A new concept for components up to 36mm diameter transfers the well-proven technology of combined 'one-hit' front and backworking of bar components to fixed-head turning.

A new concept for components up to 36mm diameter and shown for the first time in the UK at MACH 2002, transfers the well-proven technology of combined 'one-hit' front and backworking of bar components to fixed-head turning. The new Traub TNK 36 has the ability to simultaneously machine with up to three tools, a technique widely used in CNC sliding head automatic lathes, but is available at a lower purchase cost. Available in the UK from Traub Heckert UK of Brackley, the up to 10-axis Traub TNK 36 can provide an ideal 'sister' machine to the Traub TNL sliding head range.

It uses the same Traub-TX 8i, 64-bit RISC processor based control and will accommodate common tooling.

However, purchase cost benefits are derived because the TNK does not require a guide bush assembly, can produce components from lower cost cold drawn bar instead of ground stock and requires a shorter bar end.

Developed in a modular format, the TNK 36 can be specified in four distinct versions.

A simple two-axis single spindle machine with seven tools, of which up to six can be driven, starts the range.

By adding an opposed headstock spindle and three-axis, including a Y-axis cross feed turret, one-hit machining of both ends of a component can be introduced.

More complex components can be produced with the addition of a 5-station front attachment and, with the full 10-axis version, a further five tool positions mounted alongside the opposed headstock, provide a highly comprehensive level of operational tool layout flexibility.

The 30 degree slant bed top of the range machine uses identical water-cooled 10.7kW main and opposed headstock spindles with 0.001 degrees C-axis positioning, a top speed of 6,300 revs/min and developing 32Nm of torque.

The all-driven 12 station turret can be specified with central or individual drive via a 5.5kW AC motor.

It can accommodate double (gang style) tool holders which increases tool capacity, while the + 20mm Y-axis travel and a 0.55 second chip to chip index time improves productivity.

Set on a common X-axis to the spindle, the front tool attachment will hold five tools in the opposed headstock spindle version of the machine.

However without this headstock the tool capacity can be increased to seven.

Two totally independent Z-axes power the opposed spindle headstock and front attachment which are mounted on a common slideway to allow overlapped machining using over or undertaking techniques to optimise cutting cycle efficiency.

The front attachment also has a 30 bar coolant feed to all machining positions coupled with a flushing wash for the opposed headstock spindle.

With the back-working station, five spindles of which four can be driven are provided with both X and Y-axis movements while the last spindle position can be fitted with a triple spindle live tool holder for cross machining.

Rapid traverse rates for the opposed headstock and front attachment are 30m/min and 15m/min for the turret and back working station.

With the Traub-TX 8i control and WinFlex IPS graphic-object contour based programming, machining sequence and tool synchronisation is simple to initiate.

CAD geometry can be downloaded and Traub's Polyform programming sequences for contouring combining X-Z and Y planes includes cutter radius compensation.

Colchester's top-selling Tornado slant bed CNC lathe is shown for the first time at a UK exhibition in its three-axis 'M' version with six driven tool positions.

Colchester's top-selling Tornado slant bed CNC lathe is shown for the first time at a UK exhibition in its three-axis 'M' version with six driven tool positions. The Tornado 220 M has full C-axis with disc brake positioning fitted to the spindle which ensures maximum productivity can be achieved when heavy duty cycles are demanded. The 220 M fills an important gap in the Tornado range and with the latest engineering design changes is available for the same price as the standard two-axis version of the outgoing, but highly successful Tornado 210 slant bed lathe.

It is available with 210mm or 254mm chuck size, 65mm bar capacity and in the growing in popularity for unmanned running, the Tornado 'Lights-out' package.

Central to 220 M performance is its patented 'Duo-Stable' construction provides a highly stable, true 60 degree slant bed turning platform.

The base foundation with its engineered polymer concrete fill, strategic reinforcement and integral cast iron bed, reflects an increase in machine weight of 50 per cent which is coupled with a 25 per cent improvement in damping.

