Autodesk University: Mazak Hybrid Multitasking

Experts from Mazak provided insight into hybrid multitasking machines at Autodesk University 2021.

The Mazak VC-500 is a hybrid multitasking machine. (Image courtesy of Mazak.)

The Mazak VC-500 is a hybrid multitasking machine. (Image courtesy of Mazak.)

Multitasking in industry applications has been around for decades. Continued advances in hybrid multitasking, combining additive and subtractive manufacturing, make creating complex parts faster and more efficient. Mazak, a longtime leader in the area, had experts Mike Finn, Mazak senior applications engineer, and Joe Wilker, Mazak advanced multitasking manager, discuss the advances and benefits of hybrid multitasking, as well as demonstrate the processes in action, at an Autodesk University 2021 session.

Multitasking allows for consolidating processes in manufacturing—milling, drilling, turning, etc.—on one machine. Its many benefits include reduced human error, enhanced accuracy and minimized fixturing in bending tooling. Hybrid multitasking takes it a step further by incorporating additive manufacturing into the process. Among the advanced technologies available are stir welding, additive manufacturing, and gear machining.

Friction Stir Welding

Friction stir welding (FSW) is considered a forging process that enables two plates to be joined without melting material. It relies on heat from friction to soften an area of the FSW tool. During the process, the two pieces of material intermingle to forge the hot and softened metals. The result is a refined grain structure on the weld joint that reinforces the material while ensuring it maintains its chemical and thermal properties.

Friction stir welding ensures strong, cosmetically pleasing welds. (Image courtesy of Mazak.)

Friction stir welding ensures strong, cosmetically pleasing welds. (Image courtesy of Mazak.)

Using this method on a CNC machine provides a seamless finish while also ensuring high-strength welds for cooling and heating applications. It typically has a low-cost setup and is designed to be user-friendly. It also allows for achieving dissimilar alloys, such as copper, nickel and aluminum.

Mazak’s FSW Series performs three times faster than its counterparts. According to Wilker, the Mazak magister patented diamond tool tips can complete more than 500 kilometers of layering in production applications before they need to be replaced. The tool has the capability to join parts up to 10,000 RPMs, significantly reducing production time.

Along with high speed and tool life, it features the latest technologies to make using it even easier. The help screens assist in the easy programming of processes. The machine features Bluetooth technology to monitor progress every step of the way with software charts while recording data for traceability.

Laser Metal Deposition and Hot Wire Deposition

Hybrid machine tools provide capabilities to use laser metal deposition and hot wire deposition. Both build geometry via layering. Parts are strategically arranged to ensure waste and machining time are reduced while strengthening the component.

“High-dollar, high-value components are great candidates for additive manufacturing on a hybrid machine tool,” Finn said. “Parts can be repaired and put back into service at far less cost than producing a new component.”

Benefits of additive manufacturing include a reduction in costs associated with material and machining. It is also a prime method for rapid prototypes. Instead of machining solid blanks or waiting for a costly casting, additive manufacturing lets manufacturers quickly and easily craft and test design performance with minimal cost. Unlike traditional methods, these both allow for the creation of complex geometries that may otherwise not be possible to create.

Component repair of high-value components are great candidates for additive manufacturing on a hybrid machine tool, such as a blade repair (left) and die repair (right). (Image courtesy of Mazak.)

Component repair of high-value components are great candidates for additive manufacturing on a hybrid machine tool, such as a blade repair (left) and die repair (right). (Image courtesy of Mazak.)

The laser metal deposition hybrid machine tool is ideal for 5-axis milling, drilling and tapping. Its cutting tools are interchangeable and easily stored while the machine is working. It has a fiber-optic laser, chiller units to maintain safe operating temperatures, powder feeder, dust collector and additive head. External tanks supply the carrier, nozzle and shielding gases. While in process, metal powder is delivered, discharged and melted by the laser, which travels along the surface making bead tracks. The 5-axis position and contouring capability ensures that material is precisely delivered to the proper location. The benefits of hybrid laser metal deposition include:

  • Machining of similar materials on one part.
  • Low heat and distortion.
  • Up to 75 percent of material utilization.
  • Cladding of dissimilar materials, making it possible to create parts with multiple materials in one setup.

For hot wire deposition, the fiber laser creates a melt pool for the pre-heated wire. Similar to the other method, it travels along the part surface layering the material in the specified geometry. Shielding gas protects the material from oxidation. Bead quality is controlled by laser power, gas flow rate, pre-heat wire power, wire delivery rate, bead step over and additive feed rate. This hybrid machine tool has similar components as the other with the addition of a power source for pre-heating, a wire feeder and shielding gas. The benefits of hot wire include:

  • The ability to quickly and cost-effectively build 3D geometries and complete surface reforming on the fly.
  • Easy-to-obtain off-the-shelf wire, which costs less than powder.
  • The usage of up to 98 percent of the wire material in the build process by joining dissimilar materials within one part.
  • The improvement of overall part quality and life expectancy.

Gear Machining

The Renishaw scanning probe measures the lead and profile on an ID gear. As it works, charts are created by the gear inspection software. (Image courtesy of Mazak.)

The Renishaw scanning probe measures the lead and profile on an ID gear. As it works, charts are created by the gear inspection software. (Image courtesy of Mazak.)

The Mazak Hybrid Multitasking machine tool offers three machining processes in one machine, including power skiving, high productivity on OD and ID gears and splines; hobbing, medium productivity on OD gears and splines; and gear milling, high flexibility on OD gears.

A hybrid machine tool is a cost-effective solution that enables the production of various gear types. Since parts are processed from raw stock, they are able to be completed on one machine. The machine allows for gear chamfering and edge prep in the same setup, and has machine datum features and gear teeth in the same setup for minimal runout.

The hybrid gear cutting machine has additional components. The onboard gear programming software makes it easy for the user to create gear machining programs by adding tooling information, gear geometry and cutting strategy. The software determines a reliable cutter path for roughing and finishing gear teeth. The gear inspection software interface works similarly to the other software in that gear data and scanning parameters are simply entered, and the software creates the scanning program.

The Renishaw scanning probe measures the lead and profile on an ID gear. As it works, charts are created by the gear inspection software. (Image courtesy of Mazak.)

The Renishaw scanning probe measures the lead and profile on an ID gear. As it works, charts are created by the gear inspection software. (Image courtesy of Mazak.)

During the AU session, two videos were presented on how the gear machining process works using a Mazak i630 AG. The gear skiving process was done to cut an ID spur gear. As it works, the cutter and workpiece mesh like a pinion gear in a ring gear. The tool is tilted as it runs, cutting the velocity associated with tool rotation and tool tile. The gear milling example demonstrated cutting an OD helical gear using a surface milling technique without a gear tooth model. Standard milling cutters created the gear tooth.

The final example was the gear inspection process. The machine has a Renishaw scanning probe where the milling spindle is located. The milling head is positioned so that it travels along the length of the gear. Scans are taken on the left and right flank leads, and then the head is repositioned to scan the left and right flank profiles. After scanning is done, the machine control displays the profile and lead chart, which can be exported for traceability.

This AU session was a prime example of how new innovations are allowing for processes to be combined on one machine. Whether needing additive manufacturing, subtractive manufacturing or both, hybrid multitasking machines have come a long way in helping manufacturers to stay competitive, reduce production time and lower costs.

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