In a significant investment for the future, Metalex Manufacturing located in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA has selected Starrag to supply a large-capacity, multi-axis Droop+Rein portal-type machining centre for its new Center for Advanced Large Manufacturing.

The machine – the largest ever installed by the contract manufacturer – will provide it with the ultimate in flexible production capacity to meet all foreseeable demands in terms of producing highly-accurate milled and turned workpieces in a single set-up.

Indeed, the six-axis Droop+Rein T Series machine is projected to not only satisfy existing projects but its extraordinary machining envelope of up to 19 metres table length, 9.5 metres between the columns and 7 metres under the spindle will certainly also attract new work – thus further ensuring Metalex's success in the market of high-quality manufacturing.

The portal type milling and turning machine – which is being especially configured to meet Metalex's current and future needs – offers an expansive 19 metres in the X axis and 9 metres in Y. The 7 metres vertical clearance is covered by the 3 metres of ram stroke (Z axis) and a continuously moveable crossrail of 5.5 metres (W axis). The C axis integrated in the ram with infinite rotation and the +/- 95 degrees swiveling B axis of the universal fork-type milling head complete the six axes.

The impressive 100 kW main spindle transfers up to 7,500 Nm to the heavy vertical and horizontal milling head. A heavy-duty fork-type head, a spindle cartridge change fork-type head - both to enable five-axis operation - and a slim spindle extension round up the initial milling head configuration.

All heads will be designed, built and tested by Droop+Rein in Bielefeld. Furthermore, the machine will be prepared for more heads to be fitted in the future as new jobs arrive. The versatile 400-pocket robot tool magazine ensures automatic loading of three different tooling systems into the selected milling and turning heads.

A distinctive feature is the table design. The X bed carries two 6 by 8 metres tables that can be operated separately under the spindle while the other table is unloaded outside the machining area. Coupled 'in tandem' the tables can be extended to an enormous length of 18 metres for machining extra-long workpieces. In addition, each table holds an integrated 6 metres rotary table that utilises the two x 111 kW main drives to turn components weighing up to 200 tonnes (using one of the turning tool holders provided in addition to the milling heads) or to position as a C axis for high accuracy milling and drilling operations.

The result will be the ultimate one-stop precision machining source for extra-large components with complex geometry that require precision tolerances.