Heller H 4000

$450,000 - $650,000 Updated 2026-03-16

Key Specifications

X Travel

630 mm (24.8 in)

Y Travel

630 mm (24.8 in)

Z Travel

630 mm (24.8 in)

Max Spindle

15,000 rpm

Spindle Taper

HSK-A63

Tool Capacity

50 (expandable to 80)

Overview

The Heller H 4000 is a mid-size horizontal machining center that represents the core of Heller's HMC lineup, designed for versatile production machining of prismatic components across automotive, aerospace, and general industrial applications. With 630 x 630 x 630 mm (24.8 x 24.8 x 24.8 in) X/Y/Z travels and a 400 mm (15.7 in) pallet, the H 4000 delivers the work envelope and rigidity needed for medium-sized housings, manifolds, and structural castings while maintaining the compact footprint that high-density production cells demand.

The standard motorized spindle runs at 15,000 rpm with 32 kW (43 hp) continuous power through an HSK-A63 interface. Heller also offers their gear-driven spindle variant delivering 400 Nm (295 ft-lb) of torque for shops focused on heavy cutting in cast iron and steel. The B-axis provides 1-degree indexing with 360 positions for multi-face tombstone work, and the dual-pallet changer with 400 x 400 mm pallets enables setup during cutting to maximize spindle utilization.

Heller's H series construction is the benchmark for European horizontal machining center build quality. The machine bed is a one-piece cast iron structure with hand-scraped mating surfaces, and all axes run on precision roller linear guides. The column design uses Heller's proven thermally symmetric architecture with active cooling to maintain geometric accuracy during extended production runs. Rapid traverse rates of 60 m/min on all axes with Heller's Pro-Speed acceleration optimization keep non-cutting time to a minimum.

The 50-position tool magazine (expandable to 80) accommodates the diverse tooling required for complex multi-face operations. The Siemens Sinumerik 840D sl control handles production management functions including tool life monitoring, sister tool management, and in-process measurement cycles. New Heller H 4000 machines are priced between $450,000 and $650,000, positioning them against the DMG MORI NHX 4000, Mazak HCN-5000, and Okuma MB-4000HII in the competitive 400mm-class horizontal machining center segment.

Full Specifications

Parameter	Value
X-Axis Travel	630 mm (24.8 in)
Y-Axis Travel	630 mm (24.8 in)
Z-Axis Travel	630 mm (24.8 in)
Pallet Size	400 x 400 mm (15.7 x 15.7 in)
Max Spindle Speed	15,000 rpm
Spindle Taper	HSK-A63
Spindle Motor Power	32 kW (43 hp) continuous
Spindle Torque	200 Nm (148 ft-lb) motorized / 400 Nm (295 ft-lb) gear-driven
B Axis	1° indexing (360 positions)
Number Of Pallets	2 (dual pallet changer)
Max Workpiece Weight	700 kg (1,543 lb) per pallet
Tool Capacity	50 (expandable to 80)
Rapid Traverse Rate	60 m/min (2,362 ipm) all axes
CNC Control	Siemens Sinumerik 840D sl
Machine Weight	13,500 kg (29,762 lb)
Chip To Chip	~4.5 seconds
Rank Abbr	Meaning
Uai	Universal Access Interface
Modelh 4000brandheller Grouptypehorizontal Machining Centerscontrolcontact Sales Rep	Contact Sales Rep.
Modelh 4000brandheller Grouptypehorizontal Machining Centerscontrol	Contact Sales Rep.
Model	H 4000
Brand	HELLER GROUP
Type	Horizontal Machining Centers
X31496y31496z31496pallet W19685	Pallet-L24.803"# Axis4ControlCNC
X	31.496"
Y	31.496"
Z	31.496"
Pallet W	19.685"
Pallet L	24.803"
Axis	4
Cnc Control	CNC
Looking To Purchase A New Heller Group H 4000	Contact Sales Rep.

