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Ward CNC News

New SORALUCE Performance Line. Born Reliable. Born Precise.

Published: 2nd May 2023
Author: anthony cogswell

  • New SORALUCE Performance Line, born to provide the highest reliability and precision along with outstanding flexibility.
  • One structure, three architectures, endless solutions adapted to your machining requirements.
  • Presentation of the New Performance Line Onsite during Soraluce Summit 2023 at the new Soraluce facilities (New Opening) from June 13 to 15.

Soraluce presents the New Performance Line, a totally new product line. As part of our offer of premium solutions, the new Performance Line provides the best possible ratios of reliability and precision with exceptional flexibility for medium-large workpieces.

A common structure, three different types of architectures and endless solutions to adapt to the needs of each of our customers in the most competitive way possible.

Highly efficient modular structure

Performance Line is a new Soraluce line with three families of machines with three different architectures, all based on a common modular structure.

Each of these families has a number of models and configurations, producing machines that can be configured for a number of work environments. These are 3 families sharing the main machine features, such as the column, saddle, ram and heads, built on the principle of modular design, to provide reliability, easier service and flexibility to devise a solution for the customer.

The Performance Line has the same design principles as Soraluce’s heavy-duty machine range: Soraluce Winning Combination, providing the most rigid and dynamic solution available on the market, with a combination of a cast iron structure, linear guides and active and passive damping technology.

Once more we have applied all the experience we obtained from our larger models and have chosen the solution that would give us more precision and reliability. Direct drive inline motor driving system with high power and torque in the ram, equipped with a spindle motor with a capacity of 32 kW, to a current maximum of 7000 rpm. The motor is water-cooled for better thermal stability, to produce the best precision machining results.

The Performance Line offers a new choice of milling heads. High performance automatic-rotation mechanical heads, with high rpm and high precision. Heads are water-cooled for maximum head stability and precision results.

It can include Universal Heads with different indexing: 2.5° x 2.5° / 1º x 2.5º / 0.001° x 0.001°, compact-design Orthogonal Heads indexing 1ºx1º with maximum utilization of machine travel.

Also, for the multitasking versions with milling, turning and grinding capabilities, we design and manufacture in-house high-torque multitasking heads.

Additionally, we integrate as well Vertical high-speed head, Vertical high speed continuous positioning head (torque motor, C-axis) and Universal automatic indexing head with electrospindle attachment, for 4 or 5 axes continuous machining.

Performance Line includes 24” touch-sensitive screens and a larger work space to boost ergonomics and interactivity of users with the machine. In addition to the standard 640, we can also fit the new Heidenhain TNC7 with the new interface, to make the control system easier to use, and boost interactivity with the user.

The range features our Smart HMI, a smart intuitive interface enabling us to manage the work area running the NC program in parallel with an area for the development of apps that allow us to connect the machine to the customer’s ERP, or monitoring energy consumption, for example.

3 Machine families to meet market demands

New SORALUCE TA, Bed type milling machine

The basis of the New Performance Line has been a machine already in our product portfolio: the TA-A bed type milling machine.

We have boosted the efficiency of this range and redesigned to give the machines some improved features such as new inline spindle driving system, higher head revolutions, new water-cooled head options, damping pads, grease lubrication and greater precision.

TA is a milling machine with greater capacities than a machining center in terms of volume of work, power output, torque, chip removal and ergonomics. There are a number of versions or configurations. There are different versions with square or round tables that can also be multitasking.

The machine has standard peripheral guarding with easy front and back access to the work area. It includes a flexible control panel arm, allowing CNC control at the front or rear-side of the machine with the best view of the tool in any machining operation.

The machine is floor-fitted, with no need for any specific foundations.

New SORALUCE FA, Floor Type Boring Mill

Whenever a higher longitudinal travel is required, then floor type architecture is a great option.

A machine concept, splendidly versatile with multiple configurations available, and working area tailor-made to the customer’s needs: maximization of productivity.

It can be configured with floor plate, rotary table or rotary-travelling table, with one or more multitasking tables (milling and turning), with a portable rotary table which we can position vertically with a tailstock or horizontally, option of duplex machines – machining with two spindles simultaneously, or with a floor plate at user height for better ergonomics.

Floor type milling machine ensures minimum footprint in the shopfloor with a compact design and allows for pendulum working with a number of work areas.

The new FA is designed in such a way that it can be set up either with a pit or at floor level, and the floor plate or work table can even be raised to represent the loading/unloading ergonomics of fixed-bed machines.

New SORALUCE SA, Fixed Table Travelling Column Milling Machine

The new SA is an excellent alternative with full splash guarding travelling column with integrated chip removal systems to keep workshop spaces clean and swarf-free.

SA has a unique machine architecture: the moving column and the table share the same base. The work area is fully guarded, with complete front access to the workpiece, workpiece at user height, CNC on sliding guide in front of the machine, and integrated swarf collection system.

It also has different work area versions. With a fixed table, rotary milling or milling/turning table of Ø 1000 mm on one side of the table, or two milling or milling/turning tables at either end of the machine.

Like the FA model, it can operate in pendulum mode.

This range is floor-fitted and does not require any foundation.

Soraluce & Ward CNC – 60 year partnership

Soraluce, since their foundation 60 years ago have been exclusively represented in the United Kingdom and Irish Republic by T.W. Ward CNC Machinery Ltd (Ward CNC).

Speaking on the New Performance Line and upcoming Summit, Ward CNC’s Managing Director Simon Whitworth comments “Throughout our 60-year working relationship with Soraluce, they have always been at the forefront of innovation and the latest technological developments. The New Performance Line from Soraluce is the latest enhancement to the range and will provide manufacturing companies with the highest reliability, precision, and flexibility across this selection of Bed and Floor type milling machines as well as Fixed table travelling column milling machines.

Soraluce’s Summit and new plant opening will provide the perfect opportunity to showcase this new range of machines and we would encourage any companies with an interest in the Soraluce range to get in touch to see how Ward CNC and Soraluce can collectively help with their production requirements.

Last Updated: March 11, 2024