HEDELIUS enters the five-axis market with the RS 80 and RS 100 semi-gantry machines

HEDELIUS machines are characterised by their C frame construction, which provides good access. This is also true of the RS 100, which has a workspace of 1200 mm x 100 mm x 770 mm in the X, Y and Z axes and a rotary/tilt table with dimensions of 800 mm x 800 mm. The 50-position tool magazine is located above the X axis and thus moves with the gantry, so the tools are readily accessible (exchange time: 4 s). The tool holder is ISO 50, HSK 80, or HSK 100. The spindle power is 50 kW (55 kW in the Celox version), and the maximum speed can be selected over a range of 5000 rpm to 16,000 rpm. The spindle is designed such that if necessary it can be shipped from the factory as a complete, pre-balanced assembly. With this assembly, an installer can replace the spindle within three hours anywhere in the world. Gerhard Hempelmann, general director of HEDELIUS in Meppen (Germany), describes the machines as ‘high-performance’, and the basic model has a metal removal capacity of up to 1400 cm3/min. The RS 100K, which is the shuttle-mode version, is available with two rotary/tilt tables or a combination of a rotary/tilt table and a fixed table. In the latter version, the fixed table can be used for machining the sixth side or for machining a completely different product. The rotary/tilt table can handle workpieces weighing op to 1500 kg, or an impressive 2500 kg with the gantry model.

A shuttle machine provides better access, the operator is closer to the workpiece, and it takes up less space overall than the alternative choice of a pallet-exchange system. It also allows hydraulic or magnetic clamping to be used. The moving column has a 1600-mm base to ensure stability and precision. To prevent this from taking up too much space, the screening panels are designed to take up only 200 mm when they are slid in. The three-axis machines from HEDELIUS are available with Siemens or Heidehain controllers, but the five-axis machines are only available with Heidehain controllers. Richard Hermans, director of HEDELIUS’s Dutch importer Promas, thinks that the five-axis machines will cause the main focus to shift from machine builders and suppliers toward tool makers. HEDELIUS used its existing models as the basis for developing the five-axis machine. This results in an economical price and retains the value of experience already acquired with HEDELIUS machines. In this family of machines, the tool magazine has 30 positions in the standard version. The Magnum version has 50 positions, and a 72-position option is also available. These machines are available with SK 40 and HSK 63 holding fixtures. The type numbers 60, 80 and 100 indicate the Y dimensions of the three different models.

The third member of the model series in this product line, the RS 60, will join the RS 80 and RS 100 in the middle of this year. HEDELIUS also intends to develop a full-gantry machine so it can build machines with longer Y-axis dimensions.

Promas representatives

Promas, the Netherlands importer of HEDELIUS machines, also supplies horizontal machining centres from Hüller Hille, gantry milling machines from Zimmermann, table milling machines and floor-type milling machines from CME and Danobat-Soraluce, CNC lathes from Danobat Lealde, teach-in lathes from Seiger, vertical lathes from Hessapp, carousel lathes from Mario Carnaghi, and horizontal boring and milling machines from Union. The company was founded in 1999 and is located in Panningen (The Netherlands).


Judith Rissewijck

Metaal en Kunststof 1
[27-01-2003]

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