A powerful DXF file converter, that has automatic gap closing within the software to minimise the time spent converting the CAD file, will be shown alongside the latest CNC machine tools at MACH.

At long last the recession which has afflicted British machinetools appears to be lifting, but funding growth after a period ofdownturn can be difficult. At MACH 2004, XYZ will bedemonstrating its comprehensive range of affordable machineswhich will provide greatly improved productivity and enable theuser to better service existing contracts and take on additionalones. Demonstrated under power, the XYZ machines enable the userto improve productivity and profitability by offering easy setup, greater accuracy and competitive cycle times.

One of its mostpopular machines at the moment, the XYZ Mini-Mill, is capable ofhandling all typical machining jobs but requires only half thefloor space.

With a tiny footprint of just 6ft2, the heavilyribbed XYZ Mini-Mill has a big working envelope and the largest Zaxis of any of the small machining centres.

Travel in X is 560mm,400mm in Y and 500mm in Z.

Rapid traverse is 25m/min.

Spindlespeed is 8000rpm (1200 optional) and spindle taper BT40.

The toolcarousel has 10 pockets; a 16 station arm-type toolchanger isoptional.

Table load is 350kg.

Being introduced at this MACH area new DXF file converter, a new 2.5D Edge, and a new XYZ200TCturning centre, which is an up-rated version of the XYZ150turning centre and provides a larger capacity from a smallerfootprint.

The powerful new DXF file converter, believed to beone of the simplest and easiest to use on the market today, isvirtually a plug and play system and is the only system known tohave automatic gap closing within the software to minimize thetime spent converting the CAD file.

It offers a significantimprovement in productivity because the simplicity of convertingthe CAD file into a machine program reduces set up timeenormously.

An optional extra with any of the XYZ ProtoTRAKmachines, the new DXF file converter uses intuitive plain Englishlanguage, so simple prompts on the screen enable the operator toquickly and easily program the control.

The system converts CADfiles into programs in a quick and easy process which can belearned, literally, in minutes.

The entire file can be viewed onscreen and the operator selects which layers he wants to machine.Also on show is the new 2.5D Edge.

Using plain English commandsand intuitive programming it can be used easily by operatorsunfamiliar with CNC machines.

It retains handwheels to give theinexperienced operator confidence, essential for productivity inthe early days of using any machine.

It provides all the featurescommonly used in an engineering shop without the additional, andoften unnecessary, features which make other systems complicatedor confusing to use.

The new 2.5D Edge will be fitted to a newBed Mill, the Edge DPM 2.5, a 2.5 axis bed mill, Also beingdemonstrated are the ProtoTRAK mills and ProTURN lathes, provenover many years to dramatically improve productivity.

Offered inthree milling versions, the entry level EDGE, the SM and VM (withspindle speed control), the VL is offered for lathes.

The systemcan accept CAD/CAM data from any recognised cam system and, withno limitation on memory capacity, it eliminates the need for DNC(drip feed).

The ProtoTRAK system has been designed for ease ofuse so even operators with no previous CNC experience can learnto use it in just a few hours.

Other machines being demonstratedare the XYZ machining and turning centres, a selection from itsmanual lathes and mills and the popular FastTap dedicated tappingsystem.