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TARUS designs and builds spindle head in-house to maximize 5-axis claymilling performance.

Manufacturing the TARUS spindle head.
TARUS Claymill spindle head 01
Next Generation Claymill spindle head ready for quality inspection by a TARUS Bridge Series coordinate measuring machine. TARUS machines making TARUS machines.
TARUS Claymill spindle head 02
Next Gen Claymill spindle head being milled from a billet of advanced aluminum alloy on a TARUS UNIMAX 1600 5-axis universal machining center. TARUS machines making TARUS machines.
TARUS Claymill spindle head 03
TARUS Claymill spindle head 04
Newly manufactured TARUS Claymill spindle head ready for test milling.
TARUS Claymill spindle head 05
TARUS Claymill spindle head 06
2023-08-03
 
When car manufacturers asked for a compact Claymill that would fit in their design studios with the performance characteristics of a room-sized gantry mill, where do you begin? How do you achieve the functionality of a big gantry machine on a much smaller scale? The engineering challenge is enormous.
 
When TARUS developed the Next Generation Claymill the machine design began with the spindle head itself. We spent nearly 5 years of R&D to develop the world’s most advanced spindle head for this application. Why did we put so much effort into this?
 
A smaller milling head means less interference between the machine and the model. A compact, powerful milling head is necessary to achieve more volume, a greater working envelope, and maximum range-of-motion from a less massive machine.
 
Most importantly, the Next Generation Claymill needed a head that is precise enough in 3 plus 2-axis mode to ensure surface area boundaries blend perfectly. The TARUS Claymill produces effortless Class-A surfacing with far less hand cleanup.
 
Using absolute position angular encoders on the A and C-axis ensures this level of precision. Our new milling head produces ample torque for simultaneous 5-axis milling and enough holding force to ensure the level of precision needed for verification milling.
 
Design studios are open work environments. Milling car models with high-revving, air cooled off-the-shelf milling heads is very loud and distracting. The TARUS milling head spindle is liquid cooled providing for near silent operation, making for a more harmonious work environment.
 
The challenge we faced was to make all this fit into something that weighs less than 50 pounds and precise enough to function at gantry levels on a compact machine.
 
With nearly 40 years building heads and spindles, TARUS engineered our new head to handle the most demanding clay and foam applications. Our vertical integration means we built these heads ourselves, starting with a billet of aluminum alloy for maximum strength and durability.
 
From mechanical design, machine tool grade CNC controls, and TARUS’ superior integration and calibration software, we are proud to show a small piece of what makes the Next Generation Claymill a true game-changer.
 
 

 

Corporate Contact:
George Cook
VP, Sales and Marketing
TARUS
gcook@tarus.com
+1-586-977-1400