Ogle takes delivery of Hurco VMX42SRTi 5-axis machining centre for rapid manufacturing and model making to produce complex 3D shapes
Prototyping, rapid manufacturing and industrial model-making specialist Ogle Models and Prototypes has received its first 5-axis machining centre with a B-axis spindle head and flush rotary table, a Hurco VMX42SRTi.
Ogle invested in the VMX42Ti 5-axis machining centre to gain the maximum flexibility within a compact footprint for producing large, complex 3D shapes without the need for multiple setups.
Equipped with a 60-station tool changer as opposed to the standard 40-station version, it allows for extended periods of unattended production, and the extra tool capacity opens up the possibility of retrofitting robotic automation in the future.
The VMX42SRTi has a 12,000 rpm, 36.5 kW motor‑spindle with integrated chiller, 20‑bar through‑spindle coolant, direct drives in the B and C rotary axes and linear scales in X, Y and Z.
When 5-axis machining is not required, the machine functions as a 3- or 4‑axis machining centre utilising the entire working envelope, offering the flexibility Ogle was looking for in its mixed‑production environment.
This latest 5-axis delivery builds on an ongoing partnership with Hurco that began in 2017 when Ogle acquired its first machine from this supplier, a VM30i 3-axis model.
Over the years, the facility integrated two additional Hurco machining centres into its production, including an extended-travel VMX42Ti.
Adopting the VMX42Ti marks an expansion in capacity, both in size and capability, and provides critical support for producing the wide variety of components manufactured in the Ogles Letchworth facility.
