Modular energy supply system for revolutionary multi-spindle lathe from DMG Mori

• What was needed: Rotary energy supply system in the drum and six linear energy chains; supplied as a preassembled readychain®solution
• Requirements: high traversing speeds and accelerations with high precision; many cables had to be safely guided in a small installation space; modular and easy-to-maintain system
• Industry: machine tool manufacturing; multi-spindle lathe
• Success for the customer: the rotary energy guide in the drum can follow rotation angles of up to 540° and allows a reverse bend radius; the chain systems can be plugged in individually and are easy to maintain and process, thus enabling a high degree of modularity and simple maintenance

The MULTISPRINT from DMG MORI was presented at the world's largest machine tool trade fair, the EMO in Hanover, as a revolution in mechanical engineering. It is the first machine to combine a multi-spindle automatic lathe with SWISSTYPE technology. And with a Y-axis on each spindle position.
The MULTISPRINT sets new standards in terms of productivity and efficiency. The customer has the greatest possible flexibility for the mass production of components with a diameter of up to 50 millimetres.
The centrepiece of the machine is the spindle drum with six spindles for simultaneous processing of several workpieces. The main spindles in the drum have a travel of up to 180 millimetres. The drum moves the workpieces to the tools with high precision and speed. It takes just 0.65 seconds for one of the six spindles to move to the next position. To return to the starting position after machining in the six stations, the drum needs to be turned back by 300 degrees. The unit, which weighs over three tonnes, only needs one second to do this. The drum pushes the bars out of the loader into position for processing.
However, when the machine manufacturer was looking for a suitable energy supply system, it was not only the drum's travelling speeds and accelerations and high precision that were important. As the working space for the mechanics behind the drum was kept as large as possible, the solution had to accommodate the large number of cables in a relatively small installation space. Finally, a major focus was placed on maintenance and service. The solution had to be modular and therefore easy to maintain and work on.

One of our rotary energy supply systems was used to accompany the rotation of the drum. These are customised systems for circular movements with an energy chain, which are used in machine tools and construction machinery, among other things. The standard rotary modules consist of two circular guide elements. One part of the guide trough is attached to the static part of the system and the other part to the rotating part. The reverse bend radius enables the energy chain to move in two directions. Rotation angles of up to 540° in one plane can be realised here.
The drum in the MULTISPRINT consists of two rotation systems. The hoses are located in the outer system, while 24 cables are guided in the inner circle - twelve encoder cables and twelve servo cables each. Six installed linear chains each accommodate two encoder cables and two servo cables. One of the servo cables supplies the energy for the linear movements of the main spindles in the drum and one drives the spindle motor.
During development, great importance was attached to the modularity of the individual components. The linear chain systems can be individually plugged in and are easy to maintain and machine. And the sheet metal parts designed by us for attachment to the machine are made from several parts. This facilitates the handling of the readychain® at the customer's premises and the harnessing in our factory. The solution therefore fulfils all the requirements for ease of assembly. Finally, the chains and cables of the completely pre-assembled readychain®® solution also make do with the relatively small installation space of the machine.