United Machining has added the Mikron MILL P 500 VHP, a three-axis machining centre for mould tool work. Its linear axes use linear direct drive instead of ball screws, and it sits on a polymer concrete bed with a symmetric portal frame. Spindles run at up to 42,000 rpm. The rear-loading machine is aimed at mould inserts for lenses and connectors, reflector moulds and fuel cell tooling.
A 500 VHP without ball screws, in polymer concrete.
The P 500 VHP has no ball screws and sits on a polymer concrete bed.
Linear direct drive leaves no backlash in the axes. The polymer concrete bed has high damping, and the symmetric portal spreads cutting forces evenly across the structure.
What it is built for
United Machining describes the machine as a three-axis high-precision machining centre for mould tool work. The applications it lists are mould inserts for lenses and connectors, reflector moulds, fuel cell tooling and medical device moulds. The spindles are Step-Tec Opticool/CoolCore units running at up to 42,000 rpm.
Rear loading
The machine is rear-loading. Juan Martin, Head of Customer Development at United Machining, said its compact footprint allows space-efficient integration into a range of different environments.
Frequently asked questions
The P 500 VHP has no ball screws in its linear axes. What does that change?
Ball screws wear and develop backlash over time, and that backlash works into the surface finish. Linear direct drive holds position without a screw and a nut, so there is no backlash to compensate for. The machine also runs on a polymer concrete bed, a material with high damping that absorbs vibration rather than passing it into the cut.
Why a polymer concrete bed rather than cast iron?
Polymer concrete is a composite material with high damping - it absorbs vibration energy rather than passing it into the workpiece or the spindle. The MTX at Modig uses the same principle in a different form; the P 500 VHP pairs its polymer concrete bed with a symmetric portal frame that spreads cutting forces evenly across the structure.
What does the symmetric portal frame do?
A portal frame carries the load between two uprights rather than through a single column. On the P 500 VHP that gives even force distribution through the machine, and it is one of the elements United Machining points to in its long-term thermal stability claims.
What is Intelligent Thermal Control, and the Operator Support System?
Intelligent Thermal Control is the machine's thermal management - it monitors and compensates for heat build-up in the machine structure so that accuracy holds across a production run rather than only at start-up. The Operator Support System is the machine-side support layer for operations and maintenance.
It is rear-loading, which is unusual for a machine this size. Why does that matter on a shop floor?
The machine is rear-loading, and United Machining puts the case that way: the intelligent automation concept with rear-loading enables productivity gains, and its compact footprint allows space-efficient integration into a range of different environments. Rear loading puts the operator side of the machine clear, which is what makes a machine this size fit into an existing cell rather than needing its own floor space.
Where can I read the full announcement?
The original United Machining release covers the machine specification, the demonstration and what the company plans to do with the leads from the launch.
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