Vertical Machining Centers (VMC) are most probably the most common metalworking machine found in every workshop around the world. Their operating principle is based on a rotating milling head that is placed on the top while the workpiece is mounted on an adjustable table at a plane that is parallel to the ground.
VMCs are mostly found in two distinct types that are able for different machining possibilities. The first one is the "bed mill" while the second type is the "turret mill". The main difference between the two is that the first one allows the perpendicular movement of the workpiece table while the later also supports movement along the axis that is parallel to the cutting head.
Benefits over Horizontal Centers
Vertical machining mills may not be as versatile and as rigid the horizontal ones, but they can be very handy when simple processing of small parts is required. They are easier and faster to set up and get the work started and machinists can work in very tight tolerances compared to the larger, horizontal mills. They also take much less space and cost way less. Last but not least, vertical mills feature a retractable quill that can be used for accurate milling and especially boring processes.
Typical Uses
Depending on the expertise and the available cutting heads of various types, vertical machining centers can be used for a set of metalworking tasks. Here is a list with the most prominent applications of this unique machine:
1. Slab or face milling is done to level or flatten a surface and is a simple process when using a VMC, as mounting the workpiece normally on the worktable is enough to get it started.
2. Similarly, if the workpiece is mounted in an inclined way, the slab milling is transformed to angular milling. This helps with the materialization of jointing dovetails.
3. For even more demanding and complex results, there is the straddle milling that involves two parallel milling cutters mounted on the same arbor and separated by an exact spacing. This makes the simultaneous cutting of two points possible, which is very useful when in need to mill hexagons of bolt heads for example. This will also need the addition of a rotary index table as the milling arbor is not rotatable.
4. Vertical Machining Centers are also very useful for forming the rough edges using convex cutters. These cutters can achieve high fidelity grooves, concaves and corner rounding.
5. Using special key-slot cutting heads that boast certain diameter and width, machinists can mill keyways along the axis of shafts. These keyways can have different shapes such as squares or round-end for example.
6. By combining the straddle milling and the angular cutting techniques, skilled machinists can produce high precision splines and gears suitable for very low tolerance applications with the minimum gamble.
7. Last, the retractable quill that is available in VMCs allows for the obvious ability to bore holes with great accuracy. Although this type of boring is not generally preferred in most cases, holes of diameter close to the available cutting head range can be realized relatively quickly.
VMCs are mostly found in two distinct types that are able for different machining possibilities. The first one is the "bed mill" while the second type is the "turret mill". The main difference between the two is that the first one allows the perpendicular movement of the workpiece table while the later also supports movement along the axis that is parallel to the cutting head.
Benefits over Horizontal Centers
Vertical machining mills may not be as versatile and as rigid the horizontal ones, but they can be very handy when simple processing of small parts is required. They are easier and faster to set up and get the work started and machinists can work in very tight tolerances compared to the larger, horizontal mills. They also take much less space and cost way less. Last but not least, vertical mills feature a retractable quill that can be used for accurate milling and especially boring processes.
Typical Uses
Depending on the expertise and the available cutting heads of various types, vertical machining centers can be used for a set of metalworking tasks. Here is a list with the most prominent applications of this unique machine:
1. Slab or face milling is done to level or flatten a surface and is a simple process when using a VMC, as mounting the workpiece normally on the worktable is enough to get it started.
2. Similarly, if the workpiece is mounted in an inclined way, the slab milling is transformed to angular milling. This helps with the materialization of jointing dovetails.
3. For even more demanding and complex results, there is the straddle milling that involves two parallel milling cutters mounted on the same arbor and separated by an exact spacing. This makes the simultaneous cutting of two points possible, which is very useful when in need to mill hexagons of bolt heads for example. This will also need the addition of a rotary index table as the milling arbor is not rotatable.
4. Vertical Machining Centers are also very useful for forming the rough edges using convex cutters. These cutters can achieve high fidelity grooves, concaves and corner rounding.
5. Using special key-slot cutting heads that boast certain diameter and width, machinists can mill keyways along the axis of shafts. These keyways can have different shapes such as squares or round-end for example.
6. By combining the straddle milling and the angular cutting techniques, skilled machinists can produce high precision splines and gears suitable for very low tolerance applications with the minimum gamble.
7. Last, the retractable quill that is available in VMCs allows for the obvious ability to bore holes with great accuracy. Although this type of boring is not generally preferred in most cases, holes of diameter close to the available cutting head range can be realized relatively quickly.
About the Author:
Absolute Machine Tools, Inc. offers a wide range of vertical milling machines. Find out more on their website about their cnc machining tools for sale, including lathes, gun drilling machines, boring machines and more!
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