Licon expands portfolio with twin-spindle machining center

LiLEXX II 444 twin-spindle machine
Photo by licon

With its LiFLEX II 444 twin-spindle machining center, German machine manufacturer Licon mt has not only expanded its portfolio for the processing of small and medium-sized work-pieces, but is also appealing to new markets and target groups.

In the middle of the last decade, Licon mt forged new ground in the manufacturing of individually configured machine tools with the development of its LiFLEX modular system. The company’s product portfolio is comprised of single-spindle machining centers (LiFLEX I), twin-spindle machining centers (LiFLEX II) and multi-spindle flexible rotary transfer machines. The series mentioned above include a range of model types, which meet different requirements for machining workpieces (material, workpiece size) and offer varying degrees of flexibility and productivity.

Licon mt expands market position
With its LiFLEX II 444 twin-spindle machining center, German machine manufacturer Licon mt has not only expanded its portfolio for the processing of small and medium-sized work-pieces, but is also appealing to new markets and target groups.

In the middle of the last decade, Licon mt forged new ground in the manufacturing of individually configured machine tools with the develop-ment of its LiFLEX modular system. The company’s product portfolio is comprised of single-spindle machining centers (LiFLEX I), twin-spindle machining centers (LiFLEX II) and multi-spindle flexible rotary transfer machines. The series mentioned above include a range of model types, which meet different requirements for machining workpieces (material, workpiece size) and offer varying degrees of flexibility and productivity.

The principal focus is on high volume series metal removal on complex chassis and engine parts with a cubic size of between 150 mm and 1,000 mm. This includes steering knuckles, wheel carriers, cylinder head covers, connecting rods, turbochargers, oil pans, oil pumps and rear carriers. The requirements of clients in the global automotive industry also include machining of larger workpieces, such as rear axle frames and aluminum car bodies, with travel distances of up to 4.5 m.

LiFLEX II 444 is cutting edge in price, performance and design
By expanding its product portfolio, Licon mt is consistently pursuing its strategy for 5-axis machining centers carrying out complete machining on complex workpieces in a single clamping. LiFLEX II 444 was added to the range last year and represents a new machine model for processing smaller and medium-sized components. This machine is perfectly suited for heavy machining due to the rigid and compact design in combination with the high power/torque available.

The integration of a pallet-changer facilitates simultaneous loading and unloading of workpieces. Optional extras include spindle compensation for the Z-axis and broken tool detection. The zero point clamping sys-tem ensures a quick changeover to other workpieces. Chip removal is optimized through suspended fixtures. LiFLEX II 444 is smaller and more compact when compared with other LiFLEX machining centers. The good price-performance ratio is very attractive to the market.

New target groups and markets in our sights
Traditionally, machine tools have been purchased by automotive manufacturers (OEMs) and their suppliers (tiers 1-3). Clients of Licon mt in the automotive industry are based in Europe, the USA and Asia, which are the company’s key strategic target markets. However, in addition to OEMs and tier 1 companies, its market orientation will focus greater attention to tier 2 and tier 3 companies in the future. Licon mt has increasingly been receiving requests from non-automotive industries, especially relating to the LiFLEX II 444 machining center. In a similar way as the automotive industry, the main issue is the machining of complex workpieces.

Winfried Benz, Managing Director of Licon mt, explains its market orientation: “With our small twin-spindle machine, LiFLEX II 444, we are able to offer companies around the world a viable alternative for machining medium-sized parts in small or medium volumes. We aim to continually optimize the process of complex workpiece machining with the goal of minimizing costs for scrap a as well as additional quality controls. To this end, complete machining is an essential element. The price-performance ratio of LiFLEX II 444 makes a further contribution to ensuring that unit costs are reduced to the bare minimum.”

For further information, please visit: www.licon.com