UK sub-contract precision turned parts maker looked at leading Swiss and Japanese CNC automatic lathes but it was ease of set-up and accessibility that determined a Swiss machine.

Like many UK sub-contract manufacturers of precision turned parts, Edmonton-based Turnomatic is steadily diversifying away from volume production. Formed 50 years ago to supply batch quantities of up to 1 million to the electrical plug and socket industry using coil-fed rotary transfer machines, the past five years have seen the company gradually move towards far lower batch sizes of more complex components produced using CNC sliding head technology from Tornos. The CNC aspect of Turnomatic's business has grown from zero to 45% in recent years; a fact that works manager Ray Reeve says would not be possible without the introduction of CNC sliding head lathes.

'We looked at all of the leading Swiss and Japanese models but in the end it was the ease of set-up and accessibility that convinced us to purchase Tornos,' he explained.

'Add that to their reputation and brand name and we knew we could not go far wrong.' Reeve said that having a large working envelope is crucial in order to achieve rapid changeover and set-up.

'On certain sliding head machines it is not always easy for an operator to get his hands in and set-up for the next job easily.

When handling batch sizes of around 100, quick changeover is vital to profitability.

Tornos was by far the best option for us in this respect.' In 2001 Turnomatic acquired its first Tornos CNC single spindle automatic sliding headstock lathe - a Deco 13a, 10-axis reconditioned model.

Such was the impression made by this machine that the company subsequently embarked on a period of intense investment, purchasing a further four Tornos machines in the following two years: two Deco 13bi models and two Deco 20/26 variants.

'Components that were produced on the rotary transfer machines we can now do in one-hit on the Tornos machines,' said Reeve.

'This has cut our set-up times dramatically, as well as our work-in-progress (production inventory) - we can just turn and ship the parts.' The Deco machines work daily producing a wide variety of parts from brass, steel, phosphor bronze and aluminium for industries such as the electrical, electronic, display and modelmaking sectors.

Overnight the machines are often set and left to run 'lights out', something Mr Reeve says he can do with confidence, safe in the knowledge the machines will hold tolerances of 0.02mm consistently.

He adds that costing a job when it is run unmanned has a huge effect on competitiveness.

Tornos also got praise from Reeve for its level of applications support.

'Even though programming is exceptionally straightforward on the Deco machines, when we have had highly complex parts and asked for applications advice, Tornos engineers have always been more than prepared to help,' he stated.

'I have often congratulated them on that side of their business.' Reeve concluded by emphasising the importance of investment in the latest technology.

'Investment is critical to remain competitive,' he said.

'I can honestly say that our five Tornos machines have helped attract around 50% of the new orders we have secured in recent years.'