The latest Biglia Smart Turn ‘S’ multi-axis turn-mill centre offers a ‘best of both worlds’ integrated  machining solution combining turning and milling to create a perfect lathe / machining centre combination supplemented by a sub spindle to enable the completion of all operations in a single cycle.

Italian manufactured Biglia machine tools are now available in the UK through its distributor Hardinge Machine Tools of Leicester.  These high end Biglia machines offer an enticing combination of the highest specification and build quality at an investment significantly less than competitive integrated mill turn centres offering similar multi tasking capabilities.

At the heart of the Smart Turn’s performance is the extremely rigid, cast iron machine bed, a crucial factor in eliminating vibration and so enhancing machining speeds and allowing the very highest precision.

On the latest ‘S’ version of the Smart Turn, the main spindle and the integrated 210° rotation turn/mill B axis module configuration are supplemented by a powerful (24kW) sub spindle to allow genuine all around machining of the work piece.  This enables the Smart Turn to achieve turning, milling, drilling, tapping and boring operations within the machining envelope and in a single set up. 

With the sub spindle fitted the work piece is automatically transferred from the main spindle allowing genuine all around heavy duty machining with high precision.  To ensure the complete safety of the operation the sub spindle is equipped with a load detection system with a pneumatic ejector to check the presence of the workpiece.
The main spindle is powered by a 25kW motor and has a large bar capacity - 94mm as standard that increases to 102mm on the belt transmission version.  It features a large 8” spindle nose and has a maximum rotation speed of 3000rpm.

The sub spindle has a maximum 4000rpm rotation speed, a 6” spindle nose and a 65mm maximum bar capacity.  The 24kW motor complements the all around power of the complete unit - 20kW on the B axis and 25kW on the main spindle - features which also optimise swarf removal. The significant specification of the sub spindle also makes it particularly adept at machining hard materials.

The integrated turn-mill operations are achieved with a B axis module operating in tandem with the Y axis - making full use of the latter’s large 128cm travel. Such a capability meets the ever growing demand for the production of small and medium size components in varying batch quantities and machined in a single cycle.

As standard the Smart Turn ‘S’ is equipped with a programmable tailstock which is automatically positioned by the Z-axis slide.  It is also equipped with a swarf conveyor and coolant filtration and chilling. Coolant is delivered with low and high pressure options - high pressure being 25 bar.

The machine is supplied with an HSK - A63 B-axis tooling package and features a 40 capacity tool store.  Tool setting is facilitated by an in-built tool setter and there is tool load monitoring on the most heavily used tools. The servo operated tool changer has a 2 second cycle and a 5 second chip-to-chip change over.

As standard the Smart Turn ‘S’ is fitted with a Fanuc CNC and Biglia’s ‘Manual Guide’ software.

The machine is constructed on a sturdy cast iron machine bed with hardened and ground box section guide ways to assure rigidity and vibration damping.