Heckert HEC 500D
This model was not found in Heckert's current lineup when we checked on 2026-10-03 . It may be a superseded or older model; the specifications below are as we last recorded them.
Key Specifications
X Travel
Y Travel
Z Travel
Max Spindle
Rapid Traverse
Spindle Power
How much does the Heckert HEC 500D cost?
Estimated price range
Our best estimate for a horizontal machining centers (hmc) in this class — not a quote from Heckert. Configuration moves it a long way.
Overview
The Heckert HEC 500D is shown here with the listed figures of the HEC 500 Athletic, a horizontal machining centre with a 500 x 500 mm pallet and 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) of pallet load. No separate 500D variant appears in that table, and Heckert's current lineup does not carry the model under this name. Anyone assessing a machine badged 500D should match its own documentation against these rows one by one.
Tooling is where the table is most specific. The holder is HSK-A 100, with SK 50, BT and CAT 50 shown in brackets. Tools are stored either in a chain magazine of 40 pockets, with 60 or 120 pockets as the bracketed sizes, or in a tower magazine of 180, 270, 360 or 450 pockets. The two do not accept the same tools. The chain takes a diameter of up to 325 mm and a length of up to 700 mm; the tower takes 340 mm in diameter and either 450 or 800 mm in length. A long boring bar that the chain accepts may not go into a tower built to the 450 mm limit, so the magazine type matters as much as the pocket count.
Accuracy is stated in pairs. Positioning uncertainty on X, Y and Z is 0.006 mm to VDI/DGQ 3441, with 0.004 mm in brackets. Position spread is 0.004 mm and reversal error 0.003 mm, again with tighter bracketed figures of 0.0025 mm and 0.001 mm. The rotary axis is given as 6 arcsec, or 4 arcsec in brackets. Nothing says what the bracketed figures require, so plan around the first of each pair.
The B axis rotates through 360° at up to 80 rpm. The control row reads Siemens 840D sl with HMI Operate, with Fanuc 31i as the option.
Full Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Model Designation | HEC 500 Athletic — the current HEC 500 generation in the manufacturer's brochure, which lists no separate 500D variant |
| Pallet Size | 500 x 500 mm (500 x 630 mm; round pallet Ø 630 mm), DIN 55201 punched-hole pallet |
| Max Pallet Load | 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) |
| Workpiece Interference Range | Ø 1,000 mm full circle / 1,350 mm flattened |
| Max Workpiece Height | 1,050 mm (41.3 in) including fixture |
| X-Axis Travel | 1,000 mm (39.4 in), column longitudinal |
| Y-Axis Travel | 800 mm (950 mm) (31.5 / 37.4 in), slide vertical |
| Z-Axis Travel | 1,000 mm (39.4 in), table transverse |
| B Axis Rotation | 0…360°, max. 80 rpm |
| Work Spindle Types | Gear spindle, motor spindle or NC quill |
| Tool Holder | HSK-A 100 (SK 50 / BT / CAT 50) |
| Spindle Motor Power | 50…82 kW (67…110 hp) depending on spindle |
| Spindle Torque | 237…1,500 Nm at 25% c.d.f. |
| Max Spindle Speed | 4,000…15,000 rpm depending on spindle |
| Tool Magazine | Chain 40 (60/120) pockets or tower 180/270/360/450 pockets |
| Max Tool Diameter (full magazine) | 325 mm (chain) / 340 mm (tower) |
| Max Tool Length | 700 mm (chain) / 450 or 800 mm (tower) |
| Rapid Traverse Rate | 65 m/min (2,559 ipm) |
| Positioning Uncertainty Xyz | 0.006 mm (0.004 mm) to VDI/DGQ 3441; position spread 0.004 (0.0025) mm; reversal error 0.003 (0.001) mm |
| Positioning Uncertainty B Axis | 6 (4) arcsec; position spread 4 (3) arcsec; reversal error 3 (2) arcsec |
| CNC Control | Siemens 840D sl with HMI Operate (Fanuc 31i optional) |
Specifications sourced from static.machinetools.com — verified 2026-09-24
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- Tower magazines of 180, 270, 360 or 450 pockets are listed beside the chain magazine of 40 pockets
- Chain magazine tools may be up to 325 mm in diameter and 700 mm long; the tower takes up to 340 mm in diameter
- Positioning uncertainty of 0.006 mm on X, Y and Z to VDI/DGQ 3441, with a reversal error of 0.003 mm
- B axis positions through 360° at up to 80 rpm, with a stated positioning uncertainty of 6 arcsec
- HSK-A 100 tool holder, with SK 50, BT and CAT 50 in brackets as alternatives
Limitations
- The rows describe the HEC 500 Athletic and include no separate 500D variant, so nothing here shows how a 500D differs
- A tower magazine may be limited to 450 mm of tool length, shorter than the 700 mm the chain magazine accepts
- Pallet load is 1,000 kg (2,205 lb); the HEC800 carries 2,000 kg (4,409 lb)
- The tighter accuracy figures (0.004 mm positioning uncertainty, 0.001 mm reversal error) appear only in brackets with no stated condition
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
01
On the listed figures the two cannot be told apart. Both pages carry the HEC 500 Athletic rows: a 500 x 500 mm pallet, 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) of pallet load and 65 m/min (2,559 ipm) rapid traverse, as on the HEC500. No separate 500D variant is included, so what the suffix changes has to be established from the documents of the machine in question.
02
That depends on the magazine. The chain magazine has 40 pockets, with 60 and 120 shown in brackets. The tower magazine is listed with 180, 270, 360 or 450 pockets. Check which type and size a given machine has, because tool size limits differ between chain and tower.
03
In the chain magazine a tool may be up to 325 mm in diameter and 700 mm long. In the tower magazine the diameter limit is 340 mm and the length limit is either 450 or 800 mm, depending on the tower. The tool holder is HSK-A 100, with SK 50, BT and CAT 50 in brackets.
04
Positioning uncertainty in X, Y and Z is 0.006 mm to VDI/DGQ 3441, with a position spread of 0.004 mm and a reversal error of 0.003 mm. Tighter figures of 0.004 mm, 0.0025 mm and 0.001 mm appear in brackets without a stated condition. The B axis is listed at 6 arcsec, with 4 arcsec in brackets.
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