When is to big too big.

[rustranch]

I ran across this today and just found it interesting
http://www.scaled.com/services/cms_mill.html
Of course if you have been following the x prize attempt you have already see this as a link on their web site.
Enjoy
RustRanch

[Bent]

That ain´t big
This is BIG
http://www.dencam.dk/Default.asp?ID=283

Regards Bent

[Splint]

That's incredable, but the first thing that comes to mind is what type of work requires such a huge machine? There is what appears to be an aircraft wing plug being manufactured, I didn't even know that aircraft were being manufactured that way, I thaught that technique was just for hobby stuff. I would have thaught it would have been more efficient to manufacture things of that size in sections which can be assembled. Even if the concept of a twin table mill was being applied here I cant imagine that it would be a viable approach. Someone please enlighten me...
Splint

[Dan S]

Splint

these two links will help

1) http://www.seattleyachtclub.org/sycA...pBinArt2-03-03 (as a note americas cup boats are 85 feet long.)


2) http://www.janicki.com/

allot of the big name boat companies are doing this now.

[DAB_Design]

http://www.premac.com/images/533.jpg

This is just one of the 4 machines on our gantry line. One 5 spindle, and three 3 spindle. All 5axis. If we really had to, we could cut a part over 500 feet long.

*edit* oops, 447 feel long.

[Splint]

WOW, that's amazing... Tell me, the 5 and 3 spindle machines, are they all combined to increase a single cutting path i.e. 5 large cutters to cut the same toolpath as one rediculously large cutting tool? What sort of work is typically done on these machines?
Cheers
Splint

Just as a side note, I recall a few years ago seeing the 5 axis machines where I work and thinking how big they were (a work envelope of about 30' by 15' by 10'), by comparison to your machines they're toys...

[DAB_Design]

http://www.premac.com/images/5heads.jpg Here's a shot of the 5 spindle.

And each spindle is used to cut it's own part (5 parts on the 5 spindle at once). There are times though, when not all spindles are used. We have one part that we just started doing, that is ran on a 3 spindle. But due to the size of the part, we can only run 2 at a time. So spindle 2 (middle spindle) isn't used.

We only machine aerospace components. On the larger, multispindle machines, we do large aluminum parts (wingskins, spars and such), and also parts that require running more than one at a time. Alot more efficient running 3 or 5 at a time than only 1.

There are a few parts that get ran on the large gantries that we can do on our smaller machines, but the time involved makes it more practicle to do them 3up or 5up. For example, we have a part that starts as a large titanium forging. We can do these on any of our 5 axis machines. But with 3 operations (the last operation running over 24hrs), it makes more since to run multiple parts at once.

Since I don't decide what machine the parts get ran on (wish I did sometimes), I'm not really sure what their criteria is for the parts to be ran on the multispindles. But size and time to machine are definately factors.

[svenakela]

Originally Posted by Splint That's incredable, but the first thing that comes to mind is what type of work requires such a huge machine? There is what appears to be an aircraft wing plug being manufactured, ...

You're close Splint, they are windmill wings!

--Sven