Hurco TM8Mi

The Hurco TM8Mi is a compact live-tooling turning center: a 210 mm (8.27 in) chuck, a 22.6 kW (30.3 hp) spindle with 264.1 Nm (194.82 ft-lb) up to 4,000 rpm, and a 12-station turret whose driven tools run to 5,000 rpm. It turns parts up to 256 mm (10.08 in) in diameter and 497 mm (19.57 in) long.

The price of live tooling on this frame is diameter. The plain TM8i turns up to 356 mm (14.01 in) on the same 210 mm (8.27 in) chuck, while the TM8Mi stops at 256 mm (10.08 in). Swing over the cross slide is 300 mm (11.81 in). For bar work and small chucked parts that is rarely the limit, and the machine takes bar up to 64.5 mm (2.54 in).

The driven stations are rated 4.6 kW (6.17 HP) and 29.3 Nm (21.6 lb-ft @1500 rpm). That is a drilling, tapping and light-milling rating: cross holes, wrench flats, slots and engraving on turned parts, not heavy pocketing. The turret takes 20 mm x 20 mm shanks and boring bars up to 32 mm (1.26 in), a smaller tool envelope than the 25 mm shanks of the Y-axis TM8MYi.

The obvious alternative, the TM8MYi, adds 55 mm (2.17 in) of Y travel and a 320 mm (12.6 in) turning diameter, but its turning length falls to 375 mm (14.76 in). The TM8Mi keeps the longer 497 mm (19.57 in) reach, so it suits shafts and long bar parts whose milled features sit on the centerline. Travels are 198 mm (7.79 in) on X and 550 mm (21.65 in) on Z at 30 m/min (1181 ipm), with 597 mm (23.5 in) between centers. The machine weighs 4,400 kg (9,700 lb) and runs Hurco WinMax, conversational plus NC.