Larger headstock and a stiffer, five-bearing spindle design, wider, lower and heavier slideways and improved thermal characteristics set the stability factor for high performance two and three-axis machining.

Use of the proprietary Sauter VDI 40 driven turret sets the credibility standard for the 220 M which has a 3.7kW tool drive through a Fanuc 1 Series motor with a torque rating of 9.55Nm, up to its 4,000 revs/min.

As standard, a Heidenhain linear scale is fitted to the X-axis to ensure high accuracy tool positioning in conjunction with the Fanuc 21iTB control and a 360,000 position integral Heidenhain encoder on the spindle giving a full C-axis capability.

Once a fixed C-axis position is determined, the high power disc brake on the spindle locks the programmed position to provide a rigid workholding datum for operation of the third-axis tooling.

Furthering the specification of the 220 M is the inclusion of a CAM package within the control software to help on-machine programming.

This can also be supplied as an off-line system option to support higher productivity requirements of customers wishing to minimise changeover times.

High speed lathes, as well as vertical and horizontal machining centres, to suit all tastes, will be exhibited.

C Dugard distribute Eagle Turning and Machining Centres throughout Europe and will be showing the range of Eagle CNC vertical machining Centres at MACH 2002. The range extends from the Mini-Mill, which has an 'X' axis of 510mm, through to the Kwik-Mill, Eagle 1000, 1300 and Eagle 1600. A full selection of Control Systems (including Fanuc, Siemens, Acramatic and Heidenhain) are on offer to suit the customers' specific requirements.

The Mini-Mill is priced at GBP 25,500.

The Eagle 1000 Vertical with the Fanuc control is priced at GBP 35,000.

Hyundai Machine Tools, will also be on view at the Dugard stand.

Hyundai Machine Tools manufacture a wide range of Machine Tools including: High Speed CNC Lathes, Vertical and horizontal machining centres together with High Speed Drilling and tapping Machines that are used extensively in Hyundai's own automotive manufacturing facilities.

Dugard will also be exhibiting the newly announced, Hi-Tech Package for vertical and horizontal machining centres from Quaser Machine Tools.

The package offers 350 Nm of torque and spindle acceleration of 0 to 15,000 rpm in 5 seconds.

The Quaser range comprises vertical machining centres with and without pallet changers, twin pallet horizontal machining centres and a range of travelling column vertical machining centres.

During MACH 2002, C Dugard will be offering information on the Olympic Seiki - a new range of super high-speed vertical turning and machining centres offering production times that are significantly faster than current machines can achieve - with up to 96m/min rapids - but costing less than GBP 50,000! This new range of machines are set to revolutionise the cost per part for many manufacturing processes and substantially increase productivity across a range of industries.

The efficiency of the Olympic Seiki lies in its patented innovative design and the new machine will undoubtedly offers unrivalled price/performance! Technical specifications will be announced .

A comprehensive range of value for money machine tools to the manufacturing industry will include a turning centre shown stripped of its guarding to demonstrate the build quality.

Supplying a comprehensive range of value for money machine tools to the manufacturing industry, XYZ Machine Tools will be showing a selection from its range of milling and turning machines and VMCs at MACH 2002. The Vulcan 250 turning centre will be shown stripped of its guarding to demonstrate the build quality of the machine. An example of the popular and proven ProtoTRAK mill, a ProtoTRAK Edge, a ProtoTRAK bedmill, a ProTURN lathe, Vulcan VMC and the new Vulcan Turning Centre all demonstrated under power, will be the focus of the stand.

The popular Fastap dedicated tapping machine will also be demonstrated under power.

Cost effective productivity is of paramount importance to the manufacturing industry.

For the majority of milling applications, the ProtoTRAK milling system from XYZ can increase productivity dramatically without incurring any significant training requirement for the operator.

Typically the entry level system, the 2 axis ProtoTRAK EDGE retrofit system, will at least double production.

