VR-8 This five-axis vertical milling center from Haas Automation has a gimbal head and is a good choice for machining larger workpieces. It is available at a starting price of $279,995.
What’s new? A slate of upgrades. This re-engineered version of Haas’ original VR-8 offers a faster spindle and much larger travels on the articulating head than the original design. It can be ordered now with delivery beginning in the third quarter. New versions of the larger VR-9 and VR-11 are also in the works.
Benefits Versatility. With its gimbal head design, both rotary axes are mounted on the Z axis. This allows the VR-8 to handle workpieces that are too large for traditional rotary tables and trunnions. Its upgraded spindle is more powerful, so the VR-8 can remove material from workpieces more quickly.
Haas Automation Inc., Oxnard, Calif., 805-278-1800, www.haascnc.com
| Vital statistics | |
| X, Y, Z axes (inches) | 64, 40, 38 |
| Table length, width (inches) | 64, 36 |
| Maximum spindle speed | 20,000 rpm |
