Makino introduces its latest CNC horizontal machining centers, the N2 and N2-5XA, for medical and small aluminum parts manufacturing. The new N2 platform is a high-productivity solution contained in a small package that consumes less than 26 square feet of floor space (includes coolant tank and standard chip management). Its 5-axis N2-5XA configuration pushes this productivity even further with five-sided part accessibility and opportunities to consolidate operations.   “Floor space is often at a premium in medical manufacturing facilities,” said David Ward, horizontal product manager at Makino. “A traditional 400mm horizontal machining center can require upwards of 125 square feet of floor space, which is a lot to dedicate to the production of parts that can fit in the palm of your hand. The N2 platform delivers a “right-sized” machining solution built for speed, providing a high-speed spindle, rapid positioning and quick acceleration and deceleration. With the N2-5XA, manufacturers can eliminate setups and achieve finer surface qualities, making it an ideal solution for many serving the medical market.”   The N2 platform provides a sizable work zone for its compact design, which features an overall footprint of 45.3 inches wide by 83.7 inches long by 84.6 inches high (1,150 mm by 2,125 mm by 2,150 mm). Despite the weight reduction resulting from this design, these machines maintain a highly rigid structure for enhanced accuracy and reliability.   The 4-axis N2 offers a 400-mm high, 400-mm-diameter cylindrical work envelope with X-, Y- and Z-axis travels of 300 mm by 300 mm by 230 mm, and a 300-mm diameter direct-drive rotary table. The 5-axis N2-5XA shares the same linear axes and includes twin, trunnion-style direct-drive A and B rotary axes for the production of complex, contoured parts. The N2-5XA can hold 300-mm cylindrical workpieces that are up to 270-mm high (ᴓ 11.8 inches x 10.6 inches), with a maximum payload of 66 lbs (30 kg).   

Rapid Production Capabilities 

The N2 and N2-5XA are equipped with a 20,000-rpm HSK-40 spindle that accelerates to full rpm in just 0.8 seconds. Four spindle nozzles provide coolant directly to the cutting zone for efficient cooling and improved part quality. Both machines feature simple, efficient chip and coolant flow out of the work zone. The standard coolant tank with chip pan provides effective chip removal for near net shape machining. A rear lift up chip conveyor with filtration is an available option for higher chip volume applications.   Direct-drive rotary axes of the N2 and N2-5XA offer an impressive peak B-axis speed of 150 rpm and a 90-degree rotation time of just 0.65 seconds. These systems work in concert with a responsive 1.4G Z-axis to reduce common drill and tap operations by as much as 40 percent compared to traditional 400-mm horizontal machining centers.   Both machines feature a stacked axis design, placing all linear motion on the spindle side of the machine and limiting workpiece movement to rotary table motion. This configuration creates an automation-friendly design with options for auto-loading doors, advanced robot interface, Erowa chuck interface and tool monitoring options to support unattended operation.   The N2 platform is powered by Makino’s Professional-F control running on a reliable Fanuc platform. Key control features on the 5-axis N2-5XA include tilted work plane and AI Contour Control (AICC). AICC reduces cycle times in complex 3-D program, while delivering the high levels of accuracy and surface finish expected in medical machining applications.