Four European Launches At Mach In Hurco’s 50th Anniversary Year

Two new machining centres and two CNC lathes will make their European debuts on the stand of Hurco Europe this year, which marks the 50th anniversary of the company's formation. Stand number H6-180.

New BX50i double-column machining centre

A pair of bridge-type, 3-axis Hurco machining centres has been introduced, the smaller BX40i having been previewed at the company's open house in High Wycombe at the end of last year. MACH 2018 will be the first appearance of the larger BX50i, whose 1,350 x 950 x 600 mm axis travels endow it with a working volume over twice as large as that of its smaller counterpart. Feedback of axis position is via linear scales.

An installed weight of 13 tonnes provides exceptional rigidity for high accuracy machining of fine surface finishes and tight-tolerance components, including of moulds and dies for which the generous Y-axis movement is ideal. The 1,500 x 960 mm table accepts workpieces weighing up to 2.5 tonnes, compared with one tonne for the smaller machine.

Both models have 18,000 rpm, HSK-63A spindles with through coolant and 30-tool (optionally 50-tool) magazines. Contributing further to high speed machining are 30 m/min programmable feed rate and 39 m/min rapids. Control is by the proprietary WinMAX CNC system, featuring easy to use conversational programming and an advanced graphical user interface.

Additional 3-axis machining centres on show will be the VM5i, notable for its compact footprint of slightly over 1.6 x 2.2 m despite it having a 457 x 356 x 356 mm machining volume, and a VM30i with 1,270 x 508 x 508 mm traverses.

New VC500i 5-axis machining centre

New also will be the Hurco VC500i, an addition to the manufacturer's portfolio of 5-axis machining centres. Of cantilever design and constructed using a solid, one-piece, cast iron frame, the machine boasts a 360-degree rotary table mounted on a trunnion that swivels through 220 degrees around the Y-axis, allowing unrivalled undercutting capability.

This competitively priced, early entry machine sits alongside the established, slightly larger Hurco VCX600i. Complex components weighing up to 250 kg can be produced in one hit within a 520 x 450 x 400 mm machining envelope. A CAT 40 spindle, rated at 11 kW / 73.6 Nm, is provided with cutters from a 30-pocket magazine. Rapids of 24 m/min, while only two-thirds the speed of the VCX600i, are nevertheless fast enough to ensure minimal non-cutting times.

Hurco will preview new software being developed for its machining centre controls, whereby a 3D DXF or solid model can be imported to allow 5-sided parts to be programmed conversationally, directly from a STEP or IGES file, by automatically inserting transform plane commands.

Other Hurco 5-axis machining centres on show will be a VMX42SRTi, Hurco's best-selling model which has a B-axis spindle and flush rotary table to provide the extra CNC axes, and a VMX30Ui trunnion-type 5-axis machine fitted with an Erowa Robot Compact automated parts handling system.

There will also be a Roeders RXP600DSH 5-axis machining centre of trunnion configuration on the stand, Hurco being the sole sales and service agent in the UK and Ireland for the German machine builder.

Two new Hurco turning centres

Two Hurco CNC lathes will make their first appearance at this year's MACH exhibition, the TM8i XP and TM10i XP. The suffix denotes upgraded versions of the previous models, including larger spindle bore, roller guideways, a more compact footprint and a new control system that mirrors the advanced Max5 programming of the manufacturer's vertical machining centres. Additional features include concurrent programming, estimated runtime, error check and recovery restart, plus improved rigid tapping performance.