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About gantry type cnc vertical machining center

Types of Gantry Type CNC Vertical Machining Centers

Gantry type CNC vertical machining center refers to a kind of vertical machining center with a gantry structure. The workpiece is fixed on the worktable, and the tool controlled by the CNC system can cut the workpiece from different directions to realize various machining processes. The tooling direction can be vertical or other angles. The gantry structure provides high stability and rigidity, which can easily process large and heavy workpieces.

  • Square Gantry:

    This type resembles a rectangular shape. It has two vertical supports and a horizontal beam. The design provides good stability and high rigidity, which is suitable for high-precision machining requirements. Square gantries are usually large-size ones.

  • Open gantries have a gap in their horizontal beam, which makes them lighter, stiffer, and less powerful than square gantries. Because of these features, open gantries are always used to deal with lighter loads at higher speeds or accelerate more rapidly.

  • Plasma Gantry:

    Plasma gantries are explicitly designed for plasma cutting applications. They may feature additional components such as torch height control mechanisms to maintain the proper distance between the plasma torch and the workpiece.

  • Sub Gantry:

    A sub-gantry is a small-scale gantry system used to provide additional support or assist in the maneuvering of workpieces. They are widely used in the automation and material handling industry to enable flexibility and assist operations that require precise movement.

Specifications and maintenance of gantry type CNC vertical machining center

Specifications

Below are some typical specifications one may find in different models of the gantry type CNC vertical machining center.

  • Machining Range: The worktable area and worktable's max X-axis travel can indicate the proper size of the workpiece that the machine can handle. For example, the worktable dimension may be 2000mm x 1500mm, and the max X-axis travel may be 3000mm.
  • Machining Accuracy: A powerful gantry-type vertical machining can center with high precision for parts processing. Its machine tool itself and the controlling factors of the machining process can help ensure the accuracy of the machined parts. An example of a measurement that indicates the accuracy of a machining center is the positioning accuracy and repeatability. For instance, its positioning accuracy can be ±0.01mm, and its repeatability can be ±0.01mm.
  • Spindle System: The motor power of the spindle system may be 15kw, the spindle speed may be 12,000 rpm, and the spindle may have a cone-shaped tool holder of 50. The spindle system on a gantry type CNC machining center is responsible for driving and supporting various cutting tools, thus helping achieve different machining tasks and ensuring the machining accuracy and surface finish of the workpieces.
  • Control System: The control system of a gantry-type CNC vertical machining center is the brain that governs the machining process. The control system usually includes a computer numerical control (CNC) unit and software that program and monitor the machining operations. The specifications of the control system may include features like 5-axis linkage control and intuitive human-computer interface.
  • Overall Dimensions: The overall dimensions of the CNC gantry vertical machining center can show the size of the machine tool itself. The overall dimensions may be 4500mm in length, 2500mm in width, and 3000mm in height.

Maintenance tips

  • Cleaning and dust prevention:Regularly clean the machine tool's surface, worktable, guide rails, and tool holders to remove chips, dust, and dirt. Avert damage from the accumulation of sludge. Cover the machine with a dust cover when it is not in use to prevent dust and contaminants from entering the internal parts of the machine.
  • Lubrication system: The maintenance of the gantry-type CNC vertical machining center's lubrication system is critical for the normal operation and long service life of guide rails, racks, bearings, and other moving parts. Users should regularly inspect the oil quality and oil level of the lubrication system, ensure the pump and pipe are unblocked, and service the system in accordance with the prescribed lubricant brands and replacement intervals.
  • Cooling system: Maintain the gantry machining center's cooling system. This system helps the spindle motor and machining part dissipate heat. It, thereby, ensures stable operation and good machining quality. Users should regularly inspect the coolant's quality and level, ensure the coolant pump works fine, and clean the coolant tank to prevent the system from being contaminated or clogged.
  • Optical axis and screws: The CNC vertical machining center sometimes has optical axes and screws. Optical axes are precision shafts with grooves that guide movements, while screws use the thread meshes to help realize movements. Users should regularly clean and lubricate the optical axis and screws to prevent dust and chips from affecting their accuracy and smoothness of movement.

