1560 Vertical Machining Center: The Long-Table Option in the BONANZA BT40 Range
Most BT40 vertical machining centers stop at a 1200 mm or 1300 mm table. The 1560 vertical machining center from BONANZA is built around a 2200 × 600 mm table, 1500 mm of X travel and a 1500 kg load rating. For long parts — rail sections, base plates, extrusion dies, long weldments — that extra table length is usually the difference between one setup and two.
Here is the spec sheet, then a look at what the numbers mean on the shop floor.
1560 Specifications at a Glance
| Parameter | 1560 |
|---|---|
| Table size | 2200 × 600 mm |
| Max. worktable load | 1500 kg |
| T-slot | 5-18-100 mm |
| Spindle taper hole | BT40-150 |
| X-axis travel | 1500 mm |
| Y-axis travel | 650 mm |
| Z-axis travel | 650 mm |
| Rapid traverse X / Y | 24 m/min |
| Rapid traverse Z | 18 m/min |
Why the 2200 mm Table Changes Your Setup
Table length is the spec that decides how many operations you can stack into one cycle. At 2200 mm, the 1560 takes three 600 mm vises in a row, or two vises plus a fixture plate, without crowding the edges. Parts that were previously run as two programs on a shorter machine can be mounted once, machined end to end, and taken off finished.
That matters most for prismatic work with a length-to-width ratio that fights the envelope. A 1500 mm rail or extrusion profile on a 1200 mm table has to be repositioned mid-job, which usually means re-datuming and accepting a seam where the two setups meet. On the 1560 the same part fits inside one X stroke, so the seam disappears and the tolerance stack gets shorter.
The T-slot is 5-18-100 mm, the standard 18 mm pattern that takes common clamps, vises and fixture keys.
1500 mm of X Travel on a BT40 Spindle
X travel is 1500 mm against a 2200 mm table, which leaves generous clamping room at both ends of the stroke. Push the table to either limit and you still have material under the spindle to hold. That is what makes a long-table machine usable rather than merely large: the travel and the table are sized to work together, not one ahead of the other.
Y and Z are both 650 mm. Y clears a 600 mm part plus fixture height, and Z covers the tool and holder stack for a BT40 spindle. Rapids are 24 m/min on X and Y, 18 m/min on Z — quick enough to keep non-cutting time out of the cycle, and the X axis is where that speed pays off, because long-travel positioning eats time on every tool change.
The spindle is a BT40-150. That is the standard 40 taper with a 150 mm nose diameter, and it is a sensible match for the envelope. A BT40 tool change is fast and the tooling catalogue is deep and cheap, which keeps consumable cost down on a machine that is likely to run long jobs with a lot of tools.
A 1500 kg Load Rating Is Not Decoration
The 1560 is rated to carry 1500 kg on the table. Between three vises and their workholding, or a dedicated tombstone-style fixture loaded with several parts, that headroom fills up faster than people expect. A machine that is structurally loaded correctly cuts squarely; one that is overloaded on a long table deflects and shows it in flatness and parallelism.
Fixture mass counts toward the rating, not just part mass. Add plates, angles and clamps to the total before you promise a cycle time.
Where the 1560 Sits in the BONANZA VMC Line
BONANZA builds the vertical machining centers series across a wide spread of envelopes, with each model aimed at a different part shape:
- 650 is the compact, fast end: 32/32/24 m/min rapids, a BT40-8000 rpm spindle and a 16-station disc ATC for small parts run at high feed rates.
- 855 and 1160 cover the mid range with an 8000 rpm BT40 spindle and a 24-tool disc ATC, sized for general die/mold and automotive work.
- 1265 moves to a 1200 × 600 mm table, 800 kg load and 1200/650/650 mm travels, sharing the 24/24/18 m/min rapids with the 1560.
- 1370D steps up to a 1400 × 700 mm table, 1300/700/750 mm travels and a BT40-150 spindle rated 8000 rpm, at roughly 9000 kg.
- 1560 takes the BT40 range to its longest table and X stroke: 2200 × 600 mm, 1500/650/650 mm and a 1500 kg load rating.
- L1690 crosses into the BT50 class: 1600 × 800 mm table, 1500 kg load and 1600/900/700 mm travels.
- 1690 and 1890 sit at the top, the 1690 using a BT50-190 short-nose spindle on a 1.64 m span bed with a 15 kW low-speed high-torque motor for a stated 50% gain in cutting torque.
The practical line is this: if your parts are long but stay within the BT40 tooling class, the 1560 is the one to look at first. If they are long and heavy, or need the rigidity of a 50 taper, the L1690 or 1690 is the honest answer.
What the Datasheet Does Not Say
BONANZA publishes the core geometry for the 1560 — table, travels, load rating, taper and rapids. Several parameters that matter for tooling and cycle-time planning are not listed on the product page, and you should confirm them in writing before quoting:
- Spindle speed range in rpm, and spindle motor power and torque curve.
- Automatic tool changer capacity and type.
- Positioning and repeat positioning accuracy, and the standard the machine is inspected to.
- Guideway type (linear rail or box way) and their sizes.
- Machine dimensions and net weight, which drive shipping, rigging and floor planning.
- Controller model and the list of standard versus optional equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long a part can the 1560 machine in one setup?
X travel is 1500 mm, so a part can be machined across that stroke without repositioning, provided the tool path stays within it. For work that must be held at both ends, the 2200 mm table leaves enough length for clamps or a fixture outside the cutting zone. Confirm the specific part with BONANZA, because workholding can reduce usable travel.
Is a BT40 spindle enough for the 1560?
For the long, prismatic parts this table length suits, yes. BT40-150 tooling is widely available, changes fast and costs less than a 50 taper. If your parts are long and also demand heavy roughing in hard material, the BT50-190 machines in the same series are the better match.
What workholding should I plan for a 2200 mm table?
Three 600 mm vises, or two vises plus a sub-plate, is a common arrangement, and the 18 mm T-slot takes standard clamps. Keep the total mass of vises, plates and parts within the 1500 kg load rating.
Get a Straight Answer for Your Parts
Datasheets settle the easy questions. The real one is whether the 1560 fits the parts you actually cut, and that is a conversation, not a table of numbers. Send BONANZA your drawings or a list of typical jobs and get a direct recommendation — whether the 1560 vertical machining center is the right machine, or whether a L1690 or a shorter-travel 1265 makes more sense for your work. Browse the full vertical machining center collection or contact the BONANZA team through the website.