Multi-Axis Cable Carrier for Schütte Multi Spindle CNC Lathes

• What was needed: triflex R Series TRL multi-axis cable carrier
• Requirements: To supply the spindles, the cable guide needed to perform rapid rotational movement along with the axial feed for more than 4.5 million such cycles per year.
• Industry: machine tools
• Success for the customer: high-tensile-strength energy supply system with easy filling. Compact design for compact machine construction with more space for the cables. High flexibility thanks to precisely manufactured ball-and-socket-joint connection without a steel cable. Long service life for extremely heavy duty applications.

With the SCX series, Schütte is setting standards for multi-spindle automatic lathes.

Manufacturers of complex turned parts want to complete as many machining operations as possible in a single setup to save time and reduce costs. The SCX series from Schütte is designed to achieve exactly that.

Even in its standard configuration, the SCX multi-spindle automatic lathe features six main spindles and one counter spindle, enabling workpieces to be machined almost entirely from the first side. For applications that require extensive machining on the second side as well, the concept can be expanded to include up to nine spindles.

With spindle capabilities in both the C-axis and Y-axis, SCX users gain entirely new flexibility when machining complex workpieces.

A key design principle of the SCX series is the elimination of components that are not directly involved in the machining process, including drive and guide elements, lubrication and cooling lines, and electrical cabling. However, each spindle still requires a reliable supply of coolant, hydraulic fluid, power, and control signals.

This media, power, and signal supply system must meet demanding performance requirements. In addition to axial movement, it must accommodate extremely rapid rotational motion. As a result, the application places exceptional demands on energy chain service life.

Typical cycle times of just five to ten seconds result in approximately 5,760 cycles per shift, and an equal number of energy chain movements. At that rate, the first 100,000 cycles are completed after only 17.3 shifts. Operating continuously on a 24-hour, five-day-per-week schedule, the machine accumulates more than 4.5 million cycles per year.

Yet Schütte's expectations extend far beyond a one-year service life for any component. Schütte machines are known worldwide for their durability, reliability, and exceptionally long operating life.

From the outset, the plan was to use a cable carrier to supply power and other media to the spindles. However, the model originally selected from an igus® competitor did not meet Schütte's high standards. During production of the first machines in the series, manufacturing staff informed the design manager that the cable carriers were difficult to populate.

Schütte therefore began searching for an alternative and found it in our triflex® multi-dimensional cable carriers, originally developed for demanding six-axis robotic applications in harsh industrial environments. These systems are designed to protect cables during both axial and rotational movements.

Despite its high tensile strength, the three-part triflex system is remarkably easy to assemble and fill. Even coolant lines and other large-diameter cables and hoses can be secured within the cable carrier with minimal effort.

This cable management solution quickly won over Schütte's production team. Designers also appreciate its compact design, which is especially important given the limited installation space inside the machine. triflex R provides more space for cables than the previously used model and, because it does not require a steel tension cable thanks to its precisely engineered ball-and-socket joint design, it offers exceptional flexibility.

triflex R was designed from the ground up for an exceptionally long service life, even under extreme operating conditions. Testing and real-world applications have demonstrated that these cable carriers can withstand demanding loads, despite traveling long distances at high speeds during every tool cycle while also accommodating extensive vertical strokes and pivoting movements. Even aggressive coolant oil mists do not reduce the system's service life.

Specifically, the SCX series uses triflex R TRL.60. The "L" stands for "Light," while the number indicates the inner diameter of 60 mm. The standard triflex R version, TRE, was unnecessary in this case because the drive compartment is protected from chip contamination.