Drilling and milling in a single unit - the innovative HD-X saw-drill line

Significantly higher throughput for profile machining and capacity for not only carbide drilling but also milling are key features of Vernet Behringer's new HD-X 1218. A CNC portal drilling line, the new HD-X features 3 drilling spindles, each extended with its own X axis and a traversing path of 500 mm. "The innovative X axis permits a girder to be completely finish drilled over a length of 500 mm without the need to reclamp the material for each drilling operation", explains CEO Christian Behringer. Quite apart from stepping up the machining speed, this facility offers significant accuracy benefits, as it eliminates precision issues caused by shifts during positioning. If the material is not reclamped, the machine achieves tolerances of just ± 0.1 mm over a length of 500 mm. All the axes are positioned by ball screws with servo drive. Another benefit of the new line is its facility to mill oblong holes and contours, saving the need for any additional downstream work steps. A "V-Scoring" facility allows symbols beyond the customary alphanumerical combinations to be carved into the material, providing more precise allocation of girder positions on the building site.

Drilling and tool changes without loss of time

The drilling line with attached mitre bandsaw is generally suitable for drilling, thread tapping and punch marking of girders and profiles. Its sturdy structure permits precision movements at high feed rates and working speeds. It is capable of completing linear movements at up to 20 metres per minute. Each drilling unit features an automatic tool changer for five tools whose selection is managed by the control system. With its high-grade 12 kW drive systems and between 200 and 3,500 revolutions per minute ensuring adequate spindle drive output and speed, the Vernet Behringer line is ideally suited for the use of carbide drills. The drilling machine has a clamping width of 1,200 millimetres, while the regular drilling diameter is between 8 and 40 millimetres.

Carefully planned material handling saves time and money

To ensure reliable handling of heavy-duty profiles, roller conveyors and transport devices can be attached on the infeed and discharge side. At the infeed, a servo driven feeding carriage controls the infeed of materials into the machine. The feeding carriage is equipped with a material gripper and sensor for material identification, which ensures reliable clamping and transportation of the girders. The gripper measuring system from Vernet-Behringer works with practically no residual length, and is capable of passing girders through the drilling line and positioning them for cutting on the connected mitre bandsaw. The gripper is capable of being rotated by 90° to allow profiles to be flexibly accommodated at the flange or web. "During return travel of the feed carriage, the gripper is lifted hydraulically to allow the next profile to be loaded onto the infeed roller conveyor with the cross conveyor while the machining process is still ongoing. This increases the line's throughput," continues the CEO. "The cross conveyor also permits transportation of profiles in both directions. The lifting and lowering action of the cams means that we can deposit the material on both sides of the roller conveyor."

Clean cut eliminates the need for finishing work

The connected mitre bandsaw HBP510-1208G is specifically designed for integration into the drilling line. "We frequently encounter a situation where customers produce cut parts under contract which require a high standard of precision. This places the focus firmly on the efficiency of the mitre bandsaw," says Christian Behringer.

Boasting a cutting range of 1200 x 510 mm and a bilateral mitre of 30° on both left and right, this is a machine ideally equipped to address the demands of steel construction firms and the steel trade. It ensures precision cuts and a significant increase in plant throughput.

The mitre bandsaw is constructed on the basis of a robust, torsion-resistant gantry design. Blade guiding elements made of vibration-damping grey cast iron impact positively on tool service life. The incline of the saw frame reduces the maximum engagement length of the saw blade and is specifically designed to ensure perfect cutting results in large-scale girders or square hollow profiles.

The generously dimensioned saw drive system with its 13.2 kW drive output and optional servo feed with AFC (Auto Feed Control) ensure an extremely high cutting performance. Used in conjunction with a sensitive cutting force control system, feed and cutting speed are adjusted in line with the engagement length of the saw blade in the material. This guarantees high cutting output levels as a result of constant chip removal and an optimum tool service life. It is also suitable for the use of carbide sawblades.