Hardinge GX-1300

The Hardinge GX-1300 is a large-table BT 40 vertical machining center. The listed figures give 1,300 mm (51.2 in) of X travel, 600 mm (23.6 in) of Y and Z, and a 1,400 x 600 mm (55.1 x 23.6 in) table that takes 1,000 kg (2,205 lb). The spindle is 18.5 kW (25 hp) at 10,000 RPM.

This is the kind of machine bought for mould bases, large plates and long weldments that still want 40-taper speeds. The table allowance is enough for a steel block that fills a good part of the envelope, and 600 mm (23.6 in) of Z leaves headroom for deep cavities with long tools. The 18.5 kW (25 hp) spindle is strong for the taper, though the table gives no torque figure to say how it behaves at low speed with large cutters.

Two faster spindles, 12,000 and 15,000 RPM, are listed as optional. Which one a machine has changes what it is good at: the standard 10,000 RPM unit for general work, the faster ones for finishing with small tools. The magazine holds 30 tools and changes in 2.5 sec tool-to-tool. Rapids are 36 m/min (1,417 ipm), on a machine of 9,000 kg (19,842 lb).

Listed accuracy is ±0.005 mm positioning and ±0.003 mm repeatability, and the control is a Fanuc 0i-MF Plus. The XR-1000 has the same table depth, 51.18 x 23.6 in (1300 x 600 mm), but 40 in (1020 mm) of X, so the GX-1300 is the choice where length is the constraint. Confirm these listed figures on the machine itself.