Built for the Application: A Custom 4-Axis Solution for the Firearms Industry

Every machining application comes with its own set of challenges.

Part geometry, material, workholding requirements, and production goals all influence the final solution.

One of our latest builds is headed to a customer in the firearms industry, where it will be installed on a DN Solutions America vertical machining center. The system combines a Koma Precision RWA-250R rotary table with a custom workholding package designed specifically for holding Picatinny rails.

Building Around the Part

For this application, the customer needed a workholding solution capable of securely locating Picatinny rails while maintaining the repeatability required for production machining.

To accomplish that, the system features SCHUNK vises equipped with custom-machined jaws designed specifically for the part geometry. Rather than adapting a standard solution, the jaws were engineered to provide secure clamping while maintaining access to the features being machined.

Designing the workholding around the part helps reduce setup variation, improve consistency, and create a more reliable manufacturing process.

Precision Through Every Rotation

At the center of the setup is a KOMA RWA-250R rotary table, used to index the part accurately from one position to the next throughout the machining cycle.

Instead of pulling the part out of the fixture and resetting it for each side, the rotary keeps the workpiece located and lets the machine bring each feature into position. That means fewer setups, better access for the cutter, and more consistent results from part to part.

For manufacturers looking to improve throughput while maintaining accuracy, a properly integrated 4-axis system can make a significant difference.

Built for Rigidity

When machining parts that require aggressive cutting or high positional accuracy, rigidity becomes just as important as positioning.

This build incorporates our TS1200 braking system to provide additional holding torque during machining. Working alongside the rotary table's internal brake, the TS1200 helps maintain axis position under load, improving stability and machining confidence throughout the cycle.

A Complete System

Every component in this build was selected to work together.

The machine tool, rotary table, workholding, and braking system aren't individual products. They're part of a complete manufacturing solution designed around one customer's application.

That's how we approach every project at Martin Trunnion Tables.

Whether it's a custom fixture, a trunnion system, or a complete turnkey solution, our focus is always the same: understanding the customer's process and building a system that helps them produce parts more efficiently, more consistently, and with greater confidence.

If you're planning a new 4-axis application or looking to improve an existing process, we'd be happy to help you find the right solution.