The ProtoTRAK system has been designed for ease of use so even operators with no previous CNC experience can learn to use it in just a few hours.

It is available in two and three axis versions.

Canned cycles include profiling without need for any calculator or tables, circular, rectangular, triangular and irregular pockets, and bolt holes patterns.

Thread milling, rotate, repeat, and mirror functions can all be completed at the control.

The LOOK key shows the job graphically.

For more complex functions, such as 3D Surface geometry or mould tools, the control can easily connect to CAD/CAM.

The ProTURN lathe operates in a similar way to a conventional lathe, making transition easy and giving the operator the choice between manual and CNC operation according to the job.

In manual mode, the operator can teach a job to the control.

Easy to programme using normal engineering terminology, the system will automatically turn tapers and radii, and set limits on diameters and lengths.

Area clearance drilling and boring routines and threading - even customised threads - are easy and quick to complete.

Ensured constant surface speed ensures a good finish.

The 'Traking' programme allows the operator to check the programme in dry run mode traversing through the programme at the speed he would wind the handwheel to eliminate the possibility of any crashes, thus giving the operator improved confidence.

The Vulcan range of machining centres offers the user solid castings (5000-13500kg), 15-30HP motors, and rigid tapping.

Longer machine life, giving a better overall pay-back, is assured by the heavy cast carcass and the use of steel slides, which are resistant even to intermittent cutting forces and ensure rapid rates are achievable without loss of accuracy.

Oversize servo motors on all axes drives provide more than enough power for machining tasks so are never over-worked.

The Siemens Shopmill control makes programming quick and easy.

With simple English conversational programming, it is easy to produce the finished part from blueprint drawings with the minimum of operator key strokes.

The new range of Vulcan turning centres, launched by XYZ last October, is a competitively priced range, designed for profitable mass production, to complement the company's Proturn lathes.

From the proven Vulcan stable, all the Siemens controlled turning centres have a high build quality, and are capable of versatile, efficient machining which, for limited capital investment, will provide profitable production to the user.

For example, the automatic tool setting probe, standard on the machines, is capable of setting up to 12 tools in less than five minutes, significantly improving productivity and can be used for lights-out manufacturing to check for tool wear and breakage.

The Fast Tap, which can undertake vertical and horizontal tapping up to M24 in both aluminium and steel, is a simple pantographic arm carrying an air motor which will tap both blind and through holes.

A range of spindle speeds with varying torque outputs ensures that it is equally effective in hard and soft metals and also plastics.

Positioning of the tap relative to the hole is fast and simple.

Standard reach is 48in (1200mm), but can easily be extended up to 20in (500mm) if required.

Larger fabrications or plates can be tapped without re-positioning as the tap can be positioned anywhere within an 11ft circle (3400mm).

The machines being demonstrated at MACH are merely a representative sample from XYZ's comprehensive range of machines.

The company is able to equip any machine shop with a full range of value for money machine tools, including manual and CNC controlled turret and bed mills, vertical machining centres, manual and CNC controlled lathes, turning centres, surface grinders and band saws as well as a range of small machines and tooling.

Leipold (UK) uses eight Index 6-axis CNC lathes supplied by Geo Kingsbury.

Six year old Leipold (UK), Telford, a subsidiary of a German subcontract group having five plants worldwide, specialises in the production of prismatically machined components and precision turned parts from brass bar up to 42 mm diameter for the electrical and telecommunications industries. All turning is carried out on eight Index 6-axis CNC lathes supplied by Geo Kingsbury, the latest two installed during May and June this year (2000). The majority of contracts are for large batch and mass production quantities.

Minimum order is around 1,000-off whilst up to 200 million of one type of terminal clamp or block can be produced on Leipold's own special-purpose machines.

A run of 100,000 turned parts from any of the six Index ABC lathes is not unusual; whilst the two Index 'G200 Compact' turning machines equipped with short bar magazines constitute Leipold's 'Express Shop' and are devoted to shorter batch, rapid lead time orders.

