Horizontal Machining Centers (HMCs)

New tech center is serving as a cutting-edge showroom and a technological hub for advanced machining applications.

Chiron Group combines the best of both worlds at IMTS 2024, featuring live demonstrations of their Micro5 and Mill 2000 machines, alongside a cutting-edge virtual showroom. This innovative approach allows visitors to explore Chiron’s full product lineup without the logistical challenges of transporting large equipment. cadcam technology

FANUC’s IMTS 2024 booth includes real-time demonstrations that show the abilities of its equipment, including robots, controllers and machine tools.

Weldon Solutions is demonstrating three grinders at IMTS 2024. Though they differ in size and use case, all feature the company’s hallmark customizations.

Are AMRs the next big trend in job shop automation? System 3R’s IMTS booth will emphasize both its specialty EDM tooling and its automation products, including an autonomous moving robot.

Succeeding in aerospace manufacturing requires high-performing processes paired with high-performance machine tools. IMTS can help you find both.

Thoughtful considerations will set you on a shortened path to the most optimized solution once cutter meets metal.

Horn USA’s new booth concept is designed to enable attendees to (literally) get a better feel for its various tooling offerings.

Refined machines at EROWA are handling heavier loads, while its precision workholding enhances stability and rigidity.

Walter USA has acquired PDQ Workholding, intending to strengthen its offering of workholding products and develop future cutting tool sales.

Each tool setting technique has merit, and it depends on where you are as a shop and the type of work you do, as cost and efficiency all come into play.

ANCA CNC Machines is celebrating its 50th anniversary as a global producer of CNC tool and cutter grinders.

FANUC’s IMTS 2024 booth includes real-time demonstrations that show the abilities of its equipment, including robots, controllers and machine tools.

AI has the potential to reshape manufacturing software — but first, it will require data.

Heidenhain and Acu-Rite Solutions are offering several hands-on experiences at their booth this year, as well as internal components that reduce energy use.

User-friendly inspection software for CNC machining centers is shown monitoring measurements between and after machining while performing SPC based on recorded measurement values.

Part of Major Tool’s 52,000 square-foot building expansion includes the installation of this new Waldrich Coburg Taurus 30 vertical machining center.

This year at IMTS, ProShop is featuring customer-led demos in the company’s booth.

Heidenhain and Acu-Rite Solutions are offering several hands-on experiences at their booth this year, as well as internal components that reduce energy use.

Q-Mark has built its metrology business by providing what customers need, when they want it. This goes for its IMTS booth, too, with free drinks alongside custom technology.

Though most frequently used for diameter measurements, an air plug and platen can be readily configured to measure perpendicularity.

Standards for surface finishes and profiles are not static; they change as technology changes or new processes come along that need to be considered.

Zoller’s open house in Ann Arbor, Michigan, provided attendees with a glimpse of the connectivity and efficiency the company’s products offer to users.

Structured light scanning is used to create a digital twin of a manufactured part, but we must understand the measurement reproducibility to best use the data.

Robotic technology is advancing, enabling manufacturers to automate more tasks than ever before.

Did you know that the show was postponed for WWII? Or that McCormick Place was expanded in the ’70s just to accommodate IMTS? A fascinating look at the show’s history from 1927 to today.

FANUC’s IMTS 2024 booth includes real-time demonstrations that show the abilities of its equipment, including robots, controllers and machine tools.

From quadruped robot dogs, to an in-booth putting green where you can test out a new golf putter, to a 3D-printed car and more, attendees enjoyed cutting-edge technology and innovations all week long. Take a look to see what (or who!) you might have missed this week!

Weldon Solutions is demonstrating three grinders at IMTS 2024. Though they differ in size and use case, all feature the company’s hallmark customizations.

Are AMRs the next big trend in job shop automation? System 3R’s IMTS booth will emphasize both its specialty EDM tooling and its automation products, including an autonomous moving robot.

IMTS only happens every two years. Here’s how to make the most of your time at the 2024 show.

Across a range of technical presentations aimed at small and mid-sized job shops, the first-ever Automated Shop Conference (TASC) offered insights into several automated technologies, implementation strategies, shopfloor training tips, and even the untapped power of automated coolant delivery.

Automation is no longer a luxury in manufacturing today – it’s a necessity. The Automated Shop Conference (TASC) will connect job shops with experts who offer advice and considerations for this process.

