Wednesday 3 July 2013

Breton vertical machining centre XCEEDER - 5 axes for Formula 1

It's a common belief that Formula 1 is the realm of speed. Actually, Formula 1 is rather the realm of acceleration, the vector enabling to reach an extremely high speed in a very short time frame.

That's why F1 racing teams ask the specialized manufacturers of rims to perfect their products so as to reduce their weight as much as possible.
In this restless seeking for lightness, the rim is engineered using the most advanced techniques such as the finite element method (FEM) that highlights the stress distribution in the piece, thus revealing the less stressed areas which can be reduced in size or thickness.

Indirectly, the FEM also enables to find the ideal geometry that allows optimizing the strength-to-weight ratio.
In most cases, the very special rims for F1 are hot forged and then turned and milled.
The extent of these machining operations is amazing: just consider that some rims weigh 35 kg when forged but once the machining is over and all the parts which the FEM considers as non-essential in relation to strength are removed, the rim weight is 3,5 kg only.

It goes without saying that high-grade machines are required to perform so complex and delicate machining operations: the control on five continuous axes and a piece holding table enabling to position it wherever it is needed are absolutely necessary.
Furthermore, since small-diameter tools are often used and pieces to be machined are made of light alloys, the spindle must feature an exceptionally high speed which just a few machines can develop.

On the other hand, such a high speed may involve vibrations that could compromise the surface finish and the miller service life, that's why an utmost rigidity and static and dynamic stability are required.
At present, very few machines meet all these requirements for real whereas Breton vertical machining centre XCEEDER 1200RT copes pretty well with all of them.
Click here for additional info about XCEEDER 1200RT

Write to mail@breton.it to ask for an estimate
By-by
Sergio Prior

4 comments:

  1. In this restless seeking for lightness, the rim is engineered using the most advanced techniques such as the finite cnc machining element method (FEM) that highlights the stress distribution .

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dear arinahstove
    I agree with you

    ReplyDelete
  3. Сan this machine be made in a 3-axis version?

    ReplyDelete