It was delivered to Sandia's lab in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The spindle also features a new drawbar design for automatic clamping and unclamping the machine's HSK toolholders. It makes practical the use of an automatic toolchanger. For higher production applications that need continuous work processing capability, the hexapod design can easily accommodate a pallet shuttle system that can automatically move workpieces in and out of the work zone. Because the machine structure is above the worktable, there is no interference from components.
Spindle orientation is also flexible in the hexapod design.
90 degrees or a spindle mounted horizontally on the existing spindle carrier. Its modular design is lends itself to many different applications. Controlling A Hexapod Control for the hexapod machine is through a PC-based dual processor design. System updates are performed in real time, and a feed-forward function uses the control's Pentium power to ensure adequate sampling through rapid changes in cutter direction. This prevents data starvation on contouring surfaces and geometrically complex workpieces.