Said general manager, Kai-Uwe Schwagerus, who came over from Germany in 1994 to set up the UK operation, 'The challenge in our business is to achieve consistency over very large volumes of parts.

A customer might build a number of our connectors into a manufactured item so any percentage error in the components we supply is magnified several fold in the end product.

'Another characteristic of our work is the high level of cleanliness needed when parts are dispatched, as many of them are subsequently plated with precious metals.' Index machines were chosen after trials on three shortlisted twin-spindle lathes demonstrated savings of up to 20 per cent in cycle times when turn-milling two typical, relatively complex components.

Another point in favour of the G200s was the 14 tool positions in each of the two turrets, more than on the other lathes investigated, allowing Leipold to hold a greater number of cutters within the machine and so minimise tool changes between jobs.

Live tooling in both turrets and full C-axis for both spindles were selected to provide considerable flexibility for prismatic machining, although the Y/B axis option on the top turret was not considered necessary.

Much use is made of polygon turning to minimise changeovers from round to square or hexagonal bar.

All components are machined in-cycle on the reverse end; less than 5 per cent require a second operation on another machine tool, helping to minimise handling and the consequent risk of damage.

General tolerance is 0.05 mm total; tightest is 0.02 mm, well within the compass of the Index machines.

Electronic data interchange between Leipold's UK and overseas factories is a regular occurrence, as each centre specialises in the manufacture of particular ranges of components for the whole of the Europen market.

Two locations produce the same components for resilience of supply.

The database in each country is available to every factory, enabling pooled experience including drawing and cutting data to be interrogated by everyone.

Drawings are produced in Germany for all factories although programming is carried out locally.

The Telford plant already operates 24 hours a day, six days a week.

Work for the two latest Index ABC machines had been pre-sold well before their installation.

More machines will therefore be purchased later in the year.

By that time, Leipold will have nearly trebled its shop floor space following a move to different premises in Telford; and the group will have merged with another subcontractor in Germany offering parallel products as well as stronger capability in sliding-headstock turning.

New from Index is the option to fit a four-axis CNC tool turret in addition to a standard two-axis turret on the German manufacturer's V300 vertical turning lathe (VTL), allowing the production of mor

New from Index is the option to fit a four-axis CNC tool turret in addition to a standard two-axis turret on the German manufacturer's V300 vertical turning lathe (VTL), allowing the production of more complex parts than hitherto. According to sole UK agent, Geo Kingsbury Machine Tools, the previous options were one or two standard turrets or alternatively a gang tool post. The X,Y,Z,B movements of the new turret enables angular surfaces and holes to be machined and it is even possible to gear hob using standard tools.

Both this and the standard turret are available with ten VDI/DIN 40 or twelve VDI/DIN 30 stations, all of which accept fixed or live tooling.

The 4,200 rpm / 20 kW (optionally 31 or 35.5 kW) inverted spindle moves in two axes.

This allows it to pick up a casting, forging or billet from a loading system, present it to the tooling for machining and then transfer the finished part to an unload station such as a conveyor.

Short travel distances and high rapid traverse rates in X and Z of 40 m/min and 30 m/min respectively reduce idle times significantly.

Turning diameter is 420 mm diameter although components up to 450 mm may be swung on the lathe.

Chuck size is up to 315 mm.

As with all Index VTLs, apart from mill-turning tools the machine may incorporate other equipment including an induction coil for hardening, gauges for in-process measurement, electro-welding equipment, assembly jigs, a high speed grinding spindle, multiheads and many other options.

The machines are equally applicable to large and small batch production and are well suited to integration in multiple machine lines and cells, for which Index has developed complementary automated workpiece storage and handling systems.

Two new bar magazines capable of increasing the productivity of an automatic turning machine by typically 10 percent have been introduced to Britain and Ireland by A and S Precision.

