Gantry milling machines from WaldrichSiegen Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH are known
all over the world for their large sizes and high precision. These WaldrichSiegen
machines are at the heart of production plants wherever sophisticated
workpieces are machined with the highest precision. Telescopic covers from Tsubaki Kabelschlepp are
integrated into the machines from WaldrichSiegen to provide reliable protection
for the cables and guideways.
WaldrichSiegen offers gantry milling machines as well as large machine
tools for grinding, texturing and turning applications. Large machine tools
manufactured by the company are supplied to many market leaders in China; for
instance, the partnership between WaldrichSiegen and Dongfang Electric and its
subsidiary Dongfang Electric (Guangzhou) Heavy Machinery has been continuing for
many years, according to Ralf Tschersche, Product Manager for Milling Machines
at WaldrichSiegen.
Dongfang based in the Sichuan province has already purchased three
horizontal turning lathes in recent years. In 2012 they placed an order for a
gantry milling machine. The latest milling machine ProfiMill 8500/120-G is
destined for the Dongfang Electric factory in Guangzhou to be used for the
manufacturing of a variety of different power plant components.
The enormous dimensions of the gantry milling machine for Dongfang
required a custom solution from the start. WaldrichSiegen contacted solutions
provider and long-term partner Tsubaki Kabelschlepp for the solution.
Horizontal and vertical guideways, as well as the crossrail of the
ProfiMill are equipped with telescopic covers from Tsubaki Kabelschlepp with
the guideways protected by tandem covers. This version featuring two coupled
covers with 16 boxes each allows small outer dimensions even for long travel lengths.
The highest travel speeds occur on the cross beam. The telescopic covers are
equipped with special buffer damping to avoid the resulting vibrations and contact
noise.
Peter Marzinek, Head of Sales Germany/Switzerland/Austria at Tsubaki
Kabelschlepp GmbH explains that Kabelschlepp develops and produces
customer-specific guideway protection and conveyor systems, adding that there
is high demand for their telescopic covers from numerous machine manufacturers worldwide.
Tsubaki Kabelschlepp delivers custom solutions wherever guideways, measuring
equipment, drive elements or other sensitive parts on machines have to be
protected.
WaldrichSiegen additionally required the guideway covers to be
completely watertight to prevent leakage of oil and ingress of coolant. According
to Peter Marzinek, the penetrating coolant could mix with the hydrostatic oil
and affect the functioning of the machine. In addition to changing the oil,
which can be expensive, the leaking oil would also harm the environment if it
seeped into the ground.
For the horizontal covers, heat-bonded bellows installed between the
boxes now protect against penetrating coolant. The vertical covers have a
special slide contour, sealing strips between the boxes and deflection plates
within the cover to prevent oil leaks. A wiper system with exchangeable lips
additionally keeps the individual cover boxes clean.
In addition to the telescopic covers, Tsubaki Kabelschlepp
also supplied cable carriers for the ProfiMill for Dongfang with an unsupported
length of 7.5m. WaldrichSiegen chose a steel cable carrier from the S/SX 1800
model series, which is extremely robust to suit heavy mechanical loads and harsh
environmental conditions. The proven steel cable carriers are equipped with
extremely stable chain link plates, a joint design with a multiple stroke
system and special bolts.