The road to profitable small batch production

Keep innovating. It's how Yamazaki Mazak keeps making a difference for its customers. This past year was no different. With the introduction of the Variaxis i-300 AWC, a compact simultaneous five-axis machining center, the Japanese specialist feels the needs in modern machining perfectly. Being able to quickly change between small series is the starting point of this machine. Mazak also showed its most innovative side in sheet metal working. With the Optiplex 3015 DDL, the company is the first manufacturer to have a direct diode laser ready for industrial practice for laser cutting.

A direct diode laser cutting machine combines the speed and low consumption of a fiber laser with the quality of cut of a CO2 laser.

Five-axis machining is clearly the way of the future. However, those ready to take the plunge don't necessarily need to free up a lot of square footage on the shop floor. Thanks to the Variaxis i-300 AWC, five-axis machining is within everyone's reach. Due to the presence of the Auto Work Changer (AWC) and the expandable tool magazine (from 145 to a maximum of 505 tools), this machine lends itself perfectly to production that is characterized by a high diversity of products and low volume. Sales manager Hugo Verlaak: "This is precisely what our customers are confronted with. With this machine we give them an instrument to quickly switch between series. Parts that are just that little bit more complex and that normally require more than one fixture can be produced very cost-effectively with the Variaxis i-300 AWC. The Auto Work Changer makes it possible to apply various extremely precise machining operations to small parts." The second key word in the manufacturing industry is automation. There, too, Mazak has gone all out for an efficient solution. Verlaak: "With the loading station, up to forty pallets can be prepared (maximum diameter and height 350 and 315 mm, respectively) while the spindle is machining." In addition to the standard main spindle with a speed of 12,000 rpm, three other spindle specifications are available. In this way, the production requirements of many different materials can be met.

The Auto Work Changer makes it possible to apply various extremely precise machining operations to small parts.

Stunning cutting results
The Optiplex 3015 DDL chooses another laser source instead of fiber or CO₂. Indeed, by generating laser light directly from diodes, there are benefits to be reaped. Mazak has done its homework as the first sheet metalworking machine manufacturer to introduce a new generation of lasers into industrial practice. After all, a direct diode laser cutting machine combines the speed and low consumption of a fiber laser with the cut quality of a CO₂-laser. The cutting results are therefore astonishing. Sales manager Luc Creemers summarizes the strengths of the Optiplex 3015 DDL: "Its strength lies in the frequency at which it works. This is much lower than with a fiber laser cutting source. Lower frequency means less heat input and more power, resulting in that stunning cut quality. Mazak, by the way, does this with its own laser source. No other competitor has done their homework in this regard. So we were very proud to present it to the general public at this year's TechniShow and EuroBLECH. In fact, the first one has already been sold. No better proof that the machine is ready to make a difference in industrial practice."