The Automated Shop Conference (TASC) will give shops of all sizes and production volumes key insights and practical guidance on how to implement automation.

Looking to automate your shop floor? The Automated Shop Conference (TASC) will connect shops with experts who can advise them through this transition.

Attend TASC, The Automated Shop Conference, in Novi, Mich on Oct. 11, 2023 for a comprehensive look into how to use automation to transform your machine shop.

New tech center is serving as a cutting-edge showroom and a technological hub for advanced machining applications.

New U.S.-based event announced in 2021 finally debuts next year: focuses on complete additive manufacturing value chain. More at formnextchicago.com.

Half of the 16 machines in the company’s booth are world or North American debuts.

Learn more about the variety of technology and machinery Hwacheon Machinery America, Inc. is featuring at its IMTS 2024 booth.

FANUC’s IMTS 2024 booth includes real-time demonstrations that show the abilities of its equipment, including robots, controllers and machine tools.

Thoughtful considerations will set you on a shortened path to the most optimized solution once cutter meets metal.

Incremental mode can be more advantageous when programming sculptured surfaces or for certain hole-machining canned cycle applications.

Ever wonder what sets Top Shops apart from the competition? Dive into their award-winning practices and explore behind-the-scenes strategies for operational excellence.

When it comes to utilizing the spindle’s power, there is a lot of headroom at the upper limits, provided it’s in short bursts. Be mindful of your time at these loads so you don’t stall out.

Though most frequently used for diameter measurements, an air plug and platen can be readily configured to measure perpendicularity.

Misapplication of these important CNC features will result in wasted time, wasted or duplicated effort and/or wasted material.

Lee Wimmer invited us to tour his second-generation family-owned machine shop in Perkasie, PA. This video explores the production processes behind precision-machined parts for both Wimmer Custom Cycle and LS Wimmer Machine Co., and shows how ingenuity and determination are still at the heart of American manufacturing. Today, both companies are now managed by Wimmer’s three sons.

AccuRounds has created synergy between culture and technology, driving a commitment to customer satisfaction and continuous improvement.

In the latest episode of our View From My Shop series, MMS Editor-in-Chief Brent Donaldson visited the JN Shapiro Watches headquarters and production facility where Founder Joshua Shapiro—a history teacher turned watchmaker—realized his dream of "making a watch from scratch and everything in it."

Legacy Precision Molds takes us on a tour of their moldbuilding facility. They've recently implemented two automated 5-axis cells for metal and graphite machining that run lights out during nights and weekends.

Take a look inside James Engineering, a high-end CNC Deburring OEM that became a job shop when they decided to produce their own parts in-house.

Tool-holder-spindle-machine combinations each have a unique dynamic response in the same way that each person has a unique fingerprint, which can be revealed using modal testing.

In this episode of Made in the USA, several executives and senior staff at Hardinge give their first-person account of how they formulated the plan to shift the manufacturing of its milling and turning product lines from its Taiwan plant to its plant in Elmira, New York, the major challenges they encountered and the rewards that made it worth the effort.

The L.S. Starrett Co. has been manufacturing precision measurement tools in Athol, Massachusetts, since 1880. Attention to U.S. manufacturing often focuses on reshoring manufacturing from other countries, but Starrett never left. The facility in Athol employs hundreds and produces thousands of tools that remain vital for measurement in machining and other fields.

The latest episode “Made in the USA” podcast explores a company that uses collaborative robots, one of the key tools helping US machine shops and other manufacturers compete with lower cost countries by automating production.

When Puneet and Neelam Neotia moved from India to the United States several years ago, they brought with them a family background in manufacturing and CNC machining. Now the couple is working to get their startup machine shop off the ground, sourcing new customers and getting the word out about their shop in Clarksville, Indiana. The couple — proud to publicize their "Made in the USA" parts — is leveraging family connections and manufacturing capabilities back in India, but not in the way that some people assume.

Entrepreneur Scott Colosimo found early success in China producing parts for his Cleveland-based motorcycle company in the mid-2000s. This is the story of how IP theft issues overwhelmed the business, prompting Colosimo and his team to start over from scratch — and move production back to the United States.

So far, Made in the USA has looked into system-wide effects of broken supply chains, automation, skilled workforce issues and our perception of manufacturing jobs — examining each topic through a prism of individual experiences. For this final episode for Season 1, let’s look at one more system-wide question and bring it back to personal perspectives: Is there today a new dawn, a new moment for American manufacturing?

