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.
There are basically two types of vertical machining mills that offer a different scope of possibilities. The first one is the "bed mill" where the workpiece table can move perpendicular to the spindle's axis. The second type is called "turret mill" and it allows the table a movement along both the perpendicular and parallel to the cutting tool spindle axis.
Advantages over Horizontal Centers
Vertical machining mills may not be as versatile and as rigid the horizontal ones, but they can be very handy when simple processing of small parts is required. They are easier and faster to set up and get the work started and machinists can work in very tight tolerances compared to the larger, horizontal mills. They also take much less space and cost way less. Last but not least, vertical mills feature a retractable quill that can be used for accurate milling and especially boring processes.
Ways VMCs Are Used
Vertical Machining Centers can help machinists perform a wide range of tasks in the metal processing spectrum. Ally to this versatility is the rich collection of special cutting heads, offset boring heads and rotary tables that can be added to the machine in order to perform one of the following tasks:
1. The most standard type of milling done with the vertical machine is face or slab milling. This is basically the milling of flat surfaces with the workpiece being mounted parallel to the working table. Using this simple technique, machinists can create indentations, flattening, and leveling.
2. In a similar way, if the workpiece is silently mounted, the milling is performed in an inclination. This angular cutting can produce dovetails for joints.
3. Going a step further, machinists can use the straddle milling technique that basically utilized two milling heads that are cutting parallel to each other. This is done by fixing the cutters on the same arbor. Using this technique, VMCs can mill hexagons on bolt heads or open parallel grooves on flat surfaces.
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, there is the obvious ability to drill holes using a vertical milling machine. The retractable quill offers tremendous help in this endeavor as it serves for the setting of the boring center.
There are basically two types of vertical machining mills that offer a different scope of possibilities. The first one is the "bed mill" where the workpiece table can move perpendicular to the spindle's axis. The second type is called "turret mill" and it allows the table a movement along both the perpendicular and parallel to the cutting tool spindle axis.
Advantages over Horizontal Centers
Vertical machining mills may not be as versatile and as rigid the horizontal ones, but they can be very handy when simple processing of small parts is required. They are easier and faster to set up and get the work started and machinists can work in very tight tolerances compared to the larger, horizontal mills. They also take much less space and cost way less. Last but not least, vertical mills feature a retractable quill that can be used for accurate milling and especially boring processes.
Ways VMCs Are Used
Vertical Machining Centers can help machinists perform a wide range of tasks in the metal processing spectrum. Ally to this versatility is the rich collection of special cutting heads, offset boring heads and rotary tables that can be added to the machine in order to perform one of the following tasks:
1. The most standard type of milling done with the vertical machine is face or slab milling. This is basically the milling of flat surfaces with the workpiece being mounted parallel to the working table. Using this simple technique, machinists can create indentations, flattening, and leveling.
2. In a similar way, if the workpiece is silently mounted, the milling is performed in an inclination. This angular cutting can produce dovetails for joints.
3. Going a step further, machinists can use the straddle milling technique that basically utilized two milling heads that are cutting parallel to each other. This is done by fixing the cutters on the same arbor. Using this technique, VMCs can mill hexagons on bolt heads or open parallel grooves on flat surfaces.
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, there is the obvious ability to drill holes using a vertical milling machine. The retractable quill offers tremendous help in this endeavor as it serves for the setting of the boring center.
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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