Horizontal Machining Centers (HMCs) | Modern Machine Shop

A horizontal machining center (HMC) is a machining center with its spindle in a horizontal orientation. This machining center design favors uninterrupted production work. One reason for this is that the horizontal orientation encourages chips to fall away, so they don’t have to be cleared from the table. More significantly, the horizontal design allows a two-pallet workchanger to be incorporated into a space-efficient machine. To save time, work can be loaded on one pallet of a horizontal machining center while machining occurs on the other pallet.

New tech center is serving as a cutting-edge showroom and a technological hub for advanced machining applications.

Machining centers offer a wide range of possible operations, but that adaptability comes with the need to stay flexible and perform successful measurements at all times.

Compared to vertical machining centers, horizontal machining centers offer the potential for improved spindle uptime, cycle times and throughput. Although they come with a higher price tag, their higher productivity can be significant to shops of all sizes, as Valley Tool has experienced.

J&R Machine uses machine-monitoring data not just to track machine uptime, but also to create a financial index that helps it shape decisions related to equipment, processes, staffing, sales and business in general.

Is it time to move up to an HMC? Let’s consider some of the peripheral equipment that HMC buyers should think about.

Is it time to move up to an HMC? Let’s look at tooling- and workholding-related concerns that those interested in acquiring an HMC will want to keep in mind.

Is it time to move up to a horizontal machining center? Let’s consider some of the structural, application and design factors that differentiate HMCs from vertical machines.

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By trading two VMCs in to help finance the purchase of a new HMC, this shop was able to significantly increase production and move to lights-out machining.

Horizontal four-axis machining enabled McKenzie CNC to cut operations and cycle times for its high-mix, high-repeat work — more than doubling its throughput.

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What is a horizontal machining center?

Horizontal and vertical three-axis machines differ primarily in the inclination of the spindle, with the spindles of horizontal machines parallel to the surface of the machine table and the spindles of vertical machines perpendicular to the surface, although individual constructions vary widely to support different applications.

Source: Machining 101: What are Machining Centers?

What is a machining center?

Typically, machining centers are numerically controlled machines with multipurpose capabilities. This flexibility not only allows for productivity improvements but also allows for one machine to replace several single-purpose machines.

Machining centers provide the ability to perform several operations on a workpiece, from roughing to finishing, with a single setup.

Why should you buy a horizontal machining center?

The simple answer is productivity and profit. Horizontals can easily do three times the work of a comparable VMC. This assertion assumes that the workload to keep the machine busy is available. Without question, you can get more done in far less time using an HMC. With the increase in production, shop throughput is greatly improved. Because multiple operations can be done in a single setup on an HMC, less work in process must move around the shop, increasing efficiency.

Source: Buying an HMC: What Makes Horizontal Machining Centers Different

What are some additional costs of adding a horizontal machining center?

To make full use of the higher-level machine, other parts of the process need to be raised to a higher level as well. Here is a partial list of the additional investments to be made:

1. Inspection equipment.

2. Computers.

3. Coolant.

4. Tool presetter.

5. Fixturing.

6. Tool vending.