60 units a month by July and up to 80 units monthly as early as next year.

The E-Series Crown offers entry-level CNC pricing, based on a hydraulic turret system that provides station-to-station tool index times of 0.8 seconds. The S-Type Crown, with its servo-driven turret, cuts tool index times to 0.2 seconds. Depending upon the model selected, main spindle speeds are infinitely variable between either 75 and 4200 rpm or 65 and 3500 rpm. Machine travels in the Z and X axes are the same for all models: X-axis, 7.28 inches; Z-axis, 20.47 inches; X-axis rapid feed rate, 590.55 ipm; and Z-axis, 787.4 ipm.

Okuma design engineers stress that the Crown is designed to facilitate production and simplify CNC turning operations. For example, the Crown's unusual, rounded enclosure helps deflect fluids and chips away from the workpiece, while it facilitates operator access for routine set up and parts removal operations. The lathe's Okuma-manufactured OSP CNC system pivots 90 degrees from the machine for convenient viewing during programming operations. According to the builder, the on-board MacMan system streamlines diagnostic procedures to cut troubleshooting time, while the OSP's integral floppy disk drive enables operators to quickly load custom CNC machining programs authored on a conventional PC.

Prospective Crown customers currently range from entry-level CNC users to multinational automotive manufacturers and their first-tier suppliers. Mr. Hendrick adds, "With Okuma's 1996 introduction of the CADET-Mate and CADET-V machining centers and this year's CTV-30 and CTV-40 vertical machining centers, in combination with its CNC grinder line, the new Crown lathe further positions the company to market a complete line of advanced machine tools with the commortality of OSP computer numerical control.

Okuma America Corporation is the U.S. affiliate of Okuma Corporation, a worldwide machine tool builder founded in Nagoya, Japan, in 1898. Established in Long Island, New York, in 1984, Okuma American today has a 364,000 square foot headquarters, manufacturing and training facility in Charlotte, North Carolina, employing 400 persons.



http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3101/is_n4_v70/ai_20045238

Machine tool builder Okuma America Corporation has introduced a new CNC lathe to address the growing need for a family of products suited to the needs of both first-time CNC users as well as experienced manufacturers supplying diverse industries with precision turned parts. Designated the Crown, Okuma's lathe offers a high-torque spindle motor, direct-drive headstock, servo-driven tool turret, an ergonomically-configured machine enclosure, and a compact 95.47 by 69.4 inch machine footprint.

The new lathe is currently available in three models, the 10 hp Crown-E, the 15 hp Standard Bore, and 20 hp Big Bore. A V12 hydraulic turret is standard with the Crown-E. The Standard Bore and Big Bore models both use a V12 numerically controlled servomotor turret. Okuma engineers note that the new lathe is intended to be what they describe as "an evolutionary" product driven by the demands of end-users and the worldwide machine tool marketplace. Okuma officials project the production life-cycle of the Crown family at some 10,000 units through the year 2005.

Okuma America president John Hendrick explained, "We began production of the Crown this past April, initially producing some 40 units which comprise the first shipments to our Okuma distributor locations throughout North and South America. These first lathes began shipping from our Charlotte plant in June, with production reaching 60 units a month by July and up to 80 units monthly as early as next year.

The E-Series Crown offers entry-level CNC pricing, based on a hydraulic turret system that provides station-to-station tool index times of 0.8 seconds. The S-Type Crown, with its servo-driven turret, cuts tool index times to 0.2 seconds. Depending upon the model selected, main spindle speeds are infinitely variable between either 75 and 4200 rpm or 65 and 3500 rpm. Machine travels in the Z and X axes are the same for all models: X-axis, 7.28 inches; Z-axis, 20.47 inches; X-axis rapid feed rate, 590.55 ipm; and Z-axis, 787.4 ipm.

Okuma design engineers stress that the Crown is designed to facilitate production and simplify CNC turning operations. For example, the Crown's unusual, rounded enclosure helps deflect fluids and chips away from the workpiece, while it facilitates operator access for routine set up and parts removal operations. The lathe's Okuma-manufactured OSP CNC system pivots 90 degrees from the machine for convenient viewing during programming operations. According to the builder, the on-board MacMan system streamlines diagnostic procedures to cut troubleshooting time, while the OSP's integral floppy disk drive enables operators to quickly load custom CNC machining programs authored on a conventional PC.

Prospective Crown customers currently range from entry-level CNC users to multinational automotive manufacturers and their first-tier suppliers. Mr. Hendrick adds, "With Okuma's 1996 introduction of the CADET-Mate and CADET-V machining centers and this year's CTV-30 and CTV-40 vertical machining centers, in combination with its CNC grinder line, the new Crown lathe further positions the company to market a complete line of advanced machine tools with the commonality of OSP computer numerical control.

Okuma America Corporation is the U.S. affiliate of Okuma Corporation, a worldwide machine tool builder founded in Nagoya, Japan, in 1898. Established in Long Island, New York, in 1984, Okuma American today has a 364,000 square foot headquarters, manufacturing and training facility in Charlotte, North Carolina, employing 400 persons.



http://www.mmsonline.com/articles/0997scan2.html

Okuma America Corp, a supplier of machine tools, renewed its sponsorship as the official machine tool supplier of the National Hot Rod Association. The agreement continues Okuma’s commitment to NHRA Championship Drag Racing. Okuma is also a primary sponsor of Bill Miller’s Top Fuel team.

As part of the exclusive, multiyear agreement, NHRA provides Okuma with multiple ways to advertise through a variety of NHRA marketing platforms, including track signage at each NHRA POWERade Series event. In addition, Okuma will be able to use the NHRA mark in its advertising and promotional campaigns.

