Technical Analysis and Practical Processing Influence of Heart Machine Five-axis, Six-axis and Nine-axis Model

1. Overview of Heartfelt Machine Technology

The centerless lathe, officially termed a centerless CNC lathe, is a spindle-box movable CNC automatic lathe. It employs a Z-axis movable spindle structure, achieving high-precision machining through the combined motion of workpiece rotation and tool feed. Unlike traditional walk-through lathes, this machine adopts a unique "workpiece movement, tool fixation" processing mode. The bar stock moves axially with the spindle while the tool performs radial cutting. This coordinated operation significantly enhances machining accuracy.

The core technical advantage of the rotary heart machine lies in its ability to perform multiple machining processes—including turning, milling, drilling, tapping, and boring—through a single setup. This makes it particularly suitable for slender shaft components with a length-to-diameter ratio exceeding 3. With processing accuracy of ±0.002mm and surface roughness Ra below 0.4μm, it plays an irreplaceable role in high-precision manufacturing fields such as aerospace, automotive, and medical device production.

2. Technical Features of the Five-Axis Heart-Tracking Machine

2.1 Core Technology of Five-axis Linkage

The five-axis synchronized lathe expands the four-axis system with left-right movement of the rear axis, achieving five-axis synchronized control (X, Y, Z, C, B). Its tool arrangement utilizes a dual-axis controlled tool post structure, featuring a simple design, rapid tool changes, and exceptional reliability. The Z-axis delivers an ultra-long stroke of 245mm, enabling full-length machining of 180-240mm parts in a single feed cycle. This significantly reduces feed frequency and enhances production efficiency.

2.2 Precision Machining Capability

The five-axis turning machine features high-speed precision synchronous guide sleeves, enabling large-scale precision machining of steel and stainless steel components for high-grade parts with high-speed cutting. Its three-axis drilling function handles shaft end drilling and tapping operations. Equipped with a swing power tool module, the machine allows the power tool to rotate within a 0-90 degree range, delivering multi-directional precision drilling and milling capabilities for various shaft components.

2.3 Automated Configuration

The feeding system can be equipped with an automatic feeder, while the receiving section supports both short and long workpiece receivers, enabling a single operator to manage multiple machines in a 'one-operator, multi-machine' setup. The system can also integrate additional features like an automatic chip remover to form a flexible production line, achieving fully automated processing.

2.4 Application Fields

Five-axis turning machine is most suitable for machining various high-precision, multi-batch, complex-shaped shaft parts used in aviation, aerospace, military industry, automobile, motorcycle, communication, refrigeration, optics, home appliances, micro-special electronics, clock and watch industries.

3. Technology Upgrade of 6-axis Heart Walk Machine

3.1 Advantages of the Six-Axis Configuration

The six-axis gantry machine expands the functionality of the five-axis model by adding a Y2 axis, typically used to integrate rear power tools or enable multi-axis motion. This configuration enhances the machine's processing flexibility and precision, making it ideal for manufacturing highly complex and precision components. It can accommodate a wider range of tooling options to meet diverse machining requirements.

3.2 Comparison of Technical Parameters

The Shofang SZ206E six-axis lathe, powered by the next-generation Mitsubishi FANUC system, features a built-in oil-cooled electric spindle with interchangeable guide sleeves. Its modular design ensures high expandability, making it widely applicable in 5G, new energy vehicles, aerospace, and medical fields.

3.3 Improvement of Processing Capability

The six-axis centerless lathe can simultaneously process multiple tool positions during machining, significantly enhancing efficiency. Compared to five-axis models, it excels in handling more complex and precise tasks, demonstrating superior flexibility and accuracy in constrained machining scenarios.

