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Austrian machine tool manufacturer Weingärtner Maschinenbau GmbH has recently unveiled vario⁺, a machine concept that aligns with the company’s philosophy to provide complete customer-oriented milling machining systems. Made in Kircham, Austria, it offers enhanced performance at a reduced cost and requires less space, according to the company. 

“We don’t sell standardized products, we sell technology,” CEO Dominik Weingärtner explains. “Our customers receive a customized package consisting of the machine, peripherals, software and machining strategy. This principle applies to all products from Kirchham but is especially evident in the manufacturing of helical parts of all kinds — an area where Weingärtner excels.”

The vario machine concept is reported to be Weingärtner’s oldest machine model, the first of which were launched in the 1980s to specifically machine helical parts. Its name stems from the ability to cover different machining processes. “Today, this machine concept allows for the production of screws and helical parts using milling, peeling and whirling technologies,” notes Klaus Geissler, Weingärtner sales manager. “Key applications include pump manufacturing for the oil and gas industry and rotor machining within the energy sector, including the production of ball screws.”

With the new vario⁺, the changeover process can be completed within 15-20 min, which is faster than previous models. In addition, the company says it has deliberately continued with manual changeover but which is greatly simplified; everything is achieved with connection plates that automatically couple the entire electrical and media supply without additional effort. Improvements have been made in the machine’s peripherals (“Workpiece supports are now fully automatically programmable for diameter via servo-hydraulics,” Geissler notes). The machine system is also more compact than its predecessors and is contended to cost less while maintaining the same performance. 

Weingärtner emphasizes these characteristics through technical data: Parts with a workpiece weight of up to 5 tons (model 700 up to 4 tons) and a length of up to 12,000 mm can be machined. The system’s milling units offer a power of up to 30 kW at 754 Nm, the peeling units up to 74 kW at a torque of 2,950 Nm and the whirling unit offer power up to 30 kW and a torque of 1,127 Nm. 

Additionally, the entire machine bed has been redesigned from scratch, while peeling and whirling units have been retained. A torque motor provides an intelligent solution to eliminating the need for a gearbox in the milling unit, reducing space. The smaller milling drive has also reduced the machine’s height. “This performance is absolutely necessary,” Geissler says. “When using a 300-mm disk milling cutter at relatively low speed, it is essential.”

Vario⁺’s novel design dispenses with the once-typical rounded doors and presents a modern look with angular doors; this also offers better visibility due to fewer surfaces for coolant to adhere to. Customers can choose between two enclosure variants: one is a fully encapsulated version with automatic doors covering the entire working area, or the version where only the area around the processing unit itself is encapsulated and moves along with it. The second version offers additional savings potential in terms of machine procurement.

In terms of control systems, Weingärtner relies on its two suppliers, Siemens and NUM, using the Siemens Sinumerik One and the NUM Flexium+ versions. Accompanying them is Weingärtner’s software package WeinCAD, which enables complete geometry coverage, automatic generation of NC blocks up to full NC programs and 3D simulation of all machining processes. 

Vario⁺ is offered in two sizes: 700 and 1,000. The previously offered 500 size in the original vario series has been omitted, reports Weingärtner, as the 700 model covers the production of smaller screws and worms without restriction. Possible machining lengths can be almost arbitrarily extended due to Weingärtner’s welded construction.