In today’s manufacturing world, flexibility and precision count. MTE milling machines, originally developed for drilling and milling work, have established themselves as indispensable tools thanks to innovative technologies and versatile applications. In this blog post, we introduce you to the impressive capabilities of our milling machines, which now also include carousel turning and interpolation turning.

Original versatility: drilling and milling work

Our MTE milling machines were built from the ground up for drilling and milling work. With Milling heads / heads that swivel in up to 0.001° increments in two joints, they offer exceptional precision and flexibility. This universality has always set us apart. However, our customers’ requirements for additional machining options led to further innovations.

Evolution of rotary tables: From positioning to milling

As a first step towards expanding our machining options, we introduced rotary tables. They made it possible to rotate components through 360° and machine five out of six sides of a workpiece. Initially, they were only used for positioning in order to precisely align components. These rotary tables could also be placed upright on the machine table in order to machine parts lengthwise in combination with a tailstock.

Over time, the pure Positioning tables became rotary tables on which the component could also be milled during turning. This further development ultimately led to the integration of the carousel turning function.

Carousel turning: The combination of milling and turning

Nowadays, rotary tables on MTE milling machines have a carousel turning function. This means that our machines can not only drill and mill, but also turn. This combination enables even more efficient machining of complex workpieces on a single machine.

Interpolation turning: Turning processes without rotary axes

Another remarkable innovation is interpolation turning. It allows turning processes on milling machines without rotary axes. The prerequisite for this is switching the main spindle of the milling machine to position-controlled operation, whereby it serves as a rotary axis.

In interpolation turning, machining is carried out with a tool clamped in the main spindle, which performs circular movements in the X/Y plane. The semi-finished product to be machined is fixed on the machine table. Each circular movement of the tool takes place around its own axis so that the tool is always optimally aligned with the component.

Advantages and conclusion

The ability to carry out drilling, milling and turning processes on our MTE milling machines offers numerous advantages:

• Time and cost efficiency: By reducing or eliminating set-up times, complex workpieces can be processed quickly and completely on one machine.
• High precision: The use of high-precision Milling heads / heads and the option of interpolation turning ensure excellent machining results.
• Versatility: The combination of different machining processes on one machine makes our milling machines an extremely versatile solution for a wide range of production requirements.

The further development of our machines reflects our efforts to meet the increasing demands of our customers and to offer innovative solutions for modern production. With the functions of Carousel turning and interpolation turning, MTE milling machines are ideally equipped to master even the most complex machining tasks efficiently and precisely.