Vertical Machining Centers (VMC) are most probably the most common metalworking machine found in every workshop around the world. Their operating principle is based on a rotating milling head that is placed on the top while the workpiece is mounted on an adjustable table at a plane that is parallel to the ground.
VMCs are mostly found in two distinct types that are able for different machining possibilities. The first one is the "bed mill" while the second type is the "turret mill". The main difference between the two is that the first one allows the perpendicular movement of the workpiece table while the later also supports movement along the axis that is parallel to the cutting head.
Benefits over Horizontal Centers
While Horizontal Machining Centers (HMC) are more suitable for heavy duty work and offer more milling options, VVMs are much easier and quicker to set up and get the processing of smaller pieces started. Moreover, vertical machines can deliver more delicate processing compared the-the larger horizontal mills. Due to the shape and cutting tool arrangement, VVMs require much less floor space and generally cost less. Last, VVMs can bore holes and perform accurate milling thanks to the retractable quill that isn't available in horizontal centers.
Ways VMCs Are Used
Vertical Machining Centers can be used in a wide scope of metal processing tasks depending on the expertise and different cutting heads, rotary tables or offset boring heads that may be available. Here is a list with the most common uses for this type of machine tool:
1. Slab or face milling is done to level or flatten a surface and is a simple process when using a VMC, as mounting the workpiece normally on the worktable is enough to get it started.
2. Similarly, if the workpiece is mounted in an inclined way, the slab milling is transformed to angular milling. This helps with the materialization of jointing dovetails.
3. For even more demanding and complex results, there is the straddle milling that involves two parallel milling cutters mounted on the same arbor and separated by an exact spacing. This makes the simultaneous cutting of two points possible, which is very useful when in need to mill hexagons of bolt heads for example. This will also need the addition of a rotary index table as the milling arbor is not rotatable.
4. When in need to remove the rough edges on a workpiece, VMMs can be equipped with convex cutters and produce high fidelity grooves, concaves and corner rounding.
5. A quite popular use of VMCs is for the milling of keyways along the axis of shafts. As these keyways feature certain dimensions and square or round ends, they are realized using specified key slot milling heads.
6. Spline and gear milling is also possible using vertical milling centers following the straddle milling principles.
7. Last, the retractable quill that is available in VMCs allows for the obvious ability to bore holes with great accuracy. Although this type of boring is not generally preferred in most cases, holes of diameter close to the available cutting head range can be realized relatively quickly.
VMCs are mostly found in two distinct types that are able for different machining possibilities. The first one is the "bed mill" while the second type is the "turret mill". The main difference between the two is that the first one allows the perpendicular movement of the workpiece table while the later also supports movement along the axis that is parallel to the cutting head.
Benefits over Horizontal Centers
While Horizontal Machining Centers (HMC) are more suitable for heavy duty work and offer more milling options, VVMs are much easier and quicker to set up and get the processing of smaller pieces started. Moreover, vertical machines can deliver more delicate processing compared the-the larger horizontal mills. Due to the shape and cutting tool arrangement, VVMs require much less floor space and generally cost less. Last, VVMs can bore holes and perform accurate milling thanks to the retractable quill that isn't available in horizontal centers.
Ways VMCs Are Used
Vertical Machining Centers can be used in a wide scope of metal processing tasks depending on the expertise and different cutting heads, rotary tables or offset boring heads that may be available. Here is a list with the most common uses for this type of machine tool:
1. Slab or face milling is done to level or flatten a surface and is a simple process when using a VMC, as mounting the workpiece normally on the worktable is enough to get it started.
2. Similarly, if the workpiece is mounted in an inclined way, the slab milling is transformed to angular milling. This helps with the materialization of jointing dovetails.
3. For even more demanding and complex results, there is the straddle milling that involves two parallel milling cutters mounted on the same arbor and separated by an exact spacing. This makes the simultaneous cutting of two points possible, which is very useful when in need to mill hexagons of bolt heads for example. This will also need the addition of a rotary index table as the milling arbor is not rotatable.
4. When in need to remove the rough edges on a workpiece, VMMs can be equipped with convex cutters and produce high fidelity grooves, concaves and corner rounding.
5. A quite popular use of VMCs is for the milling of keyways along the axis of shafts. As these keyways feature certain dimensions and square or round ends, they are realized using specified key slot milling heads.
6. Spline and gear milling is also possible using vertical milling centers following the straddle milling principles.
7. Last, the retractable quill that is available in VMCs allows for the obvious ability to bore holes with great accuracy. Although this type of boring is not generally preferred in most cases, holes of diameter close to the available cutting head range can be realized relatively quickly.
About the Author:
Absolute Machine Tools, Inc. offers several high quality vertical machining centers. Learn more on their website about their machine tools for sale, including lathes, gun drilling machines, boring machines and more!
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