The automotive industry is one of the most prominent industries today. It therefore comes as no surprise that it applies very high standards to the machines used to produce its components.
Not only must machines and tools be of high quality, they must also be capable of mass-producing machined components with maximum precision. One of the pillars of the automotive industry, therefore, when setting up a business in this field, is choosing the right machining centres.
Besides precision and high quality, the right machining centres for the automotive industry must also offer great durability, since to be truly efficient these machines need to perform optimally for many years.
Durability is not just a matter of price and quality; it is also especially important in the automotive world because vehicle prices tend to fall over time. This is why car manufacturers focus on acquiring machine tools that can keep improving production processes over the years.
On the other hand, cost reduction is not an option in the automotive industry, because optimising production processes year after year requires the selling price of each machined component to reflect that optimisation.
So whatever the machining centre, manufacturers must always weigh up all their investments carefully. That is why, unlike with other types of machine, the price of the machine is one of the least important factors.
Factors such as the productivity it can deliver play a far more important role than price when evaluating an investment in a machining centre. It could even be said that the productivity these machines offer is the main reason why they are so important.
Types of machining centre in the automotive industry
The importance a manufacturer attaches to a particular machining centre can vary depending on its type. To understand why, we need to look more closely at the different types of machining centre available:
Horizontal machining centres
Horizontal machining centres are easy to recognise by their twin pallets. This feature makes loading more efficient and also helps reduce chip-to-chip time.
This type of machining centre is generally used to produce engine components, such as the crankcase. These parts do not require much machining time. Even so, cycle times can be shortened further by using a workholding system.
Multi-spindle machining centres
These are standard machines that offer very high levels of productivity. They can be configured to optimise production times even further than a standard set-up. With a good enough configuration, production times can match those of custom-built transfer machines.
Transfer machines
The most demanding companies need a transfer machine. In fact, when discussing the importance of machining centres in the automotive industry, transfer machines often top the list because of the high productivity they achieve.
Unlike the machines mentioned above, transfer machines are designed to manufacture one specific type of part. Although this lack of versatility might seem a drawback, it is precisely what makes their production times unbeatable.
It is worth noting that these machines are expensive compared with other types. This investment is therefore only advisable when a part requires very high production volumes.
Drilling and tapping centres
Drilling and tapping centres are used in the automotive industry for certain very specific parts that require tapping and drilling operations.
These are fairly fast machines that usually have two pallets. Some models also feature robotic loading and unloading.
Other key elements in the automotive industry
Several elements can be added to machining centres in the automotive industry to raise their productivity even further. These are:
- Linear motors.
- Twin-pallet loading systems.
- Numerical controls with connectivity.