EC-1600 horizontal machining center

July 01, 2010

As the aerospace, automotive and mold and die industries trend toward monolithic components and large structures, there is a growing need for large-travel machining centers. To accommodate large-volume machining, Haas Automation Inc. has expanded the capacity of its EC-1600 horizontal machining center with an additional 10" of Y-axis travel. The latest generation Haas EC-1600 HMC features a 64"×50"×32" work cube—10 more inches of Y-axis travel than before—as well as a 64"×32" T-slot table and a 6,000-rpm, geared-head, 50-taper spindle. The enclosed machine includes multiple chip augers to evacuate chips, and a flood coolant system with 95-gal. capacity. The EC-1600's cast-iron construction reportedly increases rigidity and damps vibration, and the standard T-slot table supports parts weighing up to 10,000 lb. The 50-taper geared-head spindle is powered by a 30-hp vector drive system, providing 450 ft.-lbs. of torque for heavy cutting. With a 30" platter diameter and 10,000-lb. weight capacity, the indexer positions large parts to nearly any angle for machining. A full 4th-axis platter is also available for high-speed contouring and fully interpolated motion. For high-speed machining operations, an optional 10,000-rpm, 50-taper spindle (30 hp, geared-head) is available for the EC-1600.

Related Glossary Terms

  • centers

    centers

    Cone-shaped pins that support a workpiece by one or two ends during machining. The centers fit into holes drilled in the workpiece ends. Centers that turn with the workpiece are called “live” centers; those that do not are called “dead” centers.

  • coolant

    coolant

    Fluid that reduces temperature buildup at the tool/workpiece interface during machining. Normally takes the form of a liquid such as soluble or chemical mixtures (semisynthetic, synthetic) but can be pressurized air or other gas. Because of water’s ability to absorb great quantities of heat, it is widely used as a coolant and vehicle for various cutting compounds, with the water-to-compound ratio varying with the machining task. See cutting fluid; semisynthetic cutting fluid; soluble-oil cutting fluid; synthetic cutting fluid.

  • machining center

    machining center

    CNC machine tool capable of drilling, reaming, tapping, milling and boring. Normally comes with an automatic toolchanger. See automatic toolchanger.