AXA VHC 3 - XTS
Image: axa-maschinenbau.de, AXA
Key Specifications
Max Spindle
Spindle Taper
Tool Capacity
Table Size
Spindle Power
Accuracy
How much does the AXA VHC 3 - XTS cost?
Price estimate
We do not have a price for the AXA VHC 3 - XTS that we can stand behind, so we show no number. Configuration, options and installation move the final price a long way: a quote is the reliable figure.
Overview
The AXA VHC 3 - XTS is the wide-body SK 40 member of the VHC family of tilting-head travelling column machines. Its Y travel starts at 700 mm (27.6 in) and can be ordered as 900 mm, 1,000 mm or 1,100 mm, and Z starts at 850 mm (33.5 in) with 950 mm or 1,200 mm as options. X is built from 1,760 mm to 9,000 mm with the spindle vertical.
Why does Y matter so much on a tilting-head machine? When the head swings to horizontal it machines the side of the part, and the reach it needs across the table comes out of the Y travel. A wider Y therefore pays twice: wider parts from above, and deeper access from the side.
One detail differs from the VHC 2 - XTS. In the vertical position the spindle nose stops 40 mm above the table (the listed range is 40 to 890 mm, or up to 990 mm as an option), so very thin parts need packing. In the horizontal position the range is 250 mm to 1,100 mm.
The tool magazine has the largest ceiling of the series at 288 pockets, from a standard 22, and a change takes approx. 6 s. The B-axis head swivels ± 90° (± 100° optional) with 0.001° indexing. Drive no. 110 with 143 Nm is standard and three optional drives go up to 255 Nm. The table carries 1,200 kg/m² on five T-slots, or six as an option.
Full Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| X Axis Travel | 1,760 - 9,000 mm (69.3 - 354.3 in) (vertical spindle) |
| Pendulum Travel Optional | (X-axis - 500) / 2 mm (vertical spindle) |
| Y Axis Travel | 700 mm (27.6 in); optional 900 mm (35.4 in), 1,000 mm (39.4 in), 1,100 mm (43.3 in) |
| Z Axis Travel | 850 mm (33.5 in); optional 950 mm (37.4 in), 1,200 mm (47.2 in) |
| Distance Spindle Nose to Table Vertical | 40 - 890 mm (1.6 - 35.0 in); optional up to 990 mm (39.0 in) |
| Distance Spindle Nose to Table Horizontal | 250 - 1,100 mm (9.8 - 43.3 in); optional up to 1,200 mm (47.2 in) |
| Table Size | (X-axis + 400) x Y-axis mm |
| T-Slot Width | 14 mm H9 (reference slot H7) |
| T Slot Spacing | 160 mm (6.3 in) |
| T Slot Count | 5; optional 6 |
| Max Table Load | 1,200 kg/m² (246 lb/ft²) |
| Rapid Traverse Xyz | 40/40/30 m/min (1,575/1,575/1,181 ipm) in X/Y/Z |
| Max Feed Force | 9,000 N (2,023 lbf) |
| Spindle Drive Standard | No. 110 |
| Spindle Drives Optional | No. 100, 111, 113 |
| Max Spindle Speed | 6,000 rpm; optional up to 12,000 rpm (standard drive no. 110) |
| Spindle Torque | 143 Nm (105.5 lb-ft) max. at 40% DC (standard drive no. 110) |
| Spindle Motor Power | 30 kW (40.2 hp) max. at 40% DC (standard drive no. 110) |
| Optional Spindle Drive 100 | 6,000 rpm (optional up to 15,000 rpm), 95 Nm (70.1 lb-ft), 20 kW (26.8 hp) max. at 40% DC |
| Optional Spindle Drive 111 | 6,000 rpm (optional up to 12,000 rpm), 191 Nm (140.9 lb-ft), 40 kW (53.6 hp) max. at 40% DC |
| Optional Spindle Drive 113 | 6,000 rpm (optional up to 10,000 rpm), 255 Nm (188.1 lb-ft), 40 kW (53.6 hp) max. at 40% DC |
| Spindle Taper | SK 40 (DIN ISO 7388-1 AD / DIN ISO 7388-3 AD); optional BT 40, HSK A63, C6 |
| B Axis Range | ± 90°; optional ± 100° |
| B Axis Indexing | 0.001°; fully interpolating optional |
| Tool Capacity | 22; optional expandable up to 288 (e.g. 3 fully equipped towers) |
| Max Tool Diameter (full magazine) | 85 mm (3.3 in); 135 mm (5.3 in) with free adjacent pockets |
| Max Tool Length | 400 mm (15.7 in) |
| Tool Change Time | approx. 6 s |
| Positioning Accuracy | ± 0.015 mm per 1,000 mm per axis X/Y/Z with vertical spindle; optional ± 0.0075 mm |
| Repeatability | ± 0.005 mm |
Specifications sourced from axa-maschinenbau.de — verified 2026-10-05
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- Y travel of 700 mm with options of 900 mm, 1,000 mm and 1,100 mm
- Z travel extendable from 850 mm to 950 mm or 1,200 mm
- XTS magazine expandable from 22 up to 288 pockets
- Tilting B-axis head for vertical and horizontal machining, ± 90° or optionally ± 100°
- Table rated at 1,200 kg/m², with a sixth T-slot available as an option
Limitations
- Spindle nose stays at least 40 mm above the table in the vertical position
- Wider Y, taller Z and the interpolating head are all optional features
- SK 40 drives top out at 255 Nm with drive no. 113
- Tool change takes approx. 6 s, a second longer than on the VHC 2 - XTS
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
01
X is 1,760 mm to 9,000 mm with the vertical spindle. Y is 700 mm (27.6 in), optionally 900 mm, 1,000 mm or 1,100 mm. Z is 850 mm (33.5 in), optionally 950 mm or 1,200 mm. AXA marks the larger Y and Z figures as optional features.
02
The standard XTS magazine has 22 pockets. It is optionally expandable up to 288, for which AXA gives the example of 3 fully equipped towers. Tools can be 85 mm in diameter, or 135 mm with free adjacent pockets, and 400 mm long.
03
The VHC 3 - XTS50 has an SK 50 spindle with 286 Nm and 45 kW as standard, 18 mm T-slots and a magazine of 26 to 180 pockets. The VHC 3 - XTS has SK 40 with 143 Nm and 30 kW, 14 mm T-slots and 22 to 288 pockets. Both start at 700 mm of Y.
04
AXA states that the machine is transported in one piece, and that a split machine bed is available as an option: the machine is then designed so that it can be divided along its entire length for transport and installation at the customer's site.
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