Machines, Service, and Support from Hartwig, Inc.

One of my favorite things I do at Hartwig is visit manufacturing facilities with our current and potential customers so they can see machines in action. Then, as you know, early this spring everything changed. With in-person visits on hold indefinitely, my team and I began tossing around the idea of a webcast to help recreate this experience virtually. 

Then the cancellation of IMTS 2020 was announced, and our conversations turned from, “Wouldn’t it be cool if…” to, “We’ve got to make this happen.” While much of what once called “normal” is on hold, machine technology is still continuing to rapidly evolve. And without IMTS and in-person visits to learn about it, we had to find a way to get knowledge into the market so our customers could continue to stay ahead.

Game Changing Technologies Webcast Series

On Thursday, June 25, we launched our webcast series, Game Changing Technologies. The series brings Hartwig experts together with experts from our partners at cutting edge machine tool builders to showcase the up-and-coming machine technology that can help manufacturers launch into their next phase of growth. The series also brings in the interactivity you would experience in a tour or trade show setting with a live question and answer session after the demonstration.

In our first episode, we got together with engineering and sales experts from Okuma America to show off the newest, largest addition to Okuma’s Affordable Excellence line, the GENOS M660-V vertical machining center. 

Meet “Big Brother”

Many manufacturers are already familiar with the GENOS M560-V, Okuma’s best selling vertical mill. The M660 has become known as its “big brother.”  

Versatility

During the webcast, Okuma experts demonstrated key aspects of the M660’s operation. It features a direct drive vertical spindle that comes in two options: CAT40 Big Plus 15,000 rpm or CAT50 Big Plus 12,000 rpm. Supported by double-column bridge-style construction for support and stability, the M660 handles all types of materials—aluminum, steel, and titanium—with ease, bringing versatility (and quick ROI) to your shop. 

Thermal Stability

Another thing that impressed me about the M660 (and continues to impress me about Okuma) is how the design of the machine was begun with thermal stability in mind. The entire enclosure is lined with stainless steel sheeting, protecting the cast iron construction from heat and preventing expansion. The potential heat sources within the machine are kept separate as much as possible, and Okuma’s proprietary thermoactive stabilizers run throughout the spindle and the cast iron construction. 

In fact, the spindle features four individual bi-directional cooling channels within the spindle itself: within the bearing housing, motor, bearing cap, and the interior of the spindle between the upper and lower thrust bearings. This advanced thermal stability can help you achieve tighter tolerances, perform heavier cuts, and prolong the life of your machine tool. 

Heavy Duty With Room to Work

The M660 is no lightweight—depending on your spindle choice, the machine weighs upwards of 25,000 pounds, giving it the ability to withstand vibrations and dampen harmonics that occur during machining. 

And while the M660 has a relatively compact footprint, it features plenty of room to work within the enclosure with a 59.05” x 25.98” table and a z-axis height of 25.98”. Parts can be placed into the machine by hand or from above by crane. The generous size can accommodate large workpieces, multiple types of workpieces, and progressive workholding—again, bringing the versatility that creates ROI. 

Adaptable to Your Needs

The M660 comes as a 3-axis VMC standard, but can easily be converted to accommodate 4- or 5-axis work. Its Windows-based interface also allows the machine to easily integrate with automation platforms either out of the box, or further down the line. 

The OSP-P open architecture controls features a full touch screen, keyboard, and operation panel that works for standard 3-axis all the way up to 5-axis machining operations. It’s easy to connect via ethernet connection or MT Connect, making it simple to import programs from your office into the machine. You can also easily collect data and monitor your equipment from right within the control system. 

See It For Yourself

In this article, I’ve highlighted just a few of the features that make the M660 game changing technology—our compact webcast does an even better job of capturing this machine’s incredible potential. Watch the episode to learn even more about the M660’s specifications and benefits, including tool change recovery, HMI operation, and more.  

I’m proud of our team for pulling this series together. We’ll be featuring more exciting technology from Okuma, Tsugami, and Gosiger throughout this summer. I hope you will consider joining us for our next webcast to see more emerging innovations.