Two new bar magazines capable of increasing the productivity of an automatic turning machine by typically 10 percent, but conceivably by as much as a third depending on the application, has been introduced to Britain and Ireland by A and S Precision under its agency agreement with the German manufacturer, FMB. Called Turbo 5 - 42XT and 40 - 100XT, they have been added either side of the pre-existing 10 - 65 XT to provide a full range of magazines for feeding bar up to 100 mm diameter to a linear accuracy of ñ 0.02 mm. This is in stark contrast to most bar magazines whose feedout tolerance is of the order of ñ 1 mm.

Substantial savings in cycle times and hence manufacturing costs result from not having to feed forward to a stock stop or tool as with conventional equipment.

Moreover the use of stops is eliminated, freeing up a tooling station.

The accuracy of the magazines is not affected by the feed speed since the drive is delivered using a ballscrew rather than a chain drive.

The following is an actual example of savings which have been achieved.

A 60 mm long steel mandrel turned from 38 mm diameter bar, requiring boring, profile turning and threading but no driven tool work, was previously produced in a cycle time of 76 seconds when fed out to a stock stop.

The same component can be produced in 67 seconds when the lathe is fed by an FMB Turbo 10 - 65 XT, showing a productivity increase of 11.8 percent.

Cost saving was nearly 6.5 pence per piece part at the German factory which carried out the comparison, resulting in an annual saving of over £10,000 based on two-shift production.

If a component needs only a short machining cycle, feedout becomes a higher proportion of the overall throughput time and so the productivity increase is even greater.

Clearly the converse is also true.

The magazines incorporate an oil-filled channel in which the bar rotates and it is able to feed round, square or hexagonal stock, bright or black.

Bar within a wide diameter range can be accommodated within one size of channel, that range being increased if straight bar is used.

A particular feature of all FMB magazines is their extreme quietness, to the extent that it is often difficult to hear when they are operating.

Superior productivity, finish and precision are claimed for the Hakusui HTL Series of CNC slant bed lathes from Japan, available in the UK from Yuasa Warwick Machinery under a new agency agreement.
Superior productivity, finish and precision are claimed for the Hakusui HTL Series of CNC slant bed lathes from Japan, available in the UK from Yuasa Warwick Machinery under a new agency agreement. The machines' performance advantage is attributed to Hakusui's development of the Ecoreg ultra particulate coolant system. This mixes air, water and coolant into a pressurised mist which is delivered by a nozzle directly to the cutter / workpiece interface.

As a result, chips are quickly removed and heat generated by the cutting process is absorbed almost instantaneously, while the evaporated coolant mix is evacuated by a built-in mist extractor.

Using Ecoreg, tool life is improved even at elevated speeds and coolant consumption is maintained at low levels, simply because not very much is needed in the first place.

The technology is standard on Hakusui's range of three slant-bed lathes.

The machines follow contemporary 2-axis CNC lathe practice, using high rigidity rolling element linear bearings fitted to a high rigidity one piece bed casting to support the X and Z axes.

A belt-driven main spindle is fitted and the turret has either 12 or 10 tool stations.

There are three machines in the range, being the HTL-60, HTL-80 and HTL-100.

They are equipped with 150, 200 and 250 mm chucks respectively for maximum turning diameters of 240 mm, 320 mm and 400 mm.

Bar capacity is 45 mm, 52 mm or 77 mm and all are equipped with tailstocks facilitating maximum turning length of 340 mm, 530 mm and 710 mm according to model.

An HTL-60L variant equipped with an automatic loading system will soon be available.

Spindle speeds are steplessly variable in the range 50 to 5,000 rev/min for the 5.5 kW HTL-60, and 35 to 3,500 rev/min for the 15 kW HTL-100.

Whereas the HTL-60 has a flat 140 mm diameter spindle nose, the two larger machines have an A2-6 and A2-8 spindle nose respectively.

Maximum traverse speed on the HTL-60 is 24 m/min in X and 30 m/min in Z while the HTL-100 offers corresponding statistics of 18 m/min and 22 m/min.