Scenarios

Gantry CNC machining centers can be used to give precise shape and size to a wide variety of materials in many industries. Here are some examples of their applications:

  • Aerospace sector

    The aerospace industry uses gantry vertical machining centers for cutting and shaping complex parts accurately. These machines ensure that components such as fuselage sections, structural components, wing parts, and brackets have the right dimensions. In this industry, the quality of materials used and the strength are important considerations. The machining center can achieve these.

  • Automobile Industry

    In the automobile industry, a gantry CNC machine can make parts of different sizes. Larger machines are used to cut car frames and chassis, while smaller ones are used for smaller car parts like cylinder heads and valve plates. The accuracy of these machines helps to improve car performance and safety.

  • Tooling and Molding

    Gantry CNC machining centers are used to make injection molds and die casts. It does this by accurately cutting and shaping the mold cavities. This ensures that the molds produced are precise reflections of the items they will produce.

  • Marine Industry

    Large parts of ships and marine vessels are made with the help of gantry-type CNC machining centers. Components like propeller shafts, hull sections, and mounting brackets are shaped accurately to meet design specifications.

  • Metal Fabrication

    In the metal fabrication industry, gantry machining centers are used as making equipment. It is used to make plasma cutting jigs and fixtures with good accuracy. Also, welding components are made by ensuring excellent fit-up.

  • Medical Industry

    Medical equipment parts are precisely cut and shaped using gantry vertical machining centers. These parts include prosthetics, surgical instruments, and implants to meet the highest quality standards and regulatory requirements.

How to Choose Gantry Type CNC Vertical Machining Centers

When choosing the proper gantry CNC machining center for specific needs, it is essential to consider many aspects. But the first step is to know what one needs the machine for. This helps in understanding what features to look for when choosing a gantry CNC machine.

Determine the type of material one is working with and the most straightforward way the machine will work. One will only have an energy-efficient gantry CNC machining center upon knowing the material. This is because various materials require different levels of strength, cutting speed, and precision.

Consider the maximum weight the machine can take. Heavy-duty materials require centermore robust loading capacity. One should look for a model with a robust gantry design, a high-power spindle motor, a high cutting torque, and a tool library.

One will need a machine with a larger working area and high processing speed if one's project involves large workpieces requiring the frequent handling of numerous parts. An open architecture design might also be required to facilitate the easy access of different workpieces.

Invest in a gantry machining center with a high level of precision and a user-friendly interface if one performs high-precision, complex parts with intricate designs. Such emphasizes to note that precision levels can differ among models due to factors like linear guides, ball screws, or servo motors.

One needs to ensure that the machine can easily cope with the project requirement's max spindle speed, torque, and sizes. It includes any additional features one may need, such as automatic tool changers or rotary tables, which might be necessary for one's workpiece but are not often standardized in most machines.

Gantry type CNC vertical machining center Q & A

Q: What is the difference between gantry machining centers and other machining centers?

A: The main difference is in structure and application. Gantry machining centers are more suitable for large-scale workpieces. Other types of machining centers may have a rotary shaft. That can be used to move the cutting tools to different directions to cut and mill the workpiece precisely.

Q: What is the function of a gantry CNC machine?

A: The gantry CNC machine functions mainly to cut, drill, and mill. It can perform various machining operations on different types of materials with high precision. In addition to this, it also supports and holds the workpieces. No doubt, the most common machining operation the gantry machine does is milling. And it can more or less do all of the machining operations mentioned above on the workpiece.

Q: What are the advantages of a gantry machine?

A: A gantry machine center has many advantages. It has a large cutting area. This makes it suitable for workpieces that are large and heavy. Gantry machines have high rigidity. This ensures machining with high precision and stability. It supports and holds heavy and large workpieces easily. The machine offers a wide range of machining possibilities for the material at hand.