Part of Major Tool’s 52,000 square-foot building expansion includes the installation of this new Waldrich Coburg Taurus 30 vertical machining center.

JD Machine, 2024’s Top Shops Honoree in Human Resources, embodies its “Education for Life” core value with a robust apprenticeship program and significant continuous improvement efforts.

Ever wonder what sets Top Shops apart from the competition? Dive into their award-winning practices and explore behind-the-scenes strategies for operational excellence.

SSP’s commitment to adopting the latest machining technology benefits not only the business, but its employees as well.

Job shops are implementing automation and digitalization into workflows to eliminate set up time and increase repeatability in production.

Thousands of people visit our Supplier Guide every day to source equipment and materials. Get in front of them with a free company profile.

AccuRounds has created synergy between culture and technology, driving a commitment to customer satisfaction and continuous improvement.

Take a look inside James Engineering, a high-end CNC Deburring OEM that became a job shop when they decided to produce their own parts in-house.

Tool-holder-spindle-machine combinations each have a unique dynamic response in the same way that each person has a unique fingerprint, which can be revealed using modal testing.

Mitsui Seiki USA Inc. appoints Joseph Farkas as its director of sales West and Terry Ritterbush as its director of sales East.

The Walter Turn toolholder features rake-face cooling to help break and control chips, and double flank-face cooling directly at the cutting edge to extend tool life.

Ceratizit USA announces it has appointed Carlos Garza as its business development leader for the oil and gas industry sector.

Fryer Machine Systems Inc. presents its TC Series of CNC machining centers for high-performance cutting, accuracy, reliability and ease of use.

Sunnen Products Co. is celebrating its 100th anniversary, highlighting the history of its line of honing and precision solutions.

Wingman is powered by a secure AI model developed to extract critical information from quote packages so that estimators can work faster, automate administrative aspects of setting up quotes and minimize the risk of missing important details.

Join Mahr for an informative webinar to discover the latest advancements in precision measurement, designed to elevate your quality assurance processes and unlock peak productivity. It'll explore cutting-edge technologies — such as modern height gages and contour measuring systems — along with their applications, benefits and technical capabilities. Discover the power of height gages: Learn how intuitive and sophisticated height gages can revolutionize your measurement processes, enabling quick and accurate results in inspection and production areas. Explore the practical functions and ease of use that make height gages an ideal solution for manufacturers seeking high-performance and reliable measuring technology. Examine sample applications and industries where height gages excel, such as qualifying first parts, inspecting incoming parts and measuring series of parts in industries like aerospace, automotive and medical. Unlock efficient contour measurement: An introduction to the latest contour measuring technologies that enable fast, simple and comprehensive contour measurement in the production environment. Discover how these innovative solutions ensure reliable measurements, saving time and increasing efficiency while measuring a wide range of workpieces. Learn how to streamline your contour measuring process with speed and simplicity, achieving fast and precise measurements with incredible versatility. Register now and discover how to unlock peak productivity with new innovations in precision measurement. Agenda: Insights into the latest precision measurement technologies and their applications Understanding of how to improve quality assurance processes and increase productivity Knowledge of how to select the right measurement solutions for your specific needs Tips on how to optimize your measurement processes for maximum efficiency

Effective team collaboration is a critical component of success in today’s manufacturing world. With cloud-based technologies that make it easy for team members to brainstorm and problem solve remotely from various locations, design-to-manufacturing processes can become faster and more efficient. This webinar will demonstrate how fully integrated CAM software can be utilized with 3DExperience SolidWorks in a seamless work environment to accelerate product development. Agenda: See how HCL CAMWorks can be used as an add-in for all SolidWorks applications working with the cloud-based 3DExperience platform Learn how fully integrated CAD/CAM saves significant amounts of time during the design to manufacturing process Gain a new understanding of how software can connect users worldwide to accelerate product development Watch a demonstration of team collaboration using platform tools in the CAD/CAM software environment

