Intrex, an experienced aerospace machining company

Tight Tolerance for Turn Milling

Tight Tolerance for Turn MillingMany of the machined components being provided for the aerospace, defense, and space markets are produced on combination CNC machines that have turning and milling capabilities. Previously, much of this type of work was produced on lathes, then transferred to milling machines. This required multiple part movement and multiple setups, which increased the possibility for tolerance stack up.

Thanks to advances in machine and control technology, the same type parts can now be produced on one machine. The latest generation of CNC turn/mill machines can not only produce higher quality parts, but also greatly reduce operator intervention in the machining process, reducing labor costs.

What Is Turn/Mill?

Turn milling is defined as the milling of a curved surface while rotating the workpiece around its center point. Eccentric forms or shapes that differ considerably from those produced by conventional milling or turning operations can often be turn milled.

The Advantages of Turn/Mill

Reducing Setups

Turn/mill equipment allows you to machine parts with less interruption to the machining process. It allows you to both turn and mill in a single chucking. On twin-spindle turn/mills, you can transfer the part from spindle A to spindle B, while maintaining a single “home” or “zero” reference. This eliminates much of the tolerance.

Tool Head With Rotary Drive and B Axis

Turn/mill machines with a “B” milling axis gives the machine the ability to generate complex 5-axis simultaneous shapes, all while maintaining a single “home” or “zero” reference. The ability to machine on five surfaces in a single chucking (five surfaces “bottom” if you have a twin-spindle machine) is a requirement in many aerospace, defense, and space parts.

Tool Changers

Many of the turn/mill machines being offered today have toll changers. This allows for staging of multiple pre-measured tools in pockets outside the machine area, allowing for setting up multiple jobs with minimal interruption of the spindle running. It greatly reduces setup times and increases spindle utilization.

Maintain Tighter Tolerance – Achieve Better Finishes

The turn/mill is designed to improve machining efficiencies. By reducing the number of times you have to “re-chuck” the workpiece, you usually achieve better tolerance and also control “chatter”, which can give you better finishes.

Intrex Aerospace has made substantial investments in CNC turn/mill equipment. It is our commitment to our customers and to the marketplaces we serve, coupled with investments we have made in our system software (Epicor ERP/MRP software system manages the entire process: material sourcing, production scheduling, special processing management, shipping, and documentation). We are well prepared for the future.

To learn more about Intrex Aerospace’s manufacturing capabilities for government aerospace and defense projects, or about the advantages of 5-axis CNC machining for the defense markets, contact our office today.

CNC Management

We utilize multi-axis CNC machine centers and lathes to fabricate parts that meet the rigid tolerances of the space industry.

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