4. Technological breakthrough of nine-axis walking heart machine

4.1 Nine-axis Configuration Architecture

The nine-axis CNC centering machine features dual Z axes, dual Y axes, and dual X axes at its spindle end. Specifically, the Z1 axis controls spindle movement, while the Z3 axis operates the No.2 tool post. The No.1 tool post has its X1 and Y1 axes, and the No.2 tool post is equipped with independent X3 and Y3 axes. This multi-axis configuration allows simultaneous multi-tool contact during machining, significantly enhancing production efficiency.

4.2 Core Performance Indicators

The nine-axis lathe features imported NSK bearings and THK linear screw, delivering exceptional precision and durability. It offers optional configurations with or without guide sleeves for material optimization and cost efficiency. The spindle and auxiliary shafts utilize oil-cooled electric spindles, ensuring uniform cooling at high speeds for enhanced performance. The plug-and-play design eliminates the need to return to the origin during startup/shutdown, saving time, effort, and labor.

4.3 Ensuring processing accuracy

The nine-axis rotary table features linear rolling guides driven by servo motors, with its linear tool arrangement enabling rapid tool switching. The CNC system offers comprehensive functionality and intuitive operation, and can be equipped with side power heads to automate drilling and milling processes. With multiple tool options and fast tool change, it excels at machining ultra-fine, elongated components.

5. Influence of Multi-axis Heart Machine on Actual Processing

5.1 Production efficiency has been significantly improved

The multi-axis walking heart machine shortens the manufacturing process chain, enabling all or most processing procedures to be completed in a single setup. This significantly reduces production auxiliary time caused by setup changes, while also decreasing the manufacturing cycle and waiting time for tooling fixtures. Compared to traditional processing methods, the efficiency can be improved by 30%-50%.

5.2 The processing accuracy has been greatly improved.

The reduction of the number of loading operations avoids the error accumulation caused by the conversion of positioning references, which is especially suitable for the large-volume, multi-variety, and high-precision machining tasks of "long and slender shaft-type" parts with a large length-to-diameter ratio and "small" parts. The repeatability of positioning accuracy can reach ±0.003mm, ensuring that the same part is machined multiple times with no dimensional deviation.

5.3 The scope of processing has been significantly expanded.

The multi-axis boring machine can be equipped with power tool modules that can be installed with various types of drilling and milling power tools and cyclone tools. The power tools can swing in the range of 0-90 degrees, and complete the multi-directional precision drilling and milling processing functions of various shaft parts. It is suitable for processing large quantities, multiple varieties and high precision processing tasks of parts with complex processing requirements such as turning and milling combined processing.

5.4 The level of automation has been comprehensively improved.

The multi-axis lathe can be equipped with various additional facilities such as automatic feeders, automatic receivers, and automatic chip removers, forming a flexible production line to achieve fully automated processing. It enables a "one operator, multiple machines" mode, allowing one person to operate and monitor multiple machine tools, thereby saving human resources for the factory.

6. Selection Strategy of Different Axial Number Models

6.1 Applicable scenarios for the five-axis walking heart machine

The five-axis turning machine is suitable for the large-scale, multi-variety and high-precision machining tasks of the parts with complex machining requirements, such as turning and milling. It is suitable for the precision shaft parts machining of automobile parts, communication equipment, optical instruments and other industries, and the machining precision requirement is within ±0.005mm.

6.2 Applicable scenarios of six-axis walking heart machine

The six-axis centerless lathe is particularly suited for machining highly complex and precision components, such as core parts in aerospace and medical device industries. When processing intricate surfaces or multi-directional drilling and milling operations, this machine demonstrates significant advantages.

6.3 Applicable Scenarios for Nine-Axis Heart Pump

The nine-axis turning machine is designed for machining ultra-fine and elongated components, with a power head capable of handling both turning and milling operations. It is particularly suited for producing small shaft parts in precision manufacturing sectors such as medical devices, watchmaking, and automotive industries, achieving a machining accuracy of ±0.002mm or less.

