Been in the engineering or manufacturing business for a long? Then you are bound to come across bridge-type milling machines. These milling machines, also known as bridge mills, are medium-sized machines used to produce long and large machinery.
So if you are contemplating whether to include a bridge mill in your engineering business, you need a little more information on this milling machine before your purchase. In this article, we will walk you through the various aspects of a bridge mill. But first, let us understand what a basic milling machine is.
What Is A Milling Machine?
A milling machine is referred to a machinery tool that is mostly used for milling. This machine is currently addressed as a platform for multi-purpose machining operations. Because the advanced machining center allows several types of machining operations to be accomplished, this machine is crucial in the current engineering and manufacturing business. Machining centers commonly employ computer numerical control (CNC) technology to efficiently complete precise machining tasks in today’s manufacturing business environment. A bridge mill or a bridge milling machine is a category among such milling machines.
Now that we have a better knowledge about milling machines let us understand what bridge mills or bridge milling machines do.
What Is A Bridge Milling Machine?
Bridge type milling machines refer to a vertical machining center with an extended and fully supported Y-axis (can be either 5-axis heads or with a fixed angle). A bridge mill is made up of a bed or base casting and one-piece bolted-to-the-bed bridge construction. The Y-axis runs along with the bridge structure, while the X-axis runs the length of the bed.
Machining Surface Of The Bridge Milling Machine
A bridge-type CNC milling machine always has a milling surface, which might be flat with linear guides, bolt screws, a faceplate, or a lathe bed. Regardless of its design, the milling surface is the location where workpieces are held, and machining operations are carried out. The workpiece is fastened differently on a bridge milling machine depending on the work-holding system it accepts. Vices, magnetic chucks, and jaw chucks are only a handful of typical work-holding devices.
The workpieces are held immobile in situ in most machining processes; however, in some other approaches, the workpieces are secured by the work-holding system, which can move along the milling machine’s axes to complete numerous machining operations at once. On a conventional CNC turning center, the movement is normally controlled by a servo motor. The lathe bed of a bridge milling machine is a flat surface supported by bolt screws and linear guides. The workpieces are allowed to move linearly together with the CNC router in this system.
Milling Capability Of A Bridge Mill Or Bridge Milling Machine
The vertical movement of the spindle head is referred to as Z-axis machining. The vertical movement is controlled by the same power system that lowers and lifts the spindle head on the CNC gantry. On a console-style CNC router, the power system is commonly a pneumatic or hydraulic system. On a smaller scale bridge mill CNC, the power supply could potentially be an electrical motor. The Z-axis capability enhances the adaptability of a bridge-style milling machine.
How are Bridge Mills Different From Double Column Machining Centers?
Bridge mills and double column machining centers are not much different from each other. Their only difference lies in their size – double column machining centers are larger and have three separate components, a horizontal crossbeam, and two vertical columns.
How are Bridge Mills Different From Gantry Mills?
The difference between bridge mills and gantry mills lies in the way both the machines perform. A gantry mill’s structure is similar to a bridge mill, yet the gantry bridge moves on the X-axis while the table moves instead of the axis in the bridge mills.
How are Bridge Mills Different From Vertical Machining Centers?
There are mainly three types of vertical machining centers: bridge-style, C-frame, and L-frame, and all of them are different from bridge mills. This is because the Y-axis on the vertical machining centers is much more limited than those on the bridge mills due to design differences.
All in all, we think that bridge-type CNC milling machines are convenient machines to have around you in your factory or workshop. They are much more versatile and valuable than the other machines in their category.
Here are some advantages of bridge mill machines to help you understand exactly how helpful they can be for your factory or workshop.
What Are The Advantages Of Using Bridge Mill Machines?
Bridge mill machines have certain advantages over other machines of this category, especially vertical machining centers.
Bridge mills can help produce more extended, more significant parts than vertical machining centers since these bridge mills are not restricted by bed size or the Y-axis.
Bridge mills are preferred by manufacturers or automotive, aerospace, mold, and die industries for their larger work envelope that provides immense scope and diversity in its production.
Bridge mills are the perfect middle-ground in this category of machines both in terms of price and size. They are chosen by those who do not have any use for the tiny 3-axis machine or cannot adjust to the largess of a double column machine.
Head to our website to buy them at incredible rates if you are looking for used CNC machining equipment for sales like bridge mills, gantry mills, vertical machining centers, or others! You will find both new and used machinery in perfect condition with all necessary documents and guaranteed service benefits on the purchase!
Conclusion
Bridge mill CNC is a convenient piece of equipment to have in your factory or workshop – you can get all your necessary work done in record time, and you do not have to compromise on the quality outcome! You can find this new or used machine equipment at our store at incredible rates and guaranteed servicing benefits on purchase. So what are you waiting for? Get your hands on a bridge-type milling machine today!
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