Mazak’s All Axes LIVE Event to Feature Advanced Technologies for Today’s Manufacturing Challenges

Mazak Corp. (Florence, Kentucky) announced on Jan. 27 that its All Axes LIVE virtual event will air live on February 23, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. EST. Streaming from its Florence, Kentucky, manufacturing campus and Midwest Technology Center in Schaumburg, Illinois, the event will center around advanced manufacturing solutions for supply chain disruptions, loss of experienced employees due to attrition and shortages of skilled labor that manufacturers are facing as the industry deals with a global pandemic.

During the event, Mazak will introduce its new INTEGREX i-H series of multi-tasking machines with a live demonstration from the Midwest Technology Center, spotlighting the machine’s shorter cycle times and enhanced multi-tasking benefits. From its Kentucky Technology Center, the company will also introduce the new NEO models of some of its most popular machine tools, the VARIAXIS i-800 NEO Multi-Tasking Center and HCN-6800 NEO Horizontal Machining Center with Palletech automation. Additionally, the event will feature live demonstrations of optimized gear machining on an INTEGREX i-630V AG Hybrid Multi-Tasking Machine with the Smooth Gear Cutting software suite and Mazatrol SmoothAi control.

“To meet the needs of manufacturers and help them overcome production challenges, Mazak is constantly moving forward in both its own production operations and in the development of advanced manufacturing technology,” says Dan Janka, president and CEO of Mazak Corp. “The upcoming All Axes LIVE event will showcase the results of that drive for continuous improvement in the form of completely new technology, as well as in the enhancement of existing machines in terms of performance, controls and automation. All with the goal of making such powerful technology more accessible than ever before for manufacturers looking to push the limits of their operations.”

The machining demonstrations during the event will be accompanied by Q&A sessions and more information about how Mazak is pushing manufacturing forward.

To keep pace with the continuously changing needs of today’s manufacturers, Mazak designed its INTEGREX i-H series machines with the flexibility necessary to process an endless variety of part types without additional capital expenses. Mazak notes that the new machines allow shops to add a multitude of automation options—some of which are retrofittable in the field—as production levels dictate long after the initial purchase of the machine, ensuring easy access to continuous improvement. The machines within the series sport new, ergonomic enclosures with compact footprints that require less floor space. In addition, Mazak equipped the INTEGREX i-H series with faster and more powerful turning spindles, space-saving milling spindles and a new parallel-type lower turret with optional live tooling capabilities. The company also expanded tool capacities for lower turrets and for tool storage magazines, along with offering a wider range of chuck size options.

According to the company, Mazak’s NEO models each represent the next generation of machine technology. Redesigned machines feature enhancements are said to further reduce cycle times, increase maximum part and tool capacities, reduce required floor space, extend part processing versatility and streamline automation. During the All Axes LIVE event, Mazak will showcase the NEO models with a live demonstration of the VARIAXIS i-800 NEO, which features faster feed rates, a completely redesigned two-pallet changer, new servo-driven ATC shifter, extended axis strokes, more automation options and Mazak’s Mazatrol SmoothAi control. The HCN-6800 NEO will also be under power and cutting parts for the event, highlighting how the redesigned machine packs its best-in-class spindle performance, pallet change speed and expanded range of options into a more compact footprint.

Further, the company will also demonstrate the benefits of its INTEGREX i-630V AG Hybrid Multi-Tasking machine, which transforms gear manufacturing by performing it all on a common machine tool platform thanks to Smooth Gear Cutting. The software, in tandem with the machine’s turning and milling spindle scale feedback, ensures complete cutting synchronization and smooth machine motion for the high speeds of power gear skiving on parts such as the 35-inch-diameter gear that will be cut during the All Axes LIVE demonstration. From a programming aspect, the Smooth Technology software suite eliminates any guesswork. Users simply fill in various fields with information such as number of gear teeth and pressure angles, and the control generates the program, eliminating the time-consuming need for an experienced individual to do so manually.

The machining demonstrations during the event will be accompanied by Q&A sessions and more information about how Mazak is pushing manufacturing forward, and making it easier for companies to do the same for their own operations. In addition to discussing products such as Palletech Systems and technologies like Mazak MegaStir Friction Stir Welding and Friction Bit Joining, All Axes LIVE will include a look at how Mazak’s Spindle Rebuild department maximizes its customers’ productivity by minimizing downtime. Attendees will also see how Mazatrol SmoothAi CNC simplifies program management with open communications tools capable of working with Autodesk’s FUSION 360 and other CAM solutions.

Visit MazakUSA.com/events and follow Mazak on Facebook and Twitter to watch for additional details and registration links for future episodes of All Axes LIVE. In addition to virtual events, Mazak is scheduling in-person visits to the Mazak Kentucky headquarters or any of the company’s Technology or Technical Centers. Contact your local Mazak sales representative for more information.