Seen at EMO: Laser Metal Deposition Integrated in Moving Column Machining Center
Milling, turning and additive fabrication within a single platform that can accommodate large parts.
Machine tool builder Ibarmia used the recent EMO show in Milan, Italy, to introduce its new machine combining milling and turning capability with additive manufacturing. The five-axis, moving-column, hybrid machining center features a laser cladding head for growing parts or features additively within the same cycle that also performs subtractive CNC machining. The head can be changed out automatically within the machining cycle, mounting within the spindle’s HSK taper.
The moving-column design of the machine allows for large workpieces, while a rotary axis at the table allows for vertical turning. For the additive capability, the company says the machine’s control system allows the user to choose between two modes: optimizing metal deposition rate or optimizing the amount of material layered onto the part. The first choice targets production speed, while the second choice targets cost by minimizing how much added material must be machined away.
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