Published

Six-Spindle CNC Lathe Features Modular Design

Index’s MS16 Plus six-spindle CNC lathe features a modular design.

Share

Leaders-In background

Index’s MS16 Plus six-spindle CNC lathe features a modular design. According to the company, in each work-spindle position, the machine can simultaneously accomplish two or more operations for short cycle times. The company says the machine is intended as a replacement for CAM-controlled multi-spindle lathes for small parts up to 22 mm in diameter.

The lathe is equipped with hollow-shaft motor technology and six high-torque spindles each with a drive power of 8.7 kW. The speed of the spindles can be programmed separately and varied during cutting. The grooving or boring slides and cross-slides are arranged in a V-shape around each work spindle, enabling use of several tools at the same time. The spindles are cooled fluid-cooling system runs in a fluid-cooled spindle drum that is designed to lock through a three-part Hirth coupling after each indexing operation, minimizing thermal growth.

The modular machine features a total of 27 NC axes at full expansion: five NC grooving or boring slides, five NC cross-slides, one NC cutoff and/or back-boring slide, six work spindles, one NC synchronous spindle, and drum indexing. It also features an additional five free NC axes of possible CNC-controlled auxiliary equipment. All axes are controlled by the company’s C200-4D with IndexOperate user interface for multi-spindle automatic lathes. Other functions include part production time evaluation, block time measuring and virtual machine setup on PC workstations. 

Related Content

  • Custom Motorcycle Parts Made Here: Video Tour of a Family-Owned CNC Machine Shop

    Lee Wimmer invited us to tour his second-generation family-owned machine shop in Perkasie, PA. This video explores the production processes behind precision-machined parts for both Wimmer Custom Cycle and LS Wimmer Machine Co., and shows how ingenuity and determination are still at the heart of American manufacturing. Today, both companies are now managed by Wimmer’s three sons.

  • How I Made It: Aneesa Muthana

    Aneesa Muthana grew up helping out at her parents’ Chicago grinding shop before striking out on her own in the ‘90s. When business slowed down dramatically, she embraced change and built her machine shop into a modern facility using Swiss-type CNC machines.__PRESENT

  • A History of Precision: The Invention and Evolution of Swiss-Style Machining

    In the late 1800s, a new technology — Swiss-type machines — emerged to serve Switzerland’s growing watchmaking industry. Today, Swiss-machined parts are ubiquitous, and there’s a good reason for that: No other machining technology can produce tiny, complex components more efficiently or at higher quality.