In this webinar, industry-leading experts will demonstrate how additive manufacturing can revolutionize your operations and answer the question: Can you afford not to? From rapid prototyping to robust fixturing and specialized custom tooling, it’ll showcase the diverse applications that can drive your business forward in a time where cost and time saving can be crucial. Discover how to reduce costs, accelerate production cycles and achieve unparalleled design freedom through the strategic integration of 3D printing technology. Phillip’s panel of seasoned professionals will share real-world examples and practical insights to help you understand the potential of additive manufacturing. Learn how to overcome production challenges, improve product quality and gain a competitive advantage. It will explore the cost-benefit analysis of 3D printing — including material and labor savings — as well as the potential for increased revenue. Join this webinar to discover why additive manufacturing is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for success. Agenda: Prototyping example: quick-change prototype Custom tooling real-world example: press brake, tube bending die CMM fixturing and workholding example: CMM fixture and soft jaw

Manufacturers continue to feel the pressure to reduce costs, increase efficiencies and meet their sustainability strategies. As the industry evolves to keep pace with these priorities, there are opportunities within metalworking processes to use less resources with advanced lubricants and technical expertise. Agenda: An overview of metalworking lubrication Evolutions in metalworking lubrication Experience on the shop floor Key takeaways

In this webinar, CloudNC Co-Founder Theo Saville reveals how U.S. machine shops are using cutting-edge AI today to accelerate their CNC machining, helping them become more efficient and save over 1,000 production hours per year. Theo will demonstrate CAM Assist, an AI solution that automates CAM programming within existing CAD/CAM platforms — and even provides working physics-based cutting parameters for your existing toolsets. Attendees will learn how the technology has developed, its current capabilities and applications, and how it is expected to progress in the near future. Agenda: How U.S. machine shops are using AI tools to automate their CAM programming and increase their productivity and efficiency How AI tools can help fill the CAM programming skills crisis What tasks AI can be successfully applied to today and what the future holds How AI can fit into machinists' workflows today without specialist training Advanced applications, such as setting cutting parameters and soft jaw fixtures with AI

Nesting parts for fabrication, woodworking or soft goods production saves money by optimizing material usage and reducing waste. NestingWorks is a SolidWorks add-in that can be used independently for nesting or in combination with your integrated CAM software to create CNC programs for machining of the nested sheets of parts. It automatically flattens parts and includes several advanced options to save you time in CNC programming. Join this webinar to experience the benefits of integrated nesting software. Agenda: See how integrated nesting uses full associativity with SolidWorks and automatically nests parts, assemblies and folders of parts Learn how integrated nesting provides true shape nesting, part-in-part nesting, user-specified grain direction and layouts for parts with varied thickness Watch a demonstration to see how integrated nesting produces the maximum number of parts from a single piece of raw material in a matter of minutes

Women in Manufacturing is excited to announce that the 2024 SUMMIT will be a hybrid event — both an in-person and virtual experience. Both program offerings will enable you to grow through education and connections that are insightful, meaningful and actionable. Join Women in Manufacturing Oct. 6-9, 2024, in Boston or digitally for an event filled with plant tours at leading manufacturing facilities, professional development sessions, roundtable discussions on important topics, and inspiring keynotes. All while engaging and interacting with peers through social and networking events! __PRESENT __PRESENT

FABTECH 2024 will be held October 15-17, 2024, in Orlando, Florida, at the Orange County Convention Center. FABTECH provides a convenient ‘one-stop shop’ venue where you can meet with world-class suppliers, discover innovative solutions, and find the tools to improve productivity and increase profits. There is no better opportunity to network, share knowledge and explore the latest technology, all here in one place. Future U.S. Show Dates and Locations 2025 – September 8-11 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL 2026 – October 21-23 at Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV 2027 – September 13-16 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL

Formnext Chicago is an industrial additive manufacturing expo taking place April 8-10, 2025 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Formnext Chicago is the second in a series of Formnext events in the U.S. being produced by Mesago Messe Frankfurt, AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, and Gardner Business Media (our publisher).

Thoughtful considerations will set you on a shortened path to the most optimized solution once cutter meets metal.

When it comes to utilizing the spindle’s power, there is a lot of headroom at the upper limits, provided it’s in short bursts. Be mindful of your time at these loads so you don’t stall out.

Each tool setting technique has merit, and it depends on where you are as a shop and the type of work you do, as cost and efficiency all come into play.

When revising part designs, investigate the 3D CAD, the 2D drawing and the part’s functional requirements to determine which details should be tightened up.

The choice between buying a new machine or refurbishing the current one will become clear after a thorough assessment of the machine.

