US-based manufacturer of CNC machines and industrial robotics Tormach recently introduced its 1500MX CNC for milling. Tormach said its 1500MX marks a significant leap forward in power, precision, and affordability within their CNC machining portfolio.
The 1500MX is optimized to pair with Tormach’s ZA6 industrial robot arm for light machine tending capabilities.
Tormach’s new 1500MX is a 3-axis, servo-driven mill on linear rails with an epoxy granite frame. The company said its 1500MX combines professional-grade capabilities with easy-to-use compact versatility, making it ideal for both commercial enterprises and garage-based enthusiasts.
“For the past 20 years, Tormach has helped our customers make things by offering capable yet affordable CNC machines and accessories, best-in-class control software, and great technical support,” said Daniel Rogge, CEO of Tormach. “Our community asked, and we listened, and the new 1500MX mill represents a huge leap forward for Tormach by delivering the higher performance, power, responsiveness, and technology professionals demand.”
The Tormach 1500MX CNC mill is now available for purchase.
Cutting feed rates of up to 1200 inches per minute
The 1500MX offers features designed to enhance machining efficiency and precision. Crafted with an epoxy granite frame made in the U.S. by Tormach employee-owners, the mill boasts ten times the damping of cast iron, which Tormach said ensures chatter-free cuts, superior surface finishes, and 30% longer tool life.
Equipped with a 4HP, 10,000 RPM BT30 spindle with a maximum of 6HP, the 1500MX delivers enough torque for cutting through various materials and offers enough spindle speed to take advantage of modern carbide tooling. Additionally, every 1500MX is thru-spindle coolant (TSC) ready, facilitating seamless integration of TSC for enhanced drilling efficiency, smoother finishes, part consistency, and extended tool life, Tormach said.
Featuring servo motors with absolute encoders with 23-bit accuracy and battery backup, the company said this CNC mill eliminates the need for machine referencing, ensuring uninterrupted precision even between power cycles. Cutting feed rates of up to 1200 inches per minute (XY) reduce cycle times and take advantage of adaptive tool paths.
“We are most excited about the speed, power, and automation the 1500MX brings to both our prototyping and production abilities,” said beta test customer Keegan Karl, vice president of DarkAero Inc., a high-performance composite aircraft manufacturer. “It is exciting to see how quickly it can create the parts we designed, and it feels powerful to simply send the program to the machine, press start, and watch it produce what we need autonomously.”
Open source control software and accessories add flexibility
Other features include a built-in camera for real-time monitoring, error message logs for troubleshooting, and tool rack options for enhanced organization. Additionally, Tormach allows users to add accessories over time so the machine can grow with their business. Upgrade options include a 16-tool capacity umbrella style automatic tool changer, a fourth axis harmonic gear reducer, a TSC kit, a washdown bar kit, a wireless probe and tool setter, a mist collector, and a chip conveyor system with lift.
“The tool changer with the BT30 high-quality spindle is a huge time saver,” said beta test customer Larry Britzman, owner of Britzman Enterprises LLC. “We have already seen cycle times shorten, and combined with the rapids, it has shaved significant time off parts. The extra coolant flushing of the chips has also saved us hours of cleanup, and our employees have noted how nice it is not to have to re-reference and touch tools and datum points off each morning, which saves even more time during the day.”
As with all Tormach machines, the 1500MX operates on the company’s free and open-source PathPilot motion control software, offering users unlimited access to advanced machining functionalities without software lockouts, Tormach said.
“We’ve introduced some exciting updates to PathPilot that include the addition of tool wear compensation and enhancements to the trajectory planner to incorporate machine smoothing.” said Rogge.
Additionally, Tormach has incorporated free features into the 1500MX, such as software updates for life, 80GB memory, TSC-ready capability, spindle orientation, rigid tapping, coordinated rotation, conversational programming, and a TSC-ready spindle.
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