Haas VM-2

The Haas VM-2 is a compact 40-taper mold machine: a vertical machining center with 30 × 20 × 20 in (762 × 508 × 508 mm) of travel, a 12,000 rpm inline direct-drive spindle and a 36 × 18 in (914 × 457 mm) table slotted in both directions. Haas lists a starting price of US$112,995. The next size up, the VM-3, has 40 × 26 × 25 in (1,016 × 660 × 635 mm) of travel.

The table is the first thing to look at. Its T-slots are listed as 7 in Y and 3 in X, on 4.38 in (111 mm) centers, so a mold insert, die block or fixture plate can be clamped from the sides as well as the ends, and a square block can be turned a quarter turn without rethinking the clamping. Table load is 3,000 lb (1,361 kg). A solid steel block approaching the size of the full travels would be at or over that figure, so on this machine weight, not envelope, sets the largest workpiece.

The spindle is rated 30 hp (22.4 kW) and 90 ft-lbf (122 N·m) at 2,000 rpm, in CT40, BT40 or HSK-A63. Paired with a maximum cutting feedrate of 500 ipm (12.7 m/min), it is set up for small cutters run fast over contoured surfaces, the long finishing passes that make up most of the hours on a cavity or core. Rapids are 710 ipm (18 m/min), not far above the cutting feedrate, so point-to-point positioning is not where this machine saves time. Thrust is 3,400 lbf (15,124 N) on X and Y and 5,600 lbf (24,910 N) on Z.

The side-mount changer holds 30+1 tools and swaps them in 2.8 s tool to tool, 3.6 s chip to chip. Tools can be 2.5 in (64 mm) in diameter with a full magazine, 5 in (127 mm) with adjacent pockets empty, 11 in (279 mm) long and 12 lb (5.4 kg). Haas's shipping table also carries rows for 50+1 and 70+1 side-mount changers, at 9,700 lb (4,400 kg) and 9,920 lb (4,500 kg). Those are optional configurations, and the table gives no weight for the base 30+1 version.