Mould Machining Center for Sale

Core Technology of Mould Machining Center

In the molds manufacturing process, core technologies of the machine determine the quality and performance of the final product. The machining center provides production technologies with high level, including structure design, transmission system, intelligent function, and more. Learning these core technologies can help you make a better purchase decision.

• Stable Structure: When machining materials with high strength, the strong cutting power and vibration may decrease the precision. The components of machining centers such as the bed and columns can be made of mineral castings or high-quality cast iron. This will increase the vibration resistance of the machine to ensure a stable machining process.
• Thermal Compensation: The temperature sensing system of the machining center monitors heat generated in the machining process, and controls the heat level according to an intelligent cooling system. For some tiny deviations of the workpiece, which are caused by the heat, the thermal compensation system can correct them in time. It maintains stability and precision of the machining center in a long term operation.
• Precision Transmission System: Based on the materials features of the mold, the spindle speed of the machining center can reach 30,000 rpm at maximum. It keeps operation with low vibration, ensuring the surface finish of molds. The highly precise ball screws and fully closed-loop control system of the machining center achieve high positioning accuracy of ±0.002 mm. This offers the machine strong processing capacity to handle complex curved structure, and is suitable for optical molds and automotive molds.
• Multi-axis Interpolation: According to the additional rotating axes, tools of the machining center can achieve continuous cutting process at multiple angles to machine complex structure. In the machining process, the CNC system automatically calculates and compensates for tool tip deviations caused by the movement of rotating axes. It can improve the precision of molds and production efficiency.

Why Machining Center Used for Mould

The mold manufacturing industry has strict demands on machines. The machining center offers more significant advantages than traditional lathes. It is widely used to machine molds, improving the efficiency and precision of the process.

High Precision

Inputting CAD model data to the machining center, it can achieve a highly precise machining process driven by the smart control system. The entire process does not need manual operations, eliminating errors caused by the human factor. In addition, based on different structures and features of the mold, you can choose different types of machining center to achieve the mold machining. The spindle of machining centers possesses high rigidity and rapid rotation speed to enhance the surface finish, significantly reducing surface roughness.

Enhanced Efficiency

The machining center achieves multiple processes only at the single machine, such as milling, drilling, and tapping. Its automated tool change system will change the tools according to different processes or workpieces. This can not only improve production efficiency, but also ensure consistent workpiece positioning to prevent the errors. The machining center completes many of the process methods by one piece of setup, which can shorten the entire machining cycles. Its high performance on surface finish also reduces the subsequent polishing requirements, which will save your costs.

Processing Capacity

Some molds of automotive, aerospace, and 3C electronics industries generally have complex structures. The 5 axis simultaneous machining capability of the machining center can achieve a highly efficient production process. It supports multiple directions of cutting to machine different structures. The machining center is also suitable for various materials by changing core components such as spindle, tools and others, meeting different project requirements.

Highly Automated

The machining center is completely controlled by the CNC system, which can achieve high automation. It is equipped with the robotic loading and unloading, automatic pallet exchange systems, and other intelligent functions. Even at night without a manual monitor, the machining center can keep continuous operation. At the same time, the machining center also allows remote monitoring. Once the components are worn or the machine fails, it can shut down automatedly to decrease risks of equipment damage and precision issues.

How to Select Machining Center for Mould

When selecting a machining center for the mold production, you should not only focus on the features and performance of the machine, but also analyze factors based on the actual situation. A proper machining center can boost the machining efficiency, bringing good economic benefits. The following are common factors for your reference:

Actual Requirements

• Mold Types: Different types of molds and materials have significantly different demands to the machining center. For example, the structure of plastic molds is simple, but they require high surface finish. While the stamping dies prefer precision and durability. For materials with high strength and hardness, a spindle with extreme rigidity and torque is necessary.
• Workpiece Dimension: When choosing the machining center, you should ensure the machine you select can accommodate the dimension of molds and remove the sufficient machining space. For large molds, you should pay attention to the load capacity of the machine bed additionally. The small mold has more strict demands on spindle speed and feed precision.
• Machining and Production Demand: If your project involves high surface finish requirements or complex curved structure, mult-axis machining centers equipped with high spindle speed can meet the demand. You can check the positioning accuracy and repeatability of machining centers to analyze if they can match with the actual requirements. For the production of small batches but multiple types, you can choose a machining center with high automated level and rapid tool changes. Mass production requires higher stability and the capacity of continuous machining.

Core Parameters

• Spindle: The spindle with high rotation speed is suitable for finishing processes or small workpieces, which can improve the surface finish by high-speed cutting. If you need to machine large and heavy materials with high hardness, the spindle must possess high power and torque to ensure the stability. For the long term of operation with high load, a smart cooling system can prevent thermal deformation, maintaining workpiece precision.
• Feed System: If your project requires high efficiency and precision, you can choose the feed system driven by the linear motor. It provides high speed and acceleration while keeping extremely low machining errors. In addition, the feed system can be also equipped with a linear encoder feedback system to monitor the position of worktables, compensating for tiny errors.
• CNC System: The machining center is typically controlled by CNC systems, such as Siemens, Heidenhain, or FANUC, achieving a high automatic level. When choosing the control system, you should determine the compatibility between the system you choose with existing CAD or CAM software. It is better to choose the control system that your project engineering team is familiar with.
• Axis: The basic 3 axis machining center is suitable for processing plate-like or disc-shaped parts, offering simple program and operation. While the 4 axis machining center is equipped with an additional rotating axis, especially suitable to machine cylindrical parts, beveled surfaces, and side drilling. According to a single setup, it can machine multiple faces. If your projects involve more complex components, you can choose the 5 axis machining center to meet the requirement.
• Automated Function: Based on the actual production requirements, the machining center features various automated functions for your selection. For example, the automatic tool change system can change the tools quickly to improve machining efficiency. Automatic loading and unloading systems, automatic pallet changing systems, and tool wear monitoring systems, all can be equipped with the machine to meet different demands.

Brand and After-sale Service

Choosing a famous and reliable brand or supplier can ensure the quality of the machining center. They typically feature mature technology and production lines, and offer a relatively long warranty. In addition, you can also consider whether the supplier offers localized technical support or remote diagnostics services. If the machine fails during the warranty period, a reliable supplier can solve the failure in time, reducing production loss caused by the machine downtime.