SW BA 742

The SW BA 742 puts four HSK-A100 spindles on one machine. That combination is rare: four-spindle machines usually carry small tapers for light parts, and this one carries the heaviest interface in SW's table at a spindle distance of 350 mm (13.8 in).

Each spindle has a 1-10,000 rpm range with 28 kW at 25% ED and 340 Nm at 20% ED. Each works in 350 mm (13.8 in) of X, 650 mm (25.6 in) of Y and 550 mm (21.7 in) of Z. Four iron or steel parts can be rough-machined together, with large drills and milling cutters, in a single cycle.

The arithmetic is the attraction. On a part with a long roughing cycle, four spindles do the work of four single-spindle machines on a fraction of the floor area, and SW puts the energy used per part at 50% less. The two work tables add to it, since the next four parts are clamped while the current four are cut.

The demands are equally plain. Parts must fit a 350 mm pitch. The fixture must clamp four of them identically and stay inside the Ø 775 x 1,600 mm interference circle. Every tool is needed four times, and HSK-A100 tools are large and heavy, so magazine capacity deserves a close look. SW's table does not state it.