Mandelli Sistemi S.p.A. is at EMO Hannover 2019 to showcase its compact machining center, the SPARK 1200, which is said to be an ideal solution for the aerospace industry thanks to its outstanding performance – particularly with materials that are extremely hard and difficult to machine.
The Italian machining specialist sees its latest innovation as a compact multitasking solution. Boasting outstanding dynamic and static stiffness in its electro-welded structure, high torques and rigidity in its rotary table and spindle, and powerful drives, the new SPARK 1200 compact machining center is ideally equipped to deal with the materials used in the aerospace industry that are difficult to machine. Visitors to EMO Hannover 2019 can take a look at the impressive features of the latest development to come from this long-established company for themselves in Hall 12.
To achieve high dynamic and static stiffness, Mandelli has fitted the new SPARK 1200 with gantry drives and oversised roller slides instead of traditional linear axes. This ensures the feed is barycentric, while also increasing speed and acceleration. What’s more, the rotary axes now feature direct or double-pinion drives to eliminate any reverse backlash. The SPARK 1200 does, however, retain the innovative fixed table structure that has come to characterise the SPARK series. As a result, the machine’s dynamics are not dependent on the weight of the workpiece, which supports flexibility and the integration of multi-process operations. These include turning operations, which Mandelli successfully introduced some years ago with two larger models in the SPARK range and has now implemented on a more compact machine for the very first time. Sporting a steel construction, the SPARK 1200 is said to exhibit twice the stiffness when compared to cast iron constructions with the same mass ratios. Following an in-depth FEM analysis, it was designed to feature a staggered slideway solution with a highly optimised mass/yield ratio. Mandelli claims to have paid particular attention to generally dampening machining vibrations by introducing modular hardware and software devices that reduce negative effects while also ensuring a high material removal rate.
