Challenges

The customer said “We are cutting two types of large workpieces, but a lot of man-hours are required for loading and unloading of the workpieces and changing setup so that it is difficult to increase the machine operating rate.”

“Moreover, there is a demand for increased production, so we want to achieve it with machine that operates with high capacity.”

⚡Points of the problem faced by the customer⚡

(1) The customer were using one lathe and one machining center, taking a lot of waiting time and resulting in a low machine utilization rate.

(2)Workpiece loading and unloading to the main chuck was done with a crane (hoist), which was making a heavy burden on the operator and was also risky.

(3)Whenever changing workpieces, the setup-change job was required, resulting in a lot of time loss.

Solutions

💡What we can do for the customer💡

The Twin Spindle CNC Chucker “MW400” with milling function integrates all of these processes into a single machine!

Separate workpieces can be produced on the left and right spindles, respectively, eliminating the need for setup changes.

Furthermore, the Muratec loader allows for “not only automatic loading and unloading of large and heavy workpieces, but also automation of material loading and finished parts unloading”!

📝Proposals

- We have divided the factors into the following three points which have a significant effect on the machine's operating rate: “Production machine,” “workpiece loading and unloading,” and “workpiece setup changes.”

1 . Production machine

By replacing the old machines with the MW400 that can be equipped with live tools, these processes can be carried out on a single machine.

This reduces the burden on operators who were previously in charge of multiple machines, such as lathes and machining centers, and simplifies the operational management.

2 . Workpiece loading and unloading

In addition to the MW400, by equipping it with a Muratec’s original loader, automatic transportation of large workpieces up to 15 inches and 25 kg ※1 can be achieved.

Not only it can eliminate the burdensome and risky task of loading and unloading heavy workpieces, it can also automate the material loading and the processed parts unloading, minimizing machine idle time.

※1 The transferable capacity is depending on the machine model and specifications.

3 . Workpiece setup changes

The machine was designed to eliminate the need for the setup changes by enabling the left and right spindles to process different workpieces.

Based on this design, the material loading and the finished parts unloading can be controlled when the Muratec’s stockers are installed on both sides of the machine.

In addition, a unique automatic cycle has been installed for this time to allow the workpiece “A” to be completed on the left side and “B” on the right side of the machine, respectively.

Since a single loader has been requested for this project, Muratec designed the loader jaws (jigs) internally so that they can use the same jaws for two types of workpieces.

*Related information: For simultaneous production of different workpieces with twin loader specifications, click here.

Effects after introduction

✨Higher Productivity

- The loader-based automation has eliminated the tasks that previously took up time for operators, such as loading and unloading workpieces and transporting them between processes.
Not only it has reduced the burden on the operator, it also has significantly reduced the machine-idle time.

In addition to the process integration, this system also enables two types of workpieces to be produced simultaneously on one machine, eliminating the need for workpiece setup changes and significantly improving machine utilization rates.
This has resulted in significant savings both in terms of equipment costs and floor space productivity.

Related page

#18 Realizing a compact automated production system by consolidating four manually-operated machines into one machine equipped with a loader!

#14Muratec’s flexible loader enables a single machine to play two roles.Also, the unique tooling system not requiring changeover and the oscillating cutting function improve productivity more

Products page

The product covered in this case study is The Twin Spindle CNC Chucker  “MW400,” which is designed for large chuck work (large-diameter and/or heavy workpieces),

employing a square slide and turret bar structure to achieve high rigidity and stable heavy-duty cutting.

For the product demonstration video, click here ↓