Union BT110

The Union BT110 is a floor-type CNC horizontal boring machine with a 110 mm spindle diameter, designed for machining very large and heavy workpieces that cannot be accommodated on a conventional table-type boring mill. Built in Germany by Union Chemnitz, the BT110 is based on a floor-plate concept where the workpiece is bolted directly to the shop floor or to a stationary floor plate, while the machine's headstock and column traverse over the work on linear guideways. This arrangement removes the load-bearing limitation of a conventional rotary table and allows essentially unlimited workpiece weight.

The floor-type configuration of the BT110 is particularly well-suited to large castings such as compressor housings, press frames, ship engine blocks, and large hydraulic manifolds. With the workpiece stationary and the machine moving, the operator gains easy all-around access to the part for inspection, setup adjustments, and chip clearing. The BT110's column travels along a precision floor rail in the X-axis, the headstock moves vertically in the Y-axis, the spindle quill (W-axis) advances axially, and a separate spindle slide (Z-axis) provides fore-aft positioning of the entire column. This four-axis arrangement gives the operator flexible reach to features on all sides of a large workpiece.

Union equips the BT110 with a Siemens SINUMERIK 840D sl CNC, enabling complex multi-axis interpolation, high-precision boring cycles, and integration with shop network systems. An integrated facing head option extends the machine's capability to turning-like operations for large-diameter flanges and facing operations directly on the floor-mounted workpiece. The 840D sl control supports Union's application cycles for boring, thread milling, and deep-hole drilling, reducing the programming workload on uncommon large-part operations.

The spindle drive on the BT110 uses a multi-speed gearbox to deliver high torque at low speeds for large-diameter boring bars and powerful face mills, as well as moderate speed for contour milling with smaller cutters. Gearbox-type spindles are preferred on floor-type boring machines because the workload tends to favor high-torque roughing cuts over high-speed finishing passes. Spindle bearing temperature monitoring and automatic lubrication are standard to ensure bearing life and geometric accuracy in industrial environments with long daily run times.

The Union BT110 occupies a specialized niche in the heavy machining market. It is typically purchased by energy equipment OEMs, steel mill machinery manufacturers, large casting processors, and heavy industrial plants where the size and weight of the components being machined exceeds what any table-type machine can handle. The BT110 is configured to order with the specific floor rail length, headstock travel, and accessory package that matches the customer's production requirements, making it a bespoke capital investment with a long operating life.