88-1

Objectives
• Describe the development of the machining
center
• Identify the types and construction of
machining centers
• Explain the operation of the machining
center
• Understand a basic CNC program for a
machining center
 88-2

CNC Machining Centers

• Industrial surveys in 1960's showed smaller
machine components requiring several
operations tool long time to complete
– Part sent to several machines before finished
– There was much "operator intervention" during
machining process
• In late 1960s and early 70s, begin to design
machine that would perform several
operations and do 90% of machining on one
machine
 88-3

Types of Machining Centers

• Three types: horizontal, vertical and
universal
Factors to determine type and size
1. Size and weight of largest piece machined
2. Maximum travel of three primary axes
3. Maximum speeds and feeds available
4. Horsepower of spindle
5. Number of tools automatic tool changer
can hold
 88-4

Two Types of Horizontal

Machining Centers
• Traveling-column
– One or usually two tables where work mounted
• Column and cutter move toward work on one table
while operator changes workpiece on other table
• Fixed-column
– Equipped with pallet (removable table)
• After workpiece machined, pallet and workpiece
moved off receiver onto shuttle; shuttle rotated,
bringing new pallet into position for shuttle and
finished work pallet into position for unloading
 88-5

Vertical Machining Center

• Saddle-type construction with sliding
bedways that use a sliding vertical head
instead of quill movement
• Generally used to machine flat parts held in
vise or simple fixture
• Versatility increased by addition of rotary
accessories
 88-6

Universal Machining Center

• Combines features of vertical and horizontal
machining centers
– Spindle can be programmed in both vertical and
horizontal positions
• Allows for machining all side of a part in one setup
• Useful for small and medium batch parts
• Has additional accessories such as indexible
pallets and rotary-tilt tables
 88-7

Advantages of Universal
Machining Centers
• Eliminate handling and waiting time
between machines
• Reduced number of fixtures and setups
• Reduced programming time
• Improved product quality
• Less work-in-process (WIP) inventory
• Faster product delivery to customers
• Lower manufacturing costs
 88-8

Main Operative Parts

Y axis
Main operative parts of both
Column vertical and horizontal
centers basically same.
Position of machining
spindle determines whether
Saddle it is classified as vertical
X axis or horizontal.

Z axis

Bed
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Permission required for reproduction or display.
 88-9

Primary Components of a
Machining Center

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Permission required for reproduction or display.
 88-10

Machining Center Accessories

• Number of accessories available

• Two types
– Those that improve efficiency or operation of
machine tool
– Those that involve holding or machining
workpiece
 88-11

Torque Control Machining

• Calculates torque from measurements at
spindle drive motor
• Increases productivity by preventing and
sensing damage to cutting tool
– Torque measured when machine turning, not
cutting and value stored in memory
– As cutting begins, stored value subtracted from
reading at motor giving net cutting torque
• Goes higher, computer reduces feedrate, turns on
coolant or even stops cycle
 88-12

Automatic Tool Changers:

Large Capacity Horizontal-Type
• Hold up to 200 tools
– Identified by either tool number or storage pocket
number
– Held in storage chain
• Process: (~ 11 seconds)
– When one operation being performed, tool required for
next moved to pick-up position
– Tool change arm removes and holds it; exchanges when
operation complete; returns tool to storage
 88-13

Automatic Tool Changers:

Smaller-Capacity Vertical, Disk-Type
• Holds from 12 to 24 tools
• Next tool selected upon completion of
machining operation (~ 2.5 to 6 seconds)
– Tool carriage mounted on shuttle that slides
carriage next to tool spindle
– Tool pocket aligned, spindle orients toolholder
and tool lock releases
– Tool changer rotates to number called, tool lock
energized and carriage slides out of way
 88-14

Tools and Toolholders

• Wide variety of cutting tools
• Conventional milling machines, cutting tool
cuts 20% of time
• Studies show machining center time
– 20% milling, 10% boring, and 70% hole-making
in average machine cycle
– Cutting time can be as high as 75%
• Large consumption of disposable tools
caused by increased tool use
 88-15

face milling cutters

two-flute end mill

four-flute end mill

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Permission required for reproduction or display.
 88-16

Stub Drills

high-helix drill

core drill

oil hole drill

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Permission required for reproduction or display.
 88-17

Taps

gun

stub flute

spiral flute

fluteless
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Permission required for reproduction or display.
 88-18

rose reamer

fluted reamer

carbide-tipped reamer
Single-point boring tools
are used to enlarge a hole
and bring it to location.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Permission required for reproduction or display.
 88-19

