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The needs of an ever more demanding market that requires large machines with high precision machining performance levels are difficult to achieve unless the rigidity of the foundations are considered a structural part of the machine. This, together with the lack of standard methods capable of providing customers with technically proven foundation-related recommendations led INVEMA to embark on the ZIMENTEK project two years ago.

In the case of large machines, the base plate is an element of vast intrinsic flexibility that often implies unwanted distortions unless the foundations are sound. Furthermore, the use of large machines usually implies the machining of heavy parts and the existence of large mobile elements that, when accelerating and decelerating, place the bedplate-foundations-ground assembly under conditions of stress that may lead to distortions that exceed acceptable levels.

Consequently, the key objective of the project is to help Machine-Tool manufacturers to define and establish the dimensions of the foundation slabs for the machines they will be shipping to their customers, contributing to saving costs without reducing the rigidity of the machine and without affecting its performance. This will guarantee the robustness of large machines, reduce installation costs and guarantee the correct levelling of the machine.

The work group comprising representatives from Etxe-tar, Ibarmia, Juaristi, Fagor Arrasate, MTorres, Nicolás Correa, Soraluce and Zayer is in charge of defining the requirements and specifications and of validating any progress. INVEMA has also been assisted by the technology centre, TEKNIKER, which has developed the computer application that will help users establish the dimensions of the foundations required.