Believed to be highly productive and unmatched in specification at a selling price starting at under GBP 57,000 - CNC lathes demonstrate high levels of metal removal and accuracy.

Taking maximum advantage of its patented Duo-stable construction having a net weight of 4.5 tonnes, the latest Colchester Tornado T10 two-axis and T10M three-axis bar and chucking lathes demonstrate high levels of metal removal and accuracy enabling maximum productivity gains. The machines have a 26kW drive serving a bar capacity of 82.5mm diameter and a swing over the bed of 600mm giving maximum flexibility for the 305mm/265mm chuck size versions. Launched by Colchestersales, which is headquartered in 600 Centre of Shepshed, with technical centres in Heckmondwike and at RK International in Erith, Kent, UK, the new 60 deg slant bed lathe is believed to be one of the most productive in its class but unmatched in specification at a selling price starting at under GBP 57,000.

Available in two-axis, three-axis and very popular in the UK as a 'Lights-out' package, the Colchester T10 has a maximum turning diameter of 360mm by 600mm turned length with 270mm travel in the X-axis.

Unusual for such a large capacity machine is the availability of a 4,000 rev/min spindle as an addition to the standard 3,000 rev/min speed.

The standard machine has a 470mm, 12 station disc turret with VDI 40 tooling and station to station index time of 0.54 secs.

Meanwhile, the driven tool T10M has a 472mm diameter 12 position all-driven turret by a 5.5kW, 4,000 rev/min motor able to accommodate tool shank sizes up to 20mm diameter.

Turret index time on the T10M is 0.45 secs.

Rapid traverse rates are 30m/min in Z and 25m/min in X-axis and the spindle C-axis has a minimum increment of 0.001 deg.

Positional accuracy is +0.005mm and repeatability 0.002mm with linear scale positioning fitted as standard on the X-axis of the T10M.

The driven tool machine also has disc-brake hold on the spindle drive to ensure maximum rigidity when cross machining with driven tools.

Control is via Fanuc 21i and includes Manual Guide - i conversational programming technology.

This Colchester development has high level graphics support giving full simulation and verification of any cutting cycle in both 2D and 3D with the ability to manipulate the machining operation so that the part and tool paths can be viewed from any angle.

Not only does this system interface with all major CAD/CAM systems it makes programming of single part cycles extremely effective, quick and simple.

Also available is the ColCAM off-line programming software.

In the 'Lights-out' unmanned package, fully programmable bar feed and swarf conveyor is included as well as on-machine work scheduling, Renishaw probing axis tool monitoring able to initiate sister tool replacement.

A 'Lights-out' version of the two and three-axis chucking machines is also available through turnkey robotic cell application engineering, which can be carried out by Colchestersales.