CITIZEN RE-INVENTS INTERNATIONAL BEST SELLING L-SERIES SLIDING HEAD AUTO

Launching the latest generation of patented ‘super imposed’ control system giving some 20 per cent improvement in processing capability and drawing certain key features from the top of the range, up to 14 axis Citizen M-Series lathe, the new L32 mid-range CNC sliding head auto has been significantly upgraded for higher flexibility and productivity.

Now available from NC Engineering of Watford, the Citizen L-Series has been a consistently successful machine selling against its high functionality to price ratio. The 10-axis, (five primary and five auxiliary) L32-VII slant bed version now has simultaneous control over five axes and can carry up to 22 tools in a new arrangement.

The Citizen L32-VII has a 5.5 kW, 8,000 revs/min main spindle with C-axis and a 320 mm headstock strokes. An optional long workpiece adapter enables parts up to 960 mm to be machined. The sub-spindle is powered by a 2.2 kW, 7,000 revs/min integral motor with C-axis option. A two-axis vertical ‘gang’ tool post holds five turning tools and four driven tools which have been increased in power to 1 kW giving 200 to 4,500 revs/min for higher metal removal rates when milling and drilling.

Adding to the tooling capability, a six tool triple sleeve holder provides three tools to service the main and three tools the sub-spindle and as an option, an auxiliary ‘yoke’ style tool holder can be added providing an additional front and rear tool position. The back machining tool post has five fixed positions with the option to have two, 0.75 kW, 5,000 revs/min rotary driven tools and one fixed position tool.

The new Windows based 10.4 inch colour screen control incorporates a faster central processor to accommodate the new higher speed macros enabling cycle times to be further reduced. Rigid tapping with high speed retraction is available for main and sub- spindles and minimum pitch error software operates during acceleration and deceleration when thread chasing at high speed. Hobbing, thread whirling and polygon turning functions are available as well as Citizen’s Alkartpro off-line programming software package.