With the development of building doors and windows, curtain walls, architectural decoration, and vehicle and ship decoration industries, the aluminum profile processing center has gradually developed into an independent processing center category. According to the characteristics of aluminum profile materials and processing technology, this kind of processing center generally has the capabilities of slot milling, drilling, tapping, and so on;

However, functions such as milling plane/surface, spot facer, and boring are rarely used in aluminum profile processing. Due to the uniqueness of the processing object, the aluminum profile processing center is very different from the general processing center in terms of structural layout, technical parameters, and the design of the numerical control system.

Characteristics of the aluminum profile processing center

• Large longitudinal stroke

To adapt to the characteristics of slender aluminum parts, the worktops of aluminum processing centers are mostly narrow and long. The width shall not exceed 500mm; The length is 6500mm to 7000mm to adapt to the typical 6-meter profile processing. The worktable is standard equipped with a pneumatic fixture and positioning backup plate, which is convenient for workpiece positioning and clamping.

The structural layout of the aluminum profile processing center includes gantry type, movable column type, and movable beam type, which are reflected in the rigidity of the machine tool, stable operation, convenient operation, and other performance indicators. The three layouts have their advantages and disadvantages.

The machining center equipped with an an-axis (rotating around the x-axis) can complete the processing of three sides of the aluminum profile at one time.

• High spindle speed

The maximum speed of the spindle of the general machining center is generally below 8000rpm; The maximum speed of the spindle of the aluminum profile processing center should reach or exceed 18000rpm Due to the high speed, the integrated permanent magnet synchronous motorized spindle is generally used, which integrates the functions of tool clamping, blowing cleaning, circulating water cooling and so on.

The coolant system is divided into two forms: pouring cooling and spray cooling. The latter belongs to the more advanced concept of quasi-dry cutting and micro lubrication system (MQL), which has high cooling and lubrication efficiency and low coolant consumption and is especially suitable for aluminum profile processing.

• Moderate accuracy and rigidity

The processing accuracy of the frame, stile, truss, and other profile parts involved in doors, windows, and curtain walls is generally between it10 and it12; In addition, the processing objects are mostly thin-walled parts, so the aluminum profile processing center does not need to pursue high positioning accuracy and rigidity. The bed and other structural parts of the aluminum profile machining center are mostly welded with steel plates, which is also rare in general machining centers.

• High work efficiency

Improving processing efficiency is the main goal of the aluminum profile processing center. By increasing the rapid feed (G00) speed, shortening the tool change time, and avoiding tool setting and rapid clamping, the auxiliary time and empty travel time can be shortened.

Machine tool manufacturers strive to improve the automation of workpiece positioning and card loading by summarizing the problems encountered in the actual production of local customers. Aluminum processing centers are generally equipped with pneumatic fixtures and positioning backup plates. The positioning backup plate is a positioning device driven by an air cylinder, which extends when loading and unloading workpieces; Retract at the beginning of machining to avoid interference. Precise positioning can be achieved by pressing the profile against the positioning backup plate. Before the machine tool leaves the factory, the relative position between the positioning backup plate and the machine tool's mechanical origin is accurately adjusted, and the data is saved in the numerical control system, which can completely omit the tool setting process. Pneumatic fixtures are operated by buttons or foot switches. The clamping position can be adjusted longitudinally in the machine tool to avoid interference and ensure reliable and effective clamping.

Multi-spindle machining is another important embodiment of the high efficiency of the aluminum profile machining center. A typical multi-head machining center has two sets of spindle systems, which can process their parts without interference (like two independent machining centers); They can also cooperate to process the same part.

• Customized CNC system

What further embodies the characteristics of the aluminum profile processing center is the customized CNC system instead of the general CNC system on the market.

The operation interface is completely planned and designed according to the application characteristics of the aluminum profile processing center, such as the spindle running / stationary, coolant opening/closing, positioning backup plate lifting/falling, workpiece clamping/loosening, and other status information are displayed in the form of animation on the display screen.

The parameter setting and adjustment of the machine tool are not variable characters, but intuitive and visual text expressions. It can be mastered without long training.

Graphic interactive auxiliary programming software enables users who do not understand G code to write machining programs.

• Small magazine capacity

The tool magazine capacity of common aluminum profile processing centers is generally 6 to 12, and the tool magazine capacity of a few products reaches 24. The determination of the magazine capacity depends on the material and characteristics of the machining object. The aluminum material has less wear on the cutting tool, so it does not need to be ground and replaced frequently. The processing characteristics of aluminum profiles are mainly holes and grooves of various shapes. The tools used are mainly drills and end mills, and a few need machine taps. Therefore, there is no need to prepare too many kinds of cutters for aluminum profile processing, and the capacity of the tool magazine does not need to be too large.

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