Accu-Router increases productivity

Accu-Router, Inc., located in the Mountain View Industrial Park in Morrison, will complete 10 years of operation at the end of this month. Accu-Router manufactures high-performance CNC routing systems and premium high-speed spindles used thereof. Key markets served include upholstered furniture, power boating, aerospace, automotive plastics, and office furniture.

A primary application is the machining of plywood panels for furniture frames and internal boat structures. Accu-Router will be a major exhibitor at the International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta, Aug. 22-25. Over 50,000 visitors are expected.

According to Todd Herzog, Accu-Router’s president, “Accu-Router will introduce more new machine tool technology at this show than ever before.” This technology will be industry exclusive worldwide.

A High Velocity Accu-Router CNC router with industry leading rapid positioning feed rates (4,000 inches per minute) and a double holddown system will be featured. The machine cell will be operated with an automated materials handling system integrated with the assistance of Pack Manufacturing of McMinnville. The automated conveyor system will allow the entire cell to operate “unmanned.” This will be an industry first. The benefit of being unmanned is the cell can operate at a much higher productivity rate, which will be demonstrated at the show.

The Accu-Router machine will incorporate two 43 HP ultra high speed spindles – 30,000 rpm that will support a through cutting rate in an 1.500-inch plywood stack of between 1,500 and 2,000 inches per minute. These are premium liquid-chilled spindles with ceramic bearings and an internal power draw bar system to allow for an automatic tool change. The above spindle specification was simply not achievable in the past in terms of speed and power. These spindles will support a cutting rate far in excess of the competition.

Accu-Router will introduce a new type of automatic tool changer with 10 tool positions. The ATC will change tools automatically with both spindles at the same time. The 10 tool positions all have known center distances, which the servo lateral adjustment option will directly support. This is a new machine tool design ideal for speed of tool change and flexibility.

Accu-Router has had an expanding research relationship with the Wood Machining & Tool Research Program at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C. They have an Accu-Router cell that was placed there last September.

The bottom line of this new machine tool technology will be the ability of the unmanned cell to machine 300 4-foot by 8-foot plywood panels in an eight-hour shift. That productivity rate will be demonstrated. That is two to four times faster than the present rate.

Accu-Router is a technology-driven company. The above achievements have been made to provide a world-class machining cell.