Machining feed rates on all three machines are programmable at up to 1,260 mm in both X and Z.

To provide a higher quality service and take full advantage of unmanned machining, Carousel Precision Engineering has invested in a turnkey CNC turning package from Pollard Mori Seiki.

To provide a higher quality service and take full advantage of unmanned machining, Carousel Precision Engineering, based in Holme-on-Spalding-Moor in York, has invested in a turnkey CNC turning package from Pollard Mori Seiki. A Pollard Mori Seiki SL-203S CNC lathe, served by a 2.5 tonne capacity 4m bar feeder and a bar puller, gives managing director Stephen McCracken the flexibility to machine billet or bar and automatically unload short or long components. Short run batchwork jobs are set up and machined during the daytime hours, then Stephen McCracken sets up the SL-203S to machine long production runs during the night.

Leaning on his design engineering background, he has set up his own telecommunications link with the SL-203S's diagnostics system, so that should a problem occur during unmanned running, the machine will telephone him at home for attention.

Stephen McCracken set up Carousel Precision Engineering in 1995, based on using a Taiwanese CNC two-axis CNC lathe and one vertical machining centre.

Facilities include drilling, grinding, finishing and welding.

Much of the turning work had to be completed in two or three set-ups and often, jobs like chamfering and end facing had to be set up separately.

Customer requests for reduced piece-part costs and higher quality, particularly from hydraulics equipment makers, stimulated Stephen McCracken to seek a top quality, high precision CNC lathe with a back-end turning sub-spindle.

He also wanted a machine that could turn long shaft-like components as well as short ones, and perform chucking work on billets too.

Another requirement was for a cell capable of running for long periods unmanned, and be able to automatically off-load long shafts as well as catch shorter work.

While considering a number of offers, Stephen McCracken was attracted to the Pollard Mori Seiki SL-203S CNC lathe which would fulfil his requirements for a machine capable of turning long shafts as well as short bar work.

Another important consideration was the machine specification and build quality as Carousel Precision Engineering anticipated machining highly accurate components.

The rigidity and vibration-damping characteristics of the SL-203S's structure was also attractive, as Carousel Precision Engineering anticipated machining highly accurate components for the hydraulic pump and valve industry as well as tough stainless steel and non-ferrous alloys - such as titanium threaded rings and 'O' seals.

'It was no small decision to make, to purchase a turning cell for a sum not far short of the company's turnover at the time.' Said Stephen McCracken.

That is where Pollard Mori Seiki stepped in, putting him in touch with local financiers willing to support the project.

Initially the cell was set up at Fredk Pollard's factory in Leicester.

The latest, precision, IEMCA Master 880rF bar feeder and an LNS bar puller/unloader were married to a Mori Seiki SL-203S CNC lathe.

As well as a 12-station turret, the lathe is equipped with a sub-spindle.

The LNS bar puller/unloader can draw turned shafts up to 33mm diameter and 850mm in length through the bore of the sub spindle.

The IEMCA Master 880rF bar feeder can take any diameter and profile section of bar from 5mm to 65mm diameter.

Total capacity is 2.5tonnes - reckoned by Stephen McCracken - to be the largest available for the SL-203S.

The SL-203S also has a maximum turning diameter of 390mm and a 510mm diameter swing over the cross-slide.

'Working as a sub-contractor, one never knows what is going to come through the door, that is why I wanted a machine capable of handling shaft-type work,' said Stephen McCracken.

One of the regular jobs is machining hydraulic cylinder tie-rods, ranging from 450 to 740mm long and machined from 16mm or 19mm diameter bar.

Material is EN1A.

After turning the tiebar outside diameter (OD) and threading the end, the sub-spindle is engaged, having carried out a 'handshake' with the main spindle.

It supports the bar during the parting-off and end-chamfering operation.

A second 'handshake' with the LNS bar puller and