Now available from the exclusive UK and Eire agent, Warwick Machine Tools, the new range of ONA AV wire EDM machines is part of the Spanish company’s strategic plan to improve current product competitiveness with the introduction of high performance ‘Premium’ machines that was initially established with the recent launch of the highly capable QX die sink CNC EDM range.
A comprehensive range of ONA AV models are available. Two are compact machines; the ONA AV25 model with axis travels of 400 x 300 x 250 mm in X, Y and Z respectively, and the larger ONA AV35 model with travels of 600 mm in X, and 400 mm in Y and Z. Both models have U-V travels of 120 by 120 mm. Designed to be extraordinarily compact the new machine layout reduced installed floorspace by around 20 per cent compared to existing models of similar dimensions.
Using a modular design concept the large-scale AV machines are designed for wire cutting bulky components. The range starts with the impressively quick ONA AV60, with cutting speeds up to 450 mm2/min. It has axis travels of 800 mm in X and 600 mm in Y, while the Z-axis can be specified as 500, 600, 700 or 800 mm to accommodate the workpiece that can weigh up to an impressive 5,000 kg. Next up is the AV80, able to take the same weight on the worktable it extends the axes to 1,000 mm in X, 600, 800 or 1,000 mm in Y with the same Z-axis range options as the AV60.
Both the AV100 and AV130 can accept loads up to 10,000 kg on the worktable and can be specified in a wide range of configurations. The AV100 has travels of 1,500 mm in X, 1,000 or 1,300 mm in Y and 600, 700 or 800 mm in Z. Extending the X-axis to 2,000 mm the other two axes of the AV130 are available with the same optional travels as the AV100. All four large machine tools feature U and V axis travels of 500 by 500 mm and a maximum 30o taper cut capability.
For ease of operation ONA has developed a new CNC with CAD/CAM for the AV range that exceeds the demands of the most advanced programmer and at the same time offers an extremely simple, user-friendly interface. The CNC makes it possible to control up to 8 axes simultaneously, has CAD/CAM incorporated and boasts a 23 inch touchscreen monitor. A 3D viewer graphically displays the workpiece, the cutting position and wire path, while 3D set up with optional touch probing is also supported.
A new digital generator that monitors and uses digital technology to tightly control the discharge process can deliver cutting performance and surface finish benefits for the new AV range. In single pass precision cutting the enhancements in performance of AV machines compared to previous ONA and other wire EDM machines sees an increase of cutting speed up to 40 per cent while improving precision by 20 per cent, a vertical precision of 10 µm per side is achieved even at elevated cutting speeds.
New superfine-finishing module achieves extremely fine finishing in the order of 0.1 µm Ra in hard metals and 0.12 µm Ra in carbon steel. So, for many applications the previous methodology of roughing and final trim cutting can be combined to achieve geometric tolerance and finish, thereby increasing efficiency.
Improved precision and safety levels are offered as the AV range incorporates new corner and profile control systems, linear rulers with a resolution of 0.1 µm and an exclusive protection system able to detect impacts of just 0.8 kg (8 N).
AV machines feature a new design wire threading system with enhanced functions, such as rethreading while submerged in a cut gap on a workpiece up to 150 mm thick. Hole search during the threading operation is another key function. The machine searches, where necessary, up to 10 successive threading attempts on a circular trajectory around a predetermined point. Automated wire threading with thin wires of just 0.07 mm diameter can be achieved.
Environmental considerations are also prominent factors for customers considering investment in high performance manufacturing equipment. ONA has a longstanding history in this field, including the designing and fitting of the first 100 per cent ecological filter for wire EDM machines (patented in 1993) and the implementation of an ISO14001-certified environmental management system in 2001. The new AV machines continue this tradition with a new advanced energy-management system that reduces consumption by up to 30 per cent during the cutting process, as well as reduced wire consumption thanks to new EcoCutting technologies.
