New high-speed CNC lathe uses compact drive

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Aug 21, 2001

JLJ Swiftlevel has selected Yaskawa Electric's Varispeed-626M5 machine tool drive system for the spindle of its new advanced finishing parts turning cell, a high-speed, CNC controlled lathe

JLJ Swiftlevel, of Golborne, Greater Manchester, has selected Yaskawa Electric's Varispeed-626M5 machine tool drive system for the spindle of its new advanced finishing parts turning cell, a high-speed, CNC controlled lathe.

The new turning cells could replace up to three older machines and are likely to appeal to sub-contract engineering firms and OEM companies manufacturing their own high volume components.

The turning cell, which has a 36mm diameter spindle capacity, speeds up cycle times through its ability to overlap slides.

For instance, while a hole is being drilled in the centre of the component, the outside diameter can be simultaneously turned.

Most tooling can be overlapped in this way in order to reduce the cycle times of the components.

In machine tool applications, the Yaskawa spindle drive systems control the magnetic flux vector, within the matched high-speed compact AC motors, providing exceptional torque control and smooth operation.

In the turning cells, the drive is configured into a compact package up to 40% smaller than comparable systems.

It consists of a VS-626M5 inverter, a VS-656MR5 regenerative converter and a 2kW S series servo amplifier together with an SGDC Multi-Axis servo amplifier for the sub-spindle drive.