The Shark is a high speed, fixed bed moving column machining centre. The ram can be fitted with a number of head attachments - high speed, high torque or 5-axis. The table, up to 5.5M in length, is available with a rotary turning table or a central partition for pendulum milling. The machine bed has been designed with a modular structure and is made in electro-welded steel, of ample size and strongly ribbed. The frame is stabilized through a special treatment to maintain maximum stability. On the top of the bed, two linear roller guideways are positioned at 800mm distance part. Their preloaded roller bearing pads, with a low centre of gravity, are fixed to the column base. The machine bed is anchored to the floor through special levelling pads and anchor bolts. The column is very impressive as the frame is made in electro-welded steel of ample size and strongly ribbed in order to guarantee the highest rigidity whilst roughing. After the welding and transforming processes, it is stabilised through a double stress-release treatment. The structure is completely symmetrical and guarantees constant behaviour independently of heat and stresses created during machining. The column, consisting of a monolithic box-type structure with a base 1100 mm wide and 850mm deep, guarantees high rigidity and a uniform distribution of loads and stresses created during machining, even at the high acceleration. It is directly bolted to 8 roller pads on 2 bed guide-ways, guaranteeing extremely high rigidity. Thermal compensation for heat expansion is provided. A CNC automatic system equipped with heat sensors measures and checks the temperatures of those parts that are subject to heat expansion or exposed to heat, relative to the environmental temperature. Expansions are compensated for electronically so that the highest accuracy under all working conditions can be attained.