6.4 Key factors in model selection

When selecting a centering machine model, key factors to consider include: material and size specifications, part characteristics, precision requirements, production volume, automation level, and budget. While five-axis models are more affordable, six-axis and nine-axis models offer superior processing capabilities at higher costs. We recommend conducting a comprehensive evaluation based on your specific machining needs.

7. Application of Practical Processing Cases

7.1 Processing of automobile parts

In the manufacturing of automotive engine components such as fuel injectors and spark plugs, the centerless lathe utilizes its high-speed and high-precision cutting capabilities to process these critical parts swiftly and accurately. For instance, during mass production of fuel injectors, the centerless lathe can operate continuously and stably according to preset programs, producing multiple qualified units per minute.

7.2 Medical Device Manufacturing

The C-axis indexing function enables precision milling of 0.1mm microgrooves in orthopedic implants (e.g., titanium alloy screws) and endoscopic metal sleeves, meeting ISO13485 medical-grade cleanliness standards. The CNC milling machine accurately produces various precision mechanical structures, ensuring long-term stability and reliability of these components.

7.3 Aerospace Field

In aerospace engineering, the dimensional accuracy of miniature shaft components in engine manufacturing is critical. The walk-in lathe, with its precise positioning system and stable cutting parameter control, maintains part tolerances within minimal limits, ensuring optimal performance of key engine components.

7.4 The electronic communications industry

In the manufacturing of high-end electronic devices such as 5G communication equipment and AI servers, precision machine tools are used to process critical components including heat pipes and high-speed transmission shafts. For instance, the H100 server heat pipe processing provided by our company to NVIDIA achieves 12% higher cooling efficiency than the industry average, enabling servers to maintain temperatures below 70°C during full-load operation (compared to the industry average of 75°C).

8. Trends in Technological Development

8.1 Intelligence and Digitalization

The heart machine will integrate sensors, control systems, and data analysis software to enable precise processing control, real-time monitoring, fault diagnosis, and remote operation, thereby enhancing the equipment's intelligence and production efficiency. Equipped with a dedicated CNC system, it features built-in sensors that collect data on spindle speed, tool position, and temperature variations, dynamically compensating for errors caused by thermal deformation and tool wear.

8.2 High-speed and high-precision

The spindle speed can reach 200000r/min, and the maximum feed rate can reach 240m/min at the resolution of 0.01μm. The high-speed interpolation technology is adopted to realize the continuous feed by microprogram, which makes the CNC control unit more refined. The high-resolution position detection device is adopted to improve the position detection accuracy.

8.3 Complexification and Modularization

The turning machine will be developed to modularization and multi-axis, and realize the compound processing of turning, milling, drilling, gear hobbing, grinding, laser heat treatment and so on. The modular design can be flexibly combined with automatic feeding, high pressure cooling and other devices, and realize "one machine to adapt to many kinds of workpieces".

8.4 Greening and Energy Conservation

The paper introduces the energy-saving measures, such as using more efficient drive system, energy-saving materials, energy-saving control strategy, reducing energy consumption and environmental pollution, reducing production cost and improving energy utilization efficiency by means of equipment energy-saving transformation, waste heat recovery and resource recycling.

Conclusion

Five-axis, six-axis, and nine-axis lathes each have their own advantages in the field of precision manufacturing. Through advanced technologies such as multi-axis linkage, compound machining, and intelligent control, they have achieved a comprehensive improvement in machining accuracy, production efficiency, and automation levels. The selection of suitable lathes requires a comprehensive consideration of factors such as machining requirements, precision requirements, and production scale. With the continuous development of intelligent manufacturing technology, lathes will play an increasingly important role in high-end manufacturing fields such as aerospace, automotive manufacturing, medical devices, and electronic communications, driving China's manufacturing industry toward higher quality, higher efficiency, and higher precision.

For the precision machining enterprises, the reasonable choice of the machine model, give full play to its technical advantages, can not only improve the product quality and production efficiency, but also enhance the core competitiveness of the enterprise, occupy a favorable position in the fierce market competition.