Combination Tools
• If machining center has helical
interpolation capability, one
tool can perform drilling,
chamfering, and threading
operations in one cycle
Solid-carbide combination drill/thread
tool with drill tip on end, chamfer
located at correct length for selected
application
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Permission required for reproduction or display.
 88-20

Sequence of operations for

combination tool, the Thriller®
1.
2. Drill
3. Next,
Tool
4. On
Chamfer
fed
is pointiscan
thread
completion
brought
radially
cut,
outproduce
isinto
formed
of
and
radially
the
wall
toolthrough
by ishelical
cycle,
offrom
hole hole
retracted
thewall,
totool
fullisor a blind
interpolation
toapproximately
thread
center
retracted
depth
of
hole
cycle
during
hole2out no
during
½½ of deeper
during
thread
of
the
½
a hole
turn
of athan
one
pitches two
full
(180º,
turn turn
from times
(180º)
while
the toolwhile
(360º),
while
bottom
moving diameter
moving
of½ the moving
of ½
thread
hole
of a
pitch
thread –Z axis
oneinpitch
thread the –Z
inpitch –Z axis.
in axis.
1 2 3 4

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Permission required for reproduction or display.
 88-21

Toolholders
• Must have compatibility in toolholders in
order for wide variety of cutting tools to be
inserted into machine spindle quickly and
accurately
• Most common toolholder has V-flange and
self-releasing taper shank
– Size (range from No. 30 to 60) determined by
machine capacity and designed horsepower
 88-22

Common
Toolholder

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Permission required for reproduction or display.
 88-23

Variety of Toolholders

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Permission required for reproduction or display.
 88-24

Work-Holding Devices
• Standard step clamp
– Used to hold down flat, large parts
– Quick-release clamp good when clamps have to
be temporarily moved to machine edge
• Table plate
– Flat aluminum plate bolted to machine table
– Dowel pin and tapped holes machined into plate
to permit fastening vises or clamps
• More flexible than limit of table T-slots
 88-25

• Plain-style precision vises

– Keyed directly to table slots
• Make positioning and clamping accurate and simple
– When machining multiple identical parts,
matched set of qualified vises can be used
• Qualified vises used when long part requires support
on both end to maintain parallelism
– When using double-station cluster vises; total of
up to 20 parts held for machining operation
 88-26

• Vise jaw systems

– Set of master jaws placed in vise and items
snapped into position
• Parallels, modular workstops, angle plates, V-jaws,
and machinable soft jaws
– Add versatility and increase flexibility of a
precision vise
– Can be used in both single-station and double-
station vises
• CNC fixtures
– Used to accurately locate many similar parts and
hold them securely for machining
 88-27

Programming Procedures
• Programming can vary slightly from
machine to machine so important to follow
manual supplied with machine
• Two classes concentrated on in text:
– Bench-top teaching model
• Inexpensive and easy to operate for students
– Standard machine model
 88-28

Bench-Top Teaching Machines

• Simple programming example explained in
detail in text as was done in Unit 75
• Program notes plus full program sequence
with explanations to help understand code
• Refer to G-code and M-code charts in
Unit 75
 88-29

Machining Center Setup

• Before using machining center, operator
needs to become familiar with control panel
and operational procedures
– Different modes and how to use menus, how to
establish machine zero, set tool length offsets
and test run program
• When machine powered up, need to zero out
all axes so control know location of machine
home position
 88-30

Setting Part Zero

• Each part has established part zero
– Not same as machine zero
• Using jog mode and edge finder or dial
indicator, locate part zero position in X and Y
axes
• Work offset distance (position shift offset) is
distance traveled from machine home
– Entered on control's work coordinate page
– Distances traveled for X and Y entered, while Z
axis distance left at zero
 88-31

Setting Tool Length Offset

• Start with empty automatic tool changer
– Load tool #1 by indexing to proper location of
tool carriage
– Tool placed directly into spindle and locked
– Use jog mode to touch off tool to Z0 of part
– Distance traveled is Z tool offset and listed on
control offset page under offset for tool #1
• Process repeated with each additional tool
 88-32

Program Test Run

• Never machine a part without test running
program first
• Equipped with graphics display
– Allow operator to see steps on control screen
without cutting part
• Without graphics display
– Dry run program without part in machine
– Use step/single block mode and feedrate
override
 88-33

Standard-Size Machining Center

• Another full example of a new part that
introduces additional machining cycles
– Circular and fixed drilling cycles
• Program notes and full programming
sequence shown in text with explanation of
programming steps
• Refer to G- and M-code charts in Unit 75

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Permission required for reproduction or display.