Onsrud IMS 510

In a standard CNC router, a single spindle (or a few) are mounted on the gantry and move across the table to reach different areas of the workpiece. In the Onsrud IMS inverted multi-spindle configuration, multiple spindles are mounted at fixed positions on the overhead bridge (inverted, pointing down) while the table moves under them in the X direction. This allows: (1) Simultaneous operation of multiple spindles on different parts of the same large workpiece; (2) Multiple separate parts processed simultaneously (each under a different spindle); (3) Different tool operations at each spindle (one spindle routing while another drills). The inverted configuration is optimized for production processing of multiple identical parts simultaneously.

The IMS 510 routes: fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP/GRP) - boat hulls, marine panels, automotive components; carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) - aerospace panels, motorsport components, sporting goods; Kevlar/aramid composite panels - protective panels, specialty industrial parts; honeycomb sandwich panels (aluminum or Nomex core + composite faces) - aircraft interior panels, cargo floor panels; phenolic composite panels - industrial equipment panels, industrial signs; and HDPE/acrylic/PVC plastic sheet for sign and display components. For abrasive composite routing, Onsrud recommends PCD (polycrystalline diamond) tooling for maximum tool life on abrasive materials. Dust extraction is essential for composite routing - silica and carbon fiber dust are hazardous. Onsrud's vacuum dust collection integration reduces airborne dust.

For nested-based cabinet production (processing full sheets of cabinet sides, shelves, and backs): Single-spindle IMS 510 at 60 m/min feed: processes one 4 x 8 ft sheet in approximately 4-6 minutes including tool changes = 10-15 sheets/hour. Two-spindle IMS 510: simultaneously processes 2 sheets in the same 4-6 minutes = 20-30 sheets/hour. Four-spindle configuration: 40-60 sheets/hour. The multi-spindle advantage is most pronounced on simple panel routing with consistent programming - each additional spindle adds approximately linear throughput increase for identical parts. For complex mixed parts, spindle independence enables running different programs on each spindle for different part families simultaneously.

The IMS 510 vacuum table requires an external vacuum pump sized for the table area and material porosity. For full 5,000 x 3,100 mm table area: pump capacity 500-800 m3/hour at 0.8 bar vacuum is typical for solid sheet material (MDF, particleboard). For porous materials (plywood, solid wood with surface holes), higher capacity (1,000-1,500 m3/hour) is needed to maintain hold-down pressure. Vacuum zones are programmable - only zones under active workpieces pull vacuum, conserving pump capacity. For composite materials with irregular surfaces: additional spoilboard contouring and localized vacuum pods may be required for reliable hold-down. Onsrud provides vacuum system sizing guidelines based on material type and sheet size.

The IMS 510 uses standard G-code CNC programs generated by CAD/CAM software with appropriate post-processors. Compatible CAM systems: Mastercam Router, Alphacam, EnRoute, Cabinet Vision (for furniture), and any CAM software with Fanuc or Siemens post-processor capability. For furniture nested-based production, Cabinet Vision or Mozaik generates complete sheet programs with all parts nested and all operations assigned. For composite and industrial routing, Mastercam or Alphacam with full 2D/3D toolpath capability. The multi-spindle control requires programs structured for parallel spindle operation - the post-processor handles the spindle assignment based on zone programming. Onsrud provides post-processor files and programming training during machine commissioning.