By adopting off-line programming software for CNC automatics, a small precision turned parts maker has cut programming times for new jobs from around 1.5h to 10-15 minutes each.

Ronco Engineering, facing a surge in business for its small precision turned parts has just added a Citizen C16 CNC sliding head automatic lathe from NC Engineering of Watford, UK, to its existing fleet of two Citizen L20 and one L32 machines. By adopting Citizen's specially developed off-line programming software, Alkartpro, Ronco has gained a massive leap in productivity cutting programming times for new jobs from around 1.5h to between 10 and 15 min each. Production director Paul Cottrell explains how in recent months the company has seen a significant increase in volumes against existing orders: 'We have three existing citizen machines and their accuracy and repeatability has proven to be second to none.

For this reason we did not look anywhere else when placing the order for the C16.' Based at Stanley in County Durham, UK, 23-employee Ronco Engineering supplies precision components to industries including off-road, electronics and oil and gas.

Its biggest customer is the Articulated Trucks Division at Caterpillar, where Ronco was the first company approved to Caterpillar's Certified Supplier status.

Since its installation in May 2005, the Citizen C16, along with the other Citizen sliding head autos, was immediately engaged on one particular family of components that form a solenoid assembly as part of safety critical braking systems.

Ronco produce 40 different stainless steel parts in the contract in batches ranging from 500 up to 20,000 and when introducing the components to the Citizen machines, NC Engineering's Alkartpro offline programming software, based on its operator friendly Windows based machine tool control, made an immediate significant difference.

Maintained Cottrell: 'Alkartpro has been a revelation, by increasing our programming output and accuracy.

What used to take 1.5 hours can now be done in just 10-15 minutes and on this family of 40 solenoid components alone, it equates to a saving in excess of 50 man-hours.' Alkartpro can be applied to the best selling Windows-based machining sequences on the C, L and M ranges of Citizen machines.

Based on five material groups, with relevant speeds and feeds generated from its customisable tool library, programming is based on a 'picking list' of machining cycles such as turning, grooving, drilling and milling.

Important for Citizen users is that incorporated within the cycle generation are operational functions and cycle elements such as sub-spindles, workpiece-unloading, C-axes and even long-part machining.

'In use, it becomes a simple matter of adding finish sizes to a schematic diagram that is automatically created for the part as the required operations are input,' informed Cottrell.

'When first deciding to invest in sliding head technology we selected Citizen because it offered the best price per part produced to specification ratio,' said Cottrell.

'This has turned out for us to be a very wise move.

The ease of use and consistency of the machines in production has proven to be so important.

Also, whenever we need backup from NC Engineering it could not be a better support service.

It all means we now run the Citizens round-the-clock, six days a week, without any concerns whatsoever.

It is certainly helping maintain our credibility with important customers.' NC Engineering has its own software/system specialist Tom Purnell who, armed with a physics degree and MSc in Information Technology, works with NC's sales and applications team, customers in the UK, as well as Citizen specialists in Japan and the European headquarters in Germany.

As Geoff Bryant managing director of NC Engineering explained: 'UK customers have invested a lot in the Citizen product and if we can help to gain more return on the investment, it is to everyone's benefit.

There are plenty of companies that can provide specialist services - but they do not understand the background to problems and the way our customers think.

Other countries such as Japan, the US and even Germany, have totally different needs which is especially so at shopfloor level.' On-going development of the Alkartpro off-line programming system is currently underway between NC Engineering and Japan, where the UK agent is providing a technical consultancy to the Citizen development team.

This, according to Bryant, is an important credential for his company because it is enabling contributions based upon UK customers' experiences and needs, to be worked into the software.

At the heart of Alkartpro is its ability to automatically arrange the finished machining program in order to minimise the cycle time.

Should the programmer want to change to a different set of toolholders, for instance, or output the program for different Citizen models, Alkartpro instantly updates the process to compensate for the request.

With the ability of the 14-axis, 80 tool capacity M-Series Citizen lathes, in particular, to machine with three tools simultaneously, the software will automatically re-arrange the machining process and even determine the best use and optimise elements such as peck cycles when drilling.

And, prior to CNC code output, the system graphically presents the programmed sequences in a simple bar chart format, enabling the user to target the longest elements to see if further cycle improvement can be made.

NC Engineering's CNC program Editor, is a prime example of providing a shopfloor based solution with a simple visual representation using split screen editing that avoids the confusion and normal inconvenient process of having to scroll up and down a single screen list presentation.

According to Purnell, this is a major advantage when up to three tools are engaged on a part at any one time.

The user can read across the columns of program on a single screen and copy text between the multiple programs that are open.

Also, when using synchronised spindles, which require special codes, as these are set side by side, it is easy to check the various elements to confirm the synchronisation.

'In this respect conventional off-line programming layout is not 'operator friendly,' he maintained.

Central to NC Engineering's CNC Editor is the incorporation of a low cost DNC for program transfer with built-in communications templates for Citizen machines.

It can also be used on other types or makes of machine tool if the communication settings are available.

Also included is a queuing code and co-ordinate system setting (G-5O) validation, which significantly relieves the tedium and de-bugging time on the machine.

The editor will also support wireless LAN drag and drop program transfer.

When it comes to on-line customer support, by using a modem or the Internet, any Citizen Windows-based machine that is installed can be operated or controlled remotely through every operational or functional cycle by NC Engineering staff with the exception of 'cycle start'.

With customer agreement, programs can be transferred and process parameters changed, which can often save an on-site visit.

According to Bryant, most of the latest machines now have this capability and through Broadband Internet, is very rapid to execute.

This enables the normal high levels of productivity and machine utilisation to be maintained in the event of problems.

For new users in particular, this is a bonus which quickly builds a high level of confidence by hand-holding allowing programs to be communicated between Watford and the customer for advice and problem solving.

So far NC Engineering has either been totally responsible for or has been a major contributor to a wide range of additional high tech services such as Alkartpro as well as a low-cost CNC Program Editor.