Specifications sourced from machinetools.com — verified 2026-03-28

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

Heller's one-piece cast iron bed with hand-scraped surfaces sets the standard for horizontal machining center geometric accuracy and long-term stability
Choice of motorized (15,000 rpm) or gear-driven (400 Nm) spindle allows optimization for specific material families and cutting strategies
700 kg pallet capacity handles heavier workpieces than many 400mm-class competitors, expanding the range of parts the machine can produce
Pro-Speed acceleration optimization with 60 m/min rapids and 4.5-second chip-to-chip time minimize non-cutting time in production programs
Dual-pallet changer is standard, not optional — every H 4000 ships production-ready with automated part changeover capability
Thermally symmetric column design with active cooling maintains dimensional accuracy through extended production shifts without warm-up cycles

Limitations

1-degree B-axis indexing limits the H 4000 to 4-axis work — shops needing 5-axis contouring should look at the Heller HF series
Siemens 840D sl is the sole control option — no FANUC or Heidenhain alternative for shops standardized on those platforms
At $450K-$650K, the H 4000 commands a 15-25% premium over comparable Japanese horizontal machining centers with similar specifications
Heller's North American service network is adequate but concentrated in the Midwest — shops in other regions may experience longer response times

Best For

Automotive Tier 1 suppliers producing aluminum and cast iron powertrain components including cylinder heads, transmission cases, and pump housings Aerospace subcontractors machining medium-sized structural castings and housings requiring the accuracy and repeatability of a premium European HMC Hydraulic and pneumatic equipment manufacturers machining valve bodies, manifolds, and actuator housings in medium to high production volumes Job shops investing in production-grade horizontal machining capability for high-mix automotive and industrial component work Shops building FMS cells where H 4000 machines connect to Fastems or other linear pallet pool systems for unmanned multi-shift production

Frequently Asked Questions

01 How does the Heller H 4000 compare to the DMG MORI NHX 4000?

Both are premium 400mm-class horizontal machining centers. The NHX 4000 offers higher standard spindle speed (20,000 rpm with speedMASTER), CELOS control interface, and DMG MORI's extensive global service network. The Heller H 4000 counters with its gear-driven spindle option (400 Nm torque), hand-scraped bed construction, and Heller's production-proven thermal stability. The NHX 4000 is more versatile for high-speed aluminum work; the H 4000 excels in heavy cutting applications. Pricing is comparable.

02 What is the advantage of Heller's gear-driven spindle option?

Heller's gear-driven spindle provides 400 Nm of constant torque across a wide RPM range, compared to approximately 200 Nm for the motorized spindle. This extra torque enables larger face mills, deeper cuts, and higher material removal rates in cast iron and steel. For shops where the primary work involves heavy roughing of ferrous materials, the gear-driven spindle reduces cycle times significantly. The tradeoff is slightly lower maximum RPM and marginally more vibration at very high speeds compared to the motorized variant.

03 Can the H 4000 be integrated into a flexible manufacturing system?

Yes, FMS integration is a common deployment for the H 4000. The machine's standard dual-pallet changer interfaces with linear pallet pool systems from Fastems, Liebherr, and other providers. Heller supports FMS configurations with 10-60+ pallets serving multiple H 4000 machines. The Siemens 840D sl control supports DNC communication, pallet management, and the job scheduling functions required for FMS operation. Many automotive plants run H 4000 machines in multi-machine FMS cells producing mixed families of powertrain components.

04 What is the H 4000's thermal stability performance?

The H 4000 uses Heller's thermally symmetric column design with active oil cooling on the spindle and axis drives. Temperature sensors throughout the structure feed Heller's compensation algorithms, maintaining geometric accuracy during extended production runs. In practice, the H 4000 holds +/- 0.005 mm positioning accuracy after a 20-30 minute warm-up period, and drift during an 8-hour production shift is typically less than 0.005 mm. This performance is critical for automotive production where parts must stay within tolerance from first part to last.