Okuma America is based in Charlotte, N.C. It was founded in 1898 in Nagoya, Japan, and produces CNC machine tools and technologies.


http://www.americanmachinist.com/304/News/Article/False/69979/

"We listened to our customers in the auto industry," said John D. Hendrick, president and chief operating officer, Okuma America Corp. (Charlotte, NC), at the announcement of two new machining centers that are the first of a series of machines that the machine tool builder is launching to meet the needs of reliable, high production coupled with flexibility. He described the machines as "a new generation of machine tools for flexible manufacturing," and as being "aimed at the auto industry." OEMs initially, but then...

The machines will be built in a new 112,000-ft2 plant in Charlotte; when running at capacity, the assembly line for the machines will be capable of outputting 70 per month.

The two machines—designated the CTV-30 and CTV-40—are both small-footprint, vertical spindle machining centers. These machines, although fully capable as stand-alone units, have been designed so that they can be lined up next to each other, as all service and maintenance points are located at the front or back; there are none along the sides. The sequence of machines would be, in effect, transfer machine-like in effect—thereby providing the high volume capabilities—while, at the same time, providing the flexibility, and possibly even agility, that is being sought in many production plants (to handle engineering design changes and/or demand shifts). A primary application area for the CTVs is in powertrain, even including the machining of transmission bell housings.

Although many of the machining center applications in higher-volume OEM (and supplier) plants are being handled by horizontal-spindle machines, Larry G. Schwartz, Okuma America senior vice president, said that the OEM engineers he and his colleagues talked with prior to the CTV development were fairly insistent on the vertical configuration. He explained that they felt that if they were able to get machines that would meet their cycle time requirements while providing a smaller footprint and a reduced price point (verticals are typically less expensive than horizontals), they would prefer the vertical design.

The use of vertical machining centers very much like the CTVs is comparatively common at OEM facilities in Japan. In order to help speed product development of the new machines, Okuma America's corporate parent, Nagoya-based Okuma Corp., entered into an agreement with Enshu Ltd. (Shizouka, Japan). Enshu produces machines of this type for Japanese auto makers. It is now providing Okuma America with the basic machine structure; the drives, motors, controls, sheet metal, and other components are being added by Okuma America. Hendrick said that the CTV machine designs were specifically developed to meet U.S. auto maker requirements, that the Enshu machines used in Japan may be based on the same iron but are clearly different from these new offerings. Not only has this collaboration with Enshu helped take 24 months out of the development time, but Hendrick cited another benefit to customers: the Enshu components have a proven track record in automotive installations, as do Okuma America CNC equipment (for example, there are 248 CNC Okuma turning machines at the GM Powertrain plant in Windsor, Ontario).

Picture this: several of these vertical spindle machines are arranged side to side and a simple roller conveyor running in front of them. Operators would manually load the machines; unloading is automatic. Then parts are manually moved along the conveyor from machine to machine. The result is transfer machine-like. Yet there is inherent flexibility: Not only is this, the CTV-30 (there is also a larger CTV-40), a CNC machine, but note the machine base—these machines can be moved to handle differing part requirements.

The Equipment

Both are traveling column-style machines. The CTV-30 is the smaller of the two machines. Its X, Y, Z axes travels are 19.7 in., 15.0 in., and 15.7 in. (+8.3 in.). The rapid traverse rate is 1,417 ipm. The spindle provides speeds from 120 to 10,000 rpm. There is a standard 12-tool automatic tool changer; it handles CAT 30 tools. Tool changes (tool to tool) are performed in one second. The floor space requirements for the machine: 53 × 108.7 in. For those concerned with machine height: it's 102 in.

The CTV-40—yes, it handles CAT 40 tools—has travels of 25.6 in. X, 17.7 in. Y, and 13.8 in. (+4.3 in.) Z. The rapid rate is 1,417 ipm for the X and Y axes; it's 787 ipm in Z. The spindle speed range is 80 to 8,000 rpm. The automatic tool changer handles 20 tools. The floor space requirements: 63 × 127.7 in.; it is 110 in. high.

Both machines are equipped with the Charlotte-manufactured Okuma OSP 700 M controls and drives. There is a recognition that many auto plants have control requirements that specify things other than Okuma; consequently, other vendors (e.g., Fanuc, Allen-Bradley) are being quoted.

The Operation

The concept is to have a series of CTV machines aligned one next to the other. Instead of having one machining center perform a multitude of operations on a part, it would be likely, Schwartz suggested, that each machine would perform one or just a few operations, similar to the way parts are processed through a transfer line. Manning requirements are minimal. One person can handle from six to 10 machines, said Bruce Bowman, Okuma America's manager, Focused Industry. It is thought that part transfer from machine to machine could be manual, via a simple roller conveyor. Part load would also be manually performed, with part unload being an automatic function, located right in the machine tool. Because of the manual load and transfer, machine leveling on the floor, while still important, is not as critical as it can be with other types of machine tools. Okuma America engineers recognized that OEM factories tend to have existing personnel on site who are going to remain on the payroll, so this approach to simple and manual operation was devised, taking ergonomic requirements into consideration. This can help in production leveling.

The Payback

The machine is designed and built so that little or no maintenance is required. In the event of a major problem, it would be possible to (1) have the operations previously performed by the faulty machine picked up by another unit on the line (remember: these machines have CNC control and automatic tool changers) and (2) have the machine removed from the line for repair (the machines do not require special foundations). Disconnection and replacement, according to Schwartz, can be effected in a few hours. Downtime costs are thereby minimized. AD&P


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