Chiron DZ 15S

The Chiron DZ 15S is a twin-spindle, 5-axis machining center that doubles the throughput of its single-spindle sibling, the FZ 15S, by machining two identical parts simultaneously. The "DZ" designation means Doppelspindel (dual spindle) and the "S" denotes swivel-head configuration with a 2-axis tilt-rotary table. This is a production machine built for shops running thousands of identical small parts where cycle time per piece drives profitability.

Each spindle operates with X/Y/Z travels of 430 x 400 x 400 mm (16.9 x 15.7 x 15.7 in), with both spindles following the same toolpath simultaneously. The machine uses Chiron's mineral-cast bed for vibration damping, linear direct drives on all linear axes for maximum dynamics, and direct drives on the A and C rotary axes. Spindle options include HSK-A63 at 20,000 RPM standard with high-speed variants up to 40,000 RPM. Tool magazines provide up to 2 x 55 tools — one per spindle — with chip-to-chip times around 2.5 seconds.

The twin-spindle design is what sets the DZ 15S apart in the compact 5-axis segment. Where a single-spindle FZ 15S might produce 40 parts per hour, the DZ 15S produces 80 from the same program. The spindle distance is optimized for loading two parts side by side on the rotary table, with each part limited to approximately 350 mm diameter and 150 kg. The compact footprint keeps floor space per spindle among the lowest in the industry.

New DZ 15S machines typically price between $400,000 and $600,000 depending on spindle configuration, tool magazine size, and automation integration. The investment payback is driven by the 2:1 output advantage over single-spindle machines. Competitors include the Grob G350 (single spindle, larger envelope) and the Chiron DZ 16S (larger variant). Used DZ 15S units from 2018-2023 trade between $200,000 and $400,000.