1. What is a Midaco pallet changer?
A Midaco pallet changer is a system that allows you to quickly exchange parts or fixtures on your CNC machine. This reduces setup and idle time, keeping your spindle cutting instead of waiting for operators to load and unload parts directly on the machine table.
2. How does a pallet changer improve productivity?
By allowing operators to load, unload, and set up parts offline while the CNC machine is running, Midaco pallet changers drastically reduce downtime. This can result in up to 60–70% more spindle utilization, shorter lead times, and increased profitability.
3. What types of machines can Midaco pallet changers be used with?
Midaco pallet changers are compatible with:
- Vertical Machining Centers (VMCs)
- Bridge Mills, other large CNCs and Routers
- Laser marking and EDM
They can be integrated with new machines or retrofitted onto existing equipment. Call with your application.
4. What industries use Midaco pallet changers?
Midaco pallet changers are used in a variety of industries, including:
- Aerospace
- Automotive
- Medical device manufacturing
- Defense
- Job shops & contract machining
- Firearms
- Knife makers
- Outdoor Sport
- Boat, RV, Off-Road Vehicles
- OEM
5. What is the return on investment (ROI)?
Many customers report ROI within 3-9 months due to increased machine utilization, faster turnaround, and reduced labor costs.
6. Where can I get support or parts for my pallet changer?
Midaco offers full technical support, training, and readily available parts from our headquarters outside Chicago, IL USA.
7. How is a Midaco pallet changer powered?
Midaco Automatic Pallet Changers are powered by 220 3-phase 20-amp electrical supply and clean dry shop air. Manual Pallet Changers require only a clean, dry compressed air supply at 90–100 PSI for reliable operation.
8. How does the pallet locate and clamp onto the CNC machine table?
Each Midaco pallet is engineered for precision repeatability and secure clamping. Pallets are positioned using round bushings and hardened locating pins to ensure consistent alignment. Once seated, a draw plate clamping mechanism locks the pallet in place with ±0.0001" (±0.0025 mm) accuracy, ensuring consistent machining precision for high-tolerance parts and rigid setups.
9. What repeatability can I expect from a Midaco pallet changer?
Midaco pallet changers are guaranteed to deliver ultra-high accuracy with ±0.0001” (±0.0025 mm) repeatability. This level of precision makes them ideal for aerospace, medical device, automotive, defense, and high-precision mold/die machining, where tolerances are critical and downtime is costly.
10. Can I run multiple fixtures, vises, or tombstones on the same pallet?
Yes. Midaco pallets are built to accommodate custom workholding solutions, multiple vises, modular fixtures, and tombstones. This allows operators to load multiple jobs or part families onto a single pallet, maximizing spindle uptime and enabling high-mix, low-volume machining efficiency.
11. How is the pallet exchange process controlled?
Pallet exchange is controlled through the CNC machine’s M-code integration or by using the dedicated Midaco control panel. Operators can execute pallet swaps automatically in the CNC program via M-codes or manually at the push of a button. This seamless integration eliminates wasted spindle time, keeping production cycles consistent and efficient.
12. What is the maximum load capacity of a Midaco pallet changer?
Midaco pallet changers are available in a wide range of models, with load capacities from 250 lbs (113 kg) for compact VMCs up to 32,000 lbs (14,500 kg) for large-format CNC machines and bridge mills. This makes them suitable for everything from small precision parts to heavy-duty machining of large aerospace, defense, and automotive components.
13. What pallet size options are available?
Midaco offers pallet sizes ranging from 10” x 12” (250 mm x 300 mm) for smaller machining centers up to 190” x 72” (4826 mm x 1829 mm) for large bridge mills and heavy CNC applications. For added flexibility, systems can also be configured as Dual Shuttles (mounted on both sides of a VMC), shuttles for machines which do not move in Y-Axis or Automatic Rotary 4-Pallet Changers to maximize part capacity and workflow efficiency.
14. How fast is the pallet change cycle?
Pallet exchange times vary depending on system size, but most Midaco pallet changers complete the swap in 6–30 seconds, depending on the part weight on each pallet. This rapid exchange minimizes spindle downtime and maximizes machine utilization, especially in lean manufacturing and high-mix, low volume environments.
15. How is the pallet changer installed to the CNC machine?
Midaco pallet changers are designed for straightforward installation on both new and existing CNC machines. Automatic Pallet Changer Systems are side-mounted, while Manual Pallet Changer Systems are front-mounted. Installation involves leveling and anchoring the shuttle and, for automatic units, interfacing for CNC control integration. Most installations are completed in about a day and a half by Midaco technicians, with all necessary modifications handled on-site to ensure a smooth setup.
16. What is the air consumption requirement?
Air consumption depends on the model, but most Midaco pallet changers require 2–5 CFM at 90 PSI for standard operation. Maintaining a clean, dry compressed air supply is critical to ensure consistent clamping performance and long-term reliability.
17. Can Midaco pallet changers be used with rotary indexers and 4th-axis trunnions?
Yes. Pallets on Automatic Pallet Changers can be configured to support rotary indexers inside the machine by adding 4th-axis trunnions for multi-axis fixtures without needing cable management. This flexibility allows machinists to integrate pallet changing with multi-sided machining and complex part setups for maximum efficiency. Explore Midaco’s Trunnion System.
18. Can Midaco pallet changers be used with automated workholding and fixtures?
Yes. Midaco pallet changers are compatible with automated workholding fixtures and vises when equipped with the Midaco Hydraulic Docking System (HDS). The HDS automatically clamps and unclamps workholding before pallet exchanges, keeping fixtures pressurized, secure and charged while inside the machine, without needing cable management, making the Midaco HDS ideal for lights-out machining and high-volume automation. Explore Midaco’s Hydraulic Docking System.
19. Can I retrofit a Midaco pallet changer to an older CNC machine?
Yes. Midaco pallet changers can integrate with older CNC machining centers. These retrofits can be controlled via M-code signals or with a manual push-button interface, making them an affordable way to add automation to existing equipment. Midaco pallet changers eliminate the machining bottleneck of older VMCs.
20. What maintenance is required for a pallet changer?
Midaco pallet changers are engineered for low-maintenance operations. Recommended upkeep includes:
- Regularly checking cam followers and seals.
- General housekeeping to ensure pallets are not being pulled through piles of machining chips. Explore Midaco’s CNC Chip Washdown System.
- Routine preventive maintenance helps ensure decades of reliable, precise pallet exchange in demanding production environments.
Midaco CNC pallet changers boost machining efficiency by enabling fast, precise pallet swaps and high-repeatability workholding. Compatible with automated fixtures, hydraulic docking, rotary indexers, and 4th-axis setups, they maximize spindle utilization and reduce downtime for industries from aerospace to automotive. Ideal for new or retrofit CNC machines, Midaco pallet changers streamline workflow, improve ROI, and support lights-out, high-volume production.
For more information on MIDACO Pallet Changers
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