Product category:
Machinery and Production Equipment
News Release from: Mikron | Subject: High speed machining
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 15 March 2001
Pelton wheels produced using machining
centre
EFG, a small, specialist company based in Austria, is creating an international stir with the development and production of turbine wheels using a Mikron UCP 1000 high speed machining centre.
EFG, a small, specialist company based in Austria, is creating an international stir with the development and production of turbine wheels using a Mikron UCP 1000 high speed machining centre It has been traditional to cast Pelton wheels from a single piece of metal, however, as EFG Head of Sales, Werner Goldberger explains, "Casting can no longer satisfactorily meet the increasing demands for quality and availability," and EFG has therefore turned to forging technology, which offers significant benefits in terms of resilience and quality
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 15 Mar 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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EFG claims to be the only company in the world using forging technology to manufacture Pelton buckets.
After an extensive search for a machine tool capable of carrying out this arduous task, EFG selected a Mikron UCP 1000 high speed machining centre which has completely satisfied their requirement for the processing of complex workpieces in a single chuck set-up.
The following features of the UCP 1000 were particularly appropriate to EFG's requirements: Working range X = 800, Y = 1000, X = 750 * Milling head can be used vertically or horizontally * NC-controlled tilting rotary table for simultaneous 5-axis machining * Tool magazine with 30 positions * Table load up to 1000 kg * Spindle speeds up to 15000 rpm * Feed rates up to 10m/min * Rapid movement up to 30m/min The productivity of the Mikron machine meant that a multi-shift system could be introduced for machining the Pelton buckets.
The Heidenhain TNC 426 control system monitors the processes and ensures the machining accuracy which affects the efficiency of the turbines.
So successful has the company become that it is planning to introduce a 3 shift system, confident in the knowledge that the Mikron UCP 1000 will handle the work with ease.
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