SIZE MATTERS: MACHINING WIND TURBINE PARTS

Machining wind turbine parts is obviously a big job. After all, many wind turbines reach heights of over 400 ft. Adding to that, since these wind turbines are themselves environmentally friendly and are in fact one of the symbols of the movement to ?go green?, you wouldn?t want to contradict that goal by creating the parts for the turbines in such a way that is not environmentally friendly.

This job requires a small-footprint machine that can preferably machine complex-geometry parts in a single setup. One example of this is the MAG Cincinnati E Mill, which can machine parts up to 12 m (39.4 ft) long in a single setup for wind power and other industries.
This system provides a unique solution for economical machining of long, small cross-section parts used in aerospace, construction, shipbuilding and wind power. This system is ideal for titanium, aluminum and composite work on stringers, spars, beams and similar parts. It also performs contour machining, routing, drilling and tapping to produce finished, complex, 3D-geometry parts.

Doing this within a single setup not only reduces processing costs (compared to vertical-platform machines), but also saves on energy. The innovative, economical design combines a production-proven 500 mm 3-axis horizontal machining center (HMC) with headstock and tailstock adapted from horizontal lathes to provide fourth and fifth axes of motion.

The part manipulation system allows A-axis programmable rotation and 360 deg infinite positioning while supplying V-axis linear travel for pull-through part feed. Work stock is loaded and unloaded from infeed and outfeed tubes.
The machine comes with either a 16,000 or 24,000 rpm HSK63A spindle. Supporting single setup processing, a drum-style automatic tool changer accommodates 12 tools up to 8 kg (17.6 lb) in weight, 200 mm (7.9 in) long, and 125 mm (4.9 in) diameter. The system also comes standard with full enclosure guarding, vacuum filtration and mist/dust extraction for CE and OSHA compliance ? especially important for machining composite materials. A pressurized way system protects against wear from abrasive composite dust.

The headstock/tailstock system features through-hole chucks with powered jaws, allowing the work stock to be advanced incrementally through the jaws. The "live" headstock travels on V-axis linear slides, letting it move next to the stationary tailstock, lock on the workpiece, then slide back, pulling the work stock along.

This machine provides 1089 mm (42.9 in) of travel for incremental part indexing. The fully programmable feed system can accommodate work stock from 300 mm (12 in) to 12 m (39.4 ft) in length and up to 304.8 mm (12 in) square in cross section. The headstock moves on parallel guideways 775 mm (30 in) apart, while the fixed tailstock offers a similar broad base.

Made from a tough industrial plastic, the infeed and out-feed tubes are clamshell designs. The in-feed opens from the top for loading work stock, with the outfeed bottom opening for ease of part removal. The tubes are seamless extrusions to prevent abrasion and delamination of composite materials, while the enclosed design provides additional containment of cutting fluids, part chips and dust.

This machine design can be adapted to larger machining centers with more powerful spindles for processing of harder materials. The compact system design saves valuable plant floor space, avoids fixture costs, and enables faster set-up for reduced WIP.

The wind turbine market is growing. While the rest of the economy is going down, the need for wind power is going up. That calls for an increased need for these types of machines.

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MAG Cincinnati, 2200 Litton Lane, Hebron, KY 41048, 859-534-4600, Fax: 859-534-4995, www.mag-ias.com.