Makino D500

The Makino D500 is a trunnion-style 5-axis vertical machining center purpose-built for aerospace structural parts and precision mold work. It sits in the middle of Makino's vertical 5-axis lineup, between the smaller D300 and the larger D800Z.

Axis travel runs 550 x 1,000 x 500 mm (21.7 x 39.4 x 19.7 in) on X/Y/Z. That 1,000 mm of Y-axis stroke is generous for a machine in this class, giving you real working room on large mold cores or aerospace brackets. The A-axis tilts from +30 to -120 degrees while the C-axis rotates a full 360 degrees continuously. Work envelope handles parts up to 650 mm (25.6 in) diameter and 500 mm (19.7 in) tall with a 350 kg (771 lb) table load capacity.

The standard spindle turns at 14,000 RPM with 201 Nm of torque through an HSK-A63 taper. That's enough muscle for roughing hardened tool steel without backing off. Three optional spindle configurations cover different applications: a 12,000 RPM high-torque option for heavy hogging, a 20,000 RPM HSK-A63 for mixed steel and aluminum work, and a 30,000 RPM HSK-F63 built specifically for high-speed aerospace aluminum finishing.

The D500's signature feature is its dual direct-drive motor design on the A-axis. Two DD motors, one at each end of the trunnion, eliminate twist and torsion during aggressive cuts. Makino's published data claims twice the rotary axis accuracy of competing single-motor designs when cutting away from the center of rotation. The trunnion assembly runs parallel to the X-axis, which kills the cradle deflection problem that plagues some competing 5-axis platforms.

Makino's Professional 6 control is Fanuc-based and includes the SGI.5 contouring algorithm. SGI.5 can cut cycle times by up to 40% on complex 3D surfaces versus standard servo control. Rapid traverse hits 48 m/min (1,890 ipm) on X and 50 m/min (1,969 ipm) on Y/Z, with cutting feedrates of 32 m/min (X) and 40 m/min (Y/Z). Tool-to-tool change takes 4.2 seconds and chip-to-chip is 10.2 seconds.

The Thermal Stabilizer package includes insulated castings, core-cooled ballscrews, and temperature-controlled DD motors and spindle. At 15,700 kg (34,613 lb), the D500 holds position through long unattended runs without drifting. ATC options range from 60 to 323 tools in a matrix-style magazine, and the machine can run standalone or integrate with Makino's MMC2 linear pallet pool. Direct competitors include the DMG Mori DMU 50, Hermle C 250, and Okuma MU-5000V. Pricing puts it at the premium end of the 5-axis vertical market, but shops doing high-value aerospace and mold work consider it money well spent. Specs sourced from Makino published data.