Honor Seiki VL-100CM

The Honor Seiki VL-100CM combines a 1,200 mm (47.2 in) turning diameter and a 3,500 kg (7,716 lb) table load with a live spindle listed at 50-2,250 rpm. It is the milling-capable version of the VL-100C and, like that machine, is named in Honor Seiki's standard list as having a fixed type crossrail. Turning height is 650 mm (25.5 in).

This is the largest fixed-crossrail machine with driven tools on the page. Parts in its range are things like slewing ring blanks, large bearing housings, pump casings and turbine discs: components that are turned first and then need rows of holes, slots or flats. Machining those features without unclamping a three-tonne part saves the lift, the re-clocking and the risk of losing concentricity.

A manual 4-jaw table is standard, so first setup is done by hand. For batch work the hydraulic chuck and cylinder option is available in several sizes, and high and low pressure chucking can be added for thin-walled rings.

Honor Seiki publishes the live spindle's speed and leaves the rest open. Power, torque and taper are not listed, and neither are table speed or the X and Z travels. The option list is long: dual gearbox for the live tool spindle, high pressure coolant through the tool holder, a lubricant chiller for the spindle bearing and gear, linear encoders on X and Z, a tool presetter, a workpiece probe and a Siemens controller. If 650 mm of height is too little, the VL-100CRM carries the same live spindle with 800 mm (31.4 in).