Hurco VMX30Ui

The Hurco VMX30Ui is the torque-oriented version of the VMX30U five-axis machine. Its CAT 40 spindle runs to 12,000 rpm and is listed at 13.4 kW (18 hp) and 213.3 Nm (157.3 ft-lb), over a working envelope of 762 mm (30 in) in X, 508 mm (20 in) in Y and 521 mm (20.52 in) in Z with a 248 mm (9.8 in) × 248 mm (9.8 in) rotary table rated for 200 kg (440 lb).

That torque figure is the reason to pick this model over its siblings. It is well above the 95.5 Nm (70.4 ft-lb) of the VMX30UDi and the 118.9 Nm (87.7 ft-lb) of the VMX30UHSi, even though both have more power. High torque at lower speed is what drills, taps and indexable cutters need in steel, stainless and titanium, so the Ui is the version for parts where material removal in tough alloys, not surface speed, sets the cycle time. The listed figures do not say at what speed the torque is reached, so ask for the spindle curve when comparing quotes.

The cost of that choice is the 12,000 rpm ceiling, which slows small tools in aluminium compared with the 15,000 rpm VMX30UDi or the 20,000 rpm VMX30UHSi. The magazine is unchanged across the family: 40 CAT 40 tools, here at 2 sec tool-to-tool, each up to 76 mm (3 in) in diameter, 300 mm (11.8 in) long and 7 kg (15.4 lb).

At 4,940 kg (10,891 lb) it is the lightest of the three VMX30U machines. The C axis turns 360° at 25 rpm; the listed figures give no tilt range. Spindle nose to table is listed as 90 mm (3.54 in). Programs can be written at the machine in Hurco's WinMax conversational mode or loaded as G-code.