Makino L2 APC

The Makino L2 APC is a compact vertical machining center for high-volume, small-part production, with 400 mm (15.7 in) of X, 300 mm (11.8 in) of Y and 300 mm (11.8 in) of Z, a 16,000 rpm HSK-A50 spindle and 48 m/min (1,890 ipm) on its axes. Makino gives the machine's size as 3 feet wide x 7 feet deep, small enough to be moved and reconfigured as a line changes.

The workholding rows set this version apart. The table is listed as 120 mm diameter (4.75 in diameter), and an A-axis row gives an increment of 0.001°, which reads as an indexing rotary table rather than a flat machine table. The workpiece rows list 600 x 400 x 500 mm and 300 kg (661 lb). Those figures are far larger than a 120 mm table, so confirm the real part envelope with Makino before quoting a job. The L2 Table, by contrast, has a 600 x 400 mm (23.62 in x 15.74 in) table and a 60 kg (132 lb) workpiece limit.

The standard spindle is a 16,000 RPM, 20 HP HSK-A50 unit; an 8,000 rpm HSK-A50 spindle is the option. The magazine holds 15 tools as standard, with 30 as an option. Tools can be 30 mm (1.18 in) in diameter with every pocket filled, or 80 mm (3.14 in) with the adjacent pockets left empty, and up to 5 kg (11 lb). Chip-to-chip time is 3.5 to 4.5 sec, and rapid and cutting feed are both 48 m/min (1,890 ipm).

Makino built the L2 for fully unattended, around-the-clock running, and says it fits any workpiece flow from manual part transfer to robot loading. A buyer setting up a cell should count tools first: 15 pockets cover a simple part family, and the 30-tool option is worth pricing if several part numbers share the machine.