Orizon Aerostructures is building something truly unique in American manufacturing with a multi-million dollar investment in six additional ECOSPEED F2060 high-speed machining centers and an automated 12 pallet shuttle system from the Starrag Group of Switzerland.

This is a manufacturing success story that began, when Orizon bought a first ECOSPEED F2060 for their Grove, Oklahoma site in January, 2016. It was clear to Orizon that the performance and flexibility of the ECOSPEED's 30,000 rpm, 120 kW high performance spindle with 6,300 mm (X) 2,500 mm (Y) and 670 mm (Z) is enhanced by the inclusion of the Sprint Z3 parallel kinematic machining head. This uses three parallel linear axes drives mounted radially equispaced in the headstock. The spindle platform is connected to each drive via rigid levers with pivots at each end and a ball joint at the other.

When all three axes move simultaneously, the spindle is moved in a straight line in Z; synchronized motion of the three Z-axes allows the spindle to follow any path within a spherical cone of +/- 45 deg at a maximum of 90 deg/sec. This unique and patented kinematics outperforms all known conventional 2-axis heads.

The six ECOSPEED F2060 and two-place rail guided pallet shuttle system will be used to produce a range of aluminum structural components at unrivalled levels of effectiveness and efficiency. With the high-speed-spindle of the ECOSPEED is a cutting volume of up to 10,000 cm3/min reachable. True the kinematics are the 5-axis-machining clearly faster than similar machines with fork heads.

Each ECOSPEED is able to accommodate 5,000 kg payloads, allow workpieces to be unloaded/loaded while another is being machined – the system will feature two load/unload stations, 9 pallet buffer stations and an integrated component cleaning device. The complete system will also have the latest innovations in software control, including preventative maintenance modules, which are part of Starrag Integrated Production System. Additionally, the FMS will accommodate an additional three ECOSPEED F2060 machines.

System installation will begin in early 2017 starting with the second ECOSPEED F2060 complemented by the core FMS workpiece handling/movement technologies. Thereafter, machines will be sequentially added to extend the system for completion by in January, 2018. Starrag's role throughout development will include application engineering and the appropriate levels of back up and support to ensure smooth transitions of manufacturing at every stage of the project.

Starrag engineers will work in close partnership with Orizon's team to ensure each machine and every machining operation is fully engineered, commissioned and approved – and that the system will continue to consistently perform to the exacting requirements laid down by the American company.

The partnership agreement between the two companies has effectively seen them work closely together 'from machine foundations up', developing turnkey engineered packages based around time studies, tool selection and part acceptance for a number of workpieces. “We are very excited to partner with Starrag on this major investment.” said Chief Executive Officer Charlie Newell “We are building something unique in Grove, OK unlike any other manufacturing company in the United States. This purchase will allow us to increase our efficiency and productivity fulfilling our goal to always delivery a quality product on time to our customer.”