Machining Off 5 Lbs. in 90 Seconds on the a61nx Horizontal Milling Machine

To eliminate previous porosity issues in the casting, additional material was added to this 2.0 liter cylinder head. This added material had to be eliminated as quickly as possible to minimize the impact to production volumes. Unfortunately, the manufacturer’s existing equipment and processes struggled to meet required cycle times, which led them to contact Makino for a solution. Makino worked with the manufacturer to establish the following processing parameters: • Machine: a61nx horizontal machining center • Part: 2.0 liter cylinder head • Operation: Cubing (roughing all surfaces in preparation for finish machining) • Material: 383 AL that was in the 70 to 125 Bhn hardness range • Axial DOC: Approximately 8 mm • Radial WOC: Varied due to part geometry. Estimated to be between 10 mm and 15 mm • RPM: 5,460 • Feed: 0.006” / tooth or 169.2 IPM • Cutter Description: 4” face mill manufactured by SP3. Utilizes 6 PCD inserts. As a result of this new processing method, the manufacturer is now able to remove 5 lbs. of material in just 90 seconds and meet the customer’s productivity demands. Learn more about the aggressive cutting capabilities of the a61nx horizontal machining center: https://www.makino.com/horizontal-machining-4-axis/a61nx