PowerMax® is the answer to the demands of customers who need highest productivity for machining titanium and aluminium alloys, with a resulting improvement in terms of TCO. It is built by the Machine Tools Division of the Camozzi Group, to which Innse Berardi and Ingersoll belong. PowerMax® is a range of work stations with stock removal specifically conceived for machining structural components for the aeronautical, aerospace and mechanical engineering sectors, designed and implemented by Innse Berardi and Ingersoll. The machines can be scaled up depending on the demands of the customer, according to the size of the pieces, materials to be machined and the level of automation required.
PowerMax® is the answer to the demands of customers who need highest productivity for machining titanium and aluminium alloys, with a resulting improvement in terms of TCO. It is built by the Machine Tools Division of the Camozzi Group, to which Innse Berardi and Ingersoll belong.
Designed for maximum performance
Traditional large horizontal machines are typically built as a structure with a moving column. When operating machines of this design are at high vertical positions, the static and dynamic rigidity of the machine is inevitably compromised. Deep machining operations are achieved through the use of a ram, which however when extended likewise loses rigidity and the effects of gravity can cause accuracy issues. The end-user is therefore limited to choosing the most conservative cutting parameters and dynamic settings, in order to ensure that the operation is conducted correctly at every point of the component. This naturally implies a loss in terms of the overall efficiency of the system. In order to avoid the situation described above and to guarantee the best rigidity of the machine, PowerMax® is equipped with a moving column, which in turn houses the tool head wagon, which moves along four rails, two in the lower base and two in the rear vertical structure. The classic ram shaft is therefore replaced with an external pallet rack structure or a table with twisting and linear movement. A movement mechanism of this type ensures high and constant levels of stock removal, dynamics, and accuracy.
Innovative machinery
PowerMax® is a true evolution in the applied sectors for machining titanium and in general for heat-resistant alloys. The evolution comes from the domain knowledge and historical experience of these two companies, and offers significant innovations such as its digital simulation solution, in keeping with the “digital twin” approach. Through the in-depth materials analysis and our partnership with our suppliers concerning the best available tools, we were able to define the performance characteristics needed in an innovative solution that is capable of reducing operating costs and production times.In the aeronautical sector, every new project brings new materials and increasingly complex shapes, all with a view to optimising consumption and reducing CO2 emissions. These components require specific machining capabilities when cutting with stock removal. This machine caters to the constant increase in the use of composite materials, titanium, and aluminum. PowerMax® is an innovative solution that provides maximum flexibility for general applications and in particular for titanium and derivative alloys. Since these materials are so heterogeneous, different approaches are required, both in terms of structure and performance of the machine.PowerMax® is available in the T version (Torque, suitable for titanium), S (Speed, for aluminium) and ST (as a mixed system suitable for materials with different characteristics, which is equipped with an automated system for changing the cartridges of the electrospindle).
Maximum flexibility - More choice, fewer compromises
PowerMax® offers a vertical range of 2,000 mm or 3,000 mm and a horizontal range of 4,000, 5,000 or 6,000 mm.
PowerMax®T (Torque) is designed for machining titanium and in general for heat-resistant alloys. It is configurable with a high-performance electrospindle with 9,000 Nm of torque and 8,000 RPM or with a traditional motor with 1,500 Nm of torque mounted on an Innse Berardi/Ingersoll tool head. The speed of the linear axle is 30 m/min on the X/Y axis and 20 m/min on the Z axis (the table). The polar axles C and A have a rotating speed of 30 RPM and 15 RPM with high torque on both polar axles. Another feature is the high-pressure (80 bar) and high-capacity (150 l/m) lubro-refrigeration system through the spindle.
PowerMax®S (Speed) is designed for machining aluminium. The choice of electrospindles is wide, with torques of up to 100 Nm and 30,000 RPM. Compared to the PowerMax® T, the S version offers even faster linear axles, at 60 m/min on the X/Y axis and 40 m/min on the Z axis. The dynamics of the C and A axles are also high, reaching respectively 60 and 30 RPM. The tool head of this machine is also produced by Innse Berardi / Ingersoll and guarantees lubro-refrigeration ranging from minimum to 40 bar and 40 l/min capacity.
PowerMax®ST (Speed & Torque) is the third version which combines the qualities of each model for customers who need to machine materials with different properties - such as aluminium, titanium and special steels - in a productive, flexible manner and on the same machine. The tool head has the same characteristics as the PowerMax® S, while spindle power is guaranteed by a wide range of electrospindles, for various types of materials, which can be interchanged automatically.
High dynamics for titanium and aluminium
Operators who work with titanium know how complicated it is to manage the machine parameters to maximise tool performance and overall machine productivity, and it follows that a machine’s dynamics are essential.
If we consider how a mill works and how the cutting element is applied to a material, the CNC in traditional machines must necessarily slow down during a change in trajectory to maintain constant positioning precision, and in so doing the thickness of the shavings decreases. If the movement of the axles falls under a certain point, the interference is no longer capable of creating a cut and instead friction is generated, which transforms into heat. To avoid this problem, the numerical control must be set up with a reference speed and a dynamic tolerance. In light of this, the acceleration and thrust of all the axles are fundamental, combined with effective structural rigidity. Machining titanium and heat-resistant alloys require high torque at the spindle and high levels of static rigidity in order to withstand the executed forces. Heat-resistant alloys conduct heat to a much lesser extent compared to traditional materials such as steel and cast iron: this means that the heat generated during the cut is mostly concentrated on the tool itself. Since heat is one of the main causes of wear and tear on the cutting element, it is of utmost importance that the cooling system is able to guarantee a flow of refrigerant at very high capacities in order to dissipate the heat.
In order to ensure that the work area is free from shavings, especially when machining deep cavities, as is often the case with aeronautical structural components, the following features are necessary:
- horizontal spindle to aid removal of stock;
- high-pressure internal refrigeration system equipped with cooling system for lubro-refrigerant fluids to prevent overheating of the structure and any thermal shift.
For different reasons, the same problems can arise when machining aluminium.
The high volume of shavings produced is the key productivity factor when working with aluminium as a material.
Some spindles available on the market offer very high rotation and power characteristics but need to be coupled with machines with very high axle travelling speeds and which, above all, are capable of maintaining the programmed speeds even when confronted with trajectories with constant changes of direction and curves. Albeit typical criteria for this type of machine, travelling and linear acceleration are not sufficient on their own. To reduce production times, machines must offer high cubic acceleration and movement mechanisms with high levels of position gain for each axis. This must then all be integrated into structures that can withstand very high dynamic loads. For this reason, the cutting speeds during rough machining are quite low and the cutting frequency is therefore between approximately 13 and 17 Hz. To prevent this frequency from coinciding with the first resonant frequency of the structure, which could cause the system to become unstable, a special design was implemented to ensure that the first resonant frequency of the machine, including of the movement of the axles, is much higher than the cutting frequencies. With such a high frequency, it is possible to apply high levels of dynamics, which is fundamental when machining any material, because it enables the programmed travelling speed to be maintained (for aluminium, this translates into shorter production times, while for titanium it ensures a longer usable life of the cutting element).
All the automation you need
The Z axle can be configured with two different options: the standard solution, comprising a vertical pallet rack structure, which is particularly well suited to the aeronautical industry, or a second solution comprising a classical table with rotating and travelling motion (as configured and installed on the PowerMax® machine in the production facilities at Camozzi Advanced Manufacturing in Milan).
Modular tool magazine
The tool changing system is automated and completely customisable, with capacities ranging from 80 tools with a diameter of 200 mm and length of 750 mm, up to 200 spaces or more, depending on the sizes and customer’s requirements.