At AMB 2022, WFL Millturn Technologies will be presenting the new M20 MILLTURN complete machining center for the first time. Alongside gear skiving technology, there is clear trend toward automation and the integration of sensors. The latest solutions from WFL range from smart software to screw programming through to intelligent tools and clamping devices.

The M20-G showcased at AMB is equipped with an innovative automation solution - the intCELL. The integrated production cell is fitted on the right-hand side of the machine, the workpieces are supplied on a strip accumulator. With the integrated loading concept, WFL has reduced the space requirement by 50 percent in comparison to a conventional production cell. The M20’s integrated loading feature is designed for chuck parts with a diameter of up to 300 mm and a workpiece weight of 15kg. For shaft parts, a workpiece diameter of 100 mm and a workpiece length of 300 mm is possible.

The turning-boring-milling unit with integrated spindle motor and a B-axis with torque motor are entirely new features. The individual tool holder with B-axis on the lower slide is another highlight. The upper and lower system can be used simultaneously, and both systems are supplied by a reliable and dynamic tool changer from a shared magazine. This allows even complex components to be machined with optimal efficiency, and the setup of the tool turret is no longer necessary. The tool can be moved up to 100 mm below the turning center, so drill patterns with diameters of up to 200 mm can be produced on the face with a high level of precision and without turning the C-axis.

The new M50-G MILLTURN generation, with greater center distance and improved performance, will be another highlight of the AMB. The optional center distance of 6,000 mm enables efficient machining of long shaft parts. When designing the M50, WFL implemented some of the features of the larger M80. The machine’s existing potential is fully utilized, particularly in terms of the increased drive power, combined with the HSK-A100 or Capto C8 tool accommodation. The turning diameter is available up to 670 mm and the fully developed, proven machine concept of the M50 MILLTURN has also been given an attractive ergo-nomic finish. A separate pick-up magazine is also available for very long and/or heavy tools. Workpieces with a length of 1,600 mm can be automatically inserted and changed. The standard disc magazine can be expanded to up to 200 positions.

On this machine, trade fair visitors will be able to witness a turbine blade/screw being machined live. Com-ponents such as turbine blades or plasticizing screws require both dynamic and stable machining concepts. A special clamp from the manufacturer Grasch can be used to clamp rectangular raw materials easily and securely, a fundamental requirement when machining turbine blades. Technologies known as ‘helical spiral milling’ and ‘helical longitudinal milling’ are used to machine the blade.

The ICOtronic tool, which is fitted with sensors, provides information on the machining process as close as possible to the cutting edge. This should not only optimize milling processes in the future, but also in-crease the machines’ productivity. The demo at AMB will give a small insight into WFL’s wide variety of development projects.

Ultrasound measuring will also be demonstrated live for the visitors to the trade fair. The automatically loading ultrasound measuring probe enables a fully automated measuring process. The large measuring range (1.5–30 mm) offers further benefits. Ultrasound measuring is extremely well suited for calculating the hole run-out and diameter of very deep holes.

ScrewCAM will be used at AMB to demonstrate the latest and most innovative software for programming plasticizing screws with complex geometries. The geometrical functions that can be manufactured include, among others, single or multi-threaded screws, variable depths, flexible pitch adjustment, wall shaping and wall incline. In addition, the entire NC program will be checked for collisions and the correctness of the workpiece geometry produced, using a material removal simulation and geometrical verification against the 3D target geometry of the screw. The result is a verified NC program with estimated machining time.

As introduced at AMB, the new operational data acquisition system is myWFL Cockpit. Machine and program states will be displayed according to chronological order, productivity and technical availability. You can view this on a web browser via the control system, either on a PC or a mobile device. This means that the user can always be well-informed about their machine productivity.

Also new with myWFL Cockpit is the integration of the energy usage measurement device myWFL Energy which displays the current power and energy consumption data and that of each workpiece.

Another highlight of myWFL is the integrated Condition Monitoring cycle. When the cycle is running, the friction values of the axes and spindles, as well as the temperature in the milling spindle housing and the vibration or the rolling bearing condition value of the front milling spindle bearing are continuously recorded and stored on the control system. Using Condition Monitoring Viewer, it is possible to select the data of the various Condition Monitoring runs on the control system, graphically overlay them and analyze them according to time in this way. This allows for the early detection of possible malfunctions and minimizes un-planned downtimes.

WFL Millturn Technologies will be in Booth #6A11 in Hall 6 at AMB Stuttgart. 

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