Understanding all the things that contribute to a machine’s full potential accuracy will inform what to prioritize when fine-tuning the machine.

A horizontal machining center (HMC) is a machining center with its spindle in a horizontal orientation. This machining center design favors uninterrupted production work. One reason for this is that the horizontal orientation encourages chips to fall away, so they don’t have to be cleared from the table. More significantly, the horizontal design allows a two-pallet workchanger to be incorporated into a space-efficient machine. To save time, work can be loaded on one pallet of a horizontal machining center while machining occurs on the other pallet.

New tech center is serving as a cutting-edge showroom and a technological hub for advanced machining applications.

Machining centers offer a wide range of possible operations, but that adaptability comes with the need to stay flexible and perform successful measurements at all times.

Compared to vertical machining centers, horizontal machining centers offer the potential for improved spindle uptime, cycle times and throughput. Although they come with a higher price tag, their higher productivity can be significant to shops of all sizes, as Valley Tool has experienced.

J&R Machine uses machine-monitoring data not just to track machine uptime, but also to create a financial index that helps it shape decisions related to equipment, processes, staffing, sales and business in general.

Is it time to move up to an HMC? Let’s consider some of the peripheral equipment that HMC buyers should think about.

Is it time to move up to an HMC? Let’s look at tooling- and workholding-related concerns that those interested in acquiring an HMC will want to keep in mind.

Is it time to move up to a horizontal machining center? Let’s consider some of the structural, application and design factors that differentiate HMCs from vertical machines.

Downtime is the enemy of efficient manufacturing — a problem FIBA Technologies has addressed through purchasing a Soraluce FLP 14000.

The MPMC features a wide base, optimized guide ratio and configuration of the guideways to provide stability and prevent vibration during operation, even under extreme cutting conditions.

High-speed machining is the latest change at Blair-HSM South, helping this once old-fashioned shop improve productivity and morale while enabling new work.

The GRC-R12 robot cell features a pneumatic single- or double-gripper system, as well as a drawer feed system with six drawers.

The experimental mindset that benefited BDE Manufacturing Technologies as a prototype job shop has given it an adaptable edge as a production facility.

By trading two VMCs in to help finance the purchase of a new HMC, this shop was able to significantly increase production and move to lights-out machining.

Horizontal four-axis machining enabled McKenzie CNC to cut operations and cycle times for its high-mix, high-repeat work — more than doubling its throughput.

Stecker Machine Company shows that getting the most value from employees means valuing your employees.

This unique fixturing system provides maximum hold with minimal clamping footprint to optimize spindle clearance and allow chips, debris and cutoffs to drop below the machining area and away from the spindle. (Sponsored)

By day, NTL Industries went from a lathe and a mill in a home garage to an 11-employee enterprise in under five years. By night, it tackles a new future.

One of our fascinations with large-format machine tools has little to do with their capabilities, but everything to do with the logistics involved with getting them up and running. Here’s how one of the world’s oldest builders of giant machine tools tackles the challenge.

Roughing operations can push a CNC spindle to its limits. Understanding how to interpret the horsepower chart can keep these operations within safe limits.

What is a horizontal machining center?

Horizontal and vertical three-axis machines differ primarily in the inclination of the spindle, with the spindles of horizontal machines parallel to the surface of the machine table and the spindles of vertical machines perpendicular to the surface, although individual constructions vary widely to support different applications.

Source: Machining 101: What are Machining Centers?

What is a machining center?

Typically, machining centers are numerically controlled machines with multipurpose capabilities. This flexibility not only allows for productivity improvements but also allows for one machine to replace several single-purpose machines.

Machining centers provide the ability to perform several operations on a workpiece, from roughing to finishing, with a single setup.

Why should you buy a horizontal machining center?

The simple answer is productivity and profit. Horizontals can easily do three times the work of a comparable VMC. This assertion assumes that the workload to keep the machine busy is available. Without question, you can get more done in far less time using an HMC. With the increase in production, shop throughput is greatly improved. Because multiple operations can be done in a single setup on an HMC, less work in process must move around the shop, increasing efficiency.

Source: Buying an HMC: What Makes Horizontal Machining Centers Different

What are some additional costs of adding a horizontal machining center?

To make full use of the higher-level machine, other parts of the process need to be raised to a higher level as well. Here is a partial list of the additional investments to be made:

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Horizontal Machining Centers (HMCs) | Modern Machine Shop