CNC machines are now the go-to option for machining shop owners for any product manufacturing. The scenario is no different for brake caliper machining, as a well-functioning CNC machine is required to manufacture brake calipers. However, the main question is, what type of CNC machine, among all its types, is needed for brake caliper manufacturing? The direct answer to this question is a 5-axis machining center, which is the type of machine needed for machining brake calipers.
Key processes in caliper manufacturing:
Here are the steps that you need to go through to manufacture a well performing brake caliper:
- Roughing: This is the process of removing the material from the cast or forged blanks.
- Milling and boring: This process is for the creation of piston bores, seal grooves, and intricate internal channels.
- Drilling and tapping: This step is for accurately positioned holes for hydraulic ports, mountings, and blood screws.
All of the above steps can be done in a 5-axis CNC machining center, which can be done in a single setup.
The importance of 5-axis machining centers:
Here’s how having a 5-axis CNC machining center can help you in the best way to machine brake calipers:
- Complex geometry machining: The surfaces of brake calipers are non-planar, like the curved outer profiles and angled mounting points. A 5-axis machining center will be able to approach the workpiece from different angles, which will further help to get this complex geometric machining work done. This will be particularly useful for features like piston bores, as they need consistent angles.
- Reduced setup time: When working with critical geometrical products, 3-axis CNC machines will need multiple setups to get that done, while a 5-axis machining center can get it done with just one setup, which improves efficiency and dimensional accuracy of the product.
- Material versatility: Brake calipers are mostly made up of aluminum alloys, which are mostly a soft material, but sometimes titanium or stainless steel is used for high-performance materials. 5-axis CNC machining centers are equipped with robust spindles and advanced tooling systems, which help them to manufacture products with different kinds of elements.
Why not other types of CNC machines?
Here are the reasons why using other types of CNC machines might not be a good choice for machining brake calipers:
- CNC press brakes: CNC press brakes are great for sheet metal forming, but they cannot provide you with the multi-axis milling or drilling features, and won’t be able to help you work on the internal cavity work needed for caliper production.
- CNC plasma cutters: The cutting technologies of CNC plasma cutters are not suited for multi-surface, internal machining, and the other fine tolerance operations that are essential for brake clippers.
- Basic 3-axis machines or hobbyist machines: Traditional 3-axis machines and other entry-level CNC machines lack the multi-sided accessibility, high speed, high tolerance, and automation features.
Top CNC machines you might look for to machine brake caliper:
Here are some of the CNC machines you might look for when planning to start the machining of brake calipers:
- DMG Mori DMX series
- Mazak VARIAXIS series
- Haas VF series
- Okuma Multus series
- Makino a500z
Conclusion:
Brake calipers need high precision and high tolerance machining capabilities, and 5-axis machining centers are one of the finest choices for all of those machining needs. Also, don’t forget to check the specifications of the particular machine before buying it, and if you are considering buying a 5-axis machining center, then you can check our collection of used 5-axis machining centers.
