Known for their reliability and versatility, vertical CNC milling machines (VMCs) are a go-to choice for shops that require precision and attention to detail. We offer a wide range of vertical VMCs to suit your needs, including turret and bed mills.

From small medical parts to large railroad components, manufacturers rely on vertical machining centers for high-volume production. Learn how these machine tools can improve your manufacturing processes:

Versatility

Vertical machining centers, or VMCs, are ideal for creating machined parts with higher levels of accuracy and/or efficiency. These machine tools are highly versatile and can be used in a variety of industries and applications. They can also be customized to fit the needs of each job.

In addition to traditional milling operations, vertical machining centers can be equipped with rotary tables that allow them to create a variety of shapes and components. For example, a VMC with a fourth or fifth axis can produce curved surfaces, bevels, and undercuts. This adds another dimension to the versatility of the VMC, which increases the range of complex jobs it can handle. Many VMCs spend a lot of time in non-cutting mode, wasting hours that can cost thousands of dollars in lost revenue every week. Makino’s PS-Series is focused on addressing these productivity limitations by increasing metal-cutting capacity, reducing cycle times and eliminating parasitic non-cutting time. This will lead to faster delivery times, lower production costs and increased profitability.

Accuracy

Whether used to fabricate metal or non-metal components, the accuracy of a CNC machine can make or break its overall performance. Achieving higher levels of precision and/or efficiency requires the use of a variety of tools, machine configurations, and machining strategies.

One of the most important factors in determining the accuracy of a CNC machine is its feed rate, which determines the velocity at which the cutting tool travels along the surface of the workpiece. The ideal feed rate should be within the tolerance range specified by the manufacturer for a given operation.

Other critical factors in achieving high accuracy include grinding, which uses an abrasive wheel to achieve smooth surfaces with tight tolerances; and reaming, which fine-tunes the size of drilled holes. Additionally, it is important to ensure that the machine can evacuate chips, which will prevent accumulation and improve its suitability for operations like boring. With these factors in mind, a VMC can help manufacturers produce quality parts that fully meet application and industry standards.

Efficiency

Vertical machining centers (VMCs) are commonly used in many professional machine shops. They have a more compact footprint than horizontal machines, and they can handle various types of work. However, they require more skilled workers to operate. In order to make the most of VMCs, it is important to implement the best machining techniques and utilize practical work-holding methods.

For example, if an average machine isn’t cutting 30% of the time, it wastes a lot of money each day. This non-cutting time can include set up, workpiece loading and unloading, tool maintenance, clearing chips, and other tasks. With the right software and hardware, you can reduce non-cutting times, increase productivity, and improve quality. For example, some VMCs can access their tool magazines while the spindle is in cycle, reducing downtime. Similarly, a high-performance HMC can maintain its horsepower across the entire speed range, further improving productivity. This can be especially helpful when handling large or heavy materials.