Available from Ward CNC (www.wardcnc.com), the Hartford range of HSA five-face double column vertical machining centres with W axis (crossrail travel) and automatic head changing systems opens up a new world of possibilities for the effective and efficient production of complex workpieces in a single set-up.

Utilising either 4,000 or 5,000 rev/min heads that have torque ratings of 750 and 500 Nm, respectively, three machines are available – HSA-4340-VW, -5340-VW and -6340-VW. These have working table areas, respectively, of 4,200 mm, 5,200 mm and 6,200 mm (all by 2,100 mm) able to accommodate loads of 15,000, 16,000 and 17,000 kgs, respectively.

All three have a W axis of 1,100 mm and ISO 50 spindle taper.

The HSA-4340-VW has X, Y and Z axes travels of 4,050 mm by 3,400 mm by 700 mm (the Y and Z axes travel specifications are common to all three machines), a cutting feed rate of 1-8,000 mm/min and a rapid traverse in X of 12,000 mm/min.

Its rapid traverses in Y, Z and W axes of 15,000, 12,000 and 3,000 mm/min, respectively, are common to the HSA-5340-VW and HSA-6340-VW which also have similar auto toolchanging capacities (32 as standard; 62 optional) and, likewise, spindle motors rated at 26/35 kW.

The HSA-5340-VW has an X axis travel of 5,050 mm and an X axis rapid traverse rate of 10,000 mm/min, plus a cutting feed rate of 1-6,000 mm/min. The HSA-6340-VW has an X axis of 6,050 mm, a rapid traverse rate in X of 8,000 mm/min and a similar (1-6,000 mm/min) cutting feed rate.