What is an Escomatic Machine?

In the 1940’s, Willy Rosetti, a Swiss parts maker, had a problem with a burr on a watch part he was trying to produce.  Conventional radial-fed cut-off tools that he was using generated the burr that needed to be filed off.  Willy came up with a new turning concept that we now know as Esco, that turned into the Escomatic machine tool line. 

An escomatic machine is a Swiss screw machine with a tool head that rotates around the material.  Unlike conventional lathes, the material (coil stock or bar) in escomatic lathes does not rotate.  The Esco concept turns turning 180 degrees.  The cutting tools are mounted onto the tool head which rotates around the material to produce components and remove the metal.  As the head spins, two – four cutters feed into the stationary material creating the designed part. 

The machine’s cutters are operated by cams or CNC servomotors.  Maximum head rotational speeds run from 8,000 rpm to 12,000 rpm depending on the machine model.  The toolholders pivot into the stock through an arc rather than a straight radical feed motion to help overcome the centrifugal force generated at these high speeds.  The cutters are set very close to the stock and also reduces non-cutting time. 

A rotating straightener is usually found on an Esco machine.  For material up to 6 millimeters in diameter, it is necessary to straighten the incoming coil before it is fed into the rollers and guide bushing.  It revolves around the stock, cambering and straightening the wire by a using a combination of three movements applied to the stock.  After machining is complete, a counter collet supports the machined parts to be cut off.  Supporting the machined part during this step produces a flat clean end, eliminating the pip (unwanted material created by conventional cut-off processes). 

Features and benefits of escomatic production:

  • – Machines simple to moderately complex parts and parts with very high production
  • – The machine has fast cycles and short machining times with high precision
  • – Machines handle material from .012” up to .250” diameter to save material cost
  • – There are fewer machine stops, by using material from coil and reduces labor costs
  • – 24 hour production
  • – Low maintenance costs

At Sheldon Precision, we utilize a combination of of CNC and cam driven Swiss Screw machines including Escomatic Machines.  Click here to request a custom quote https://sheldonprecision.com/request-a-quote/

Article adapted from: https://www.productionmachining.com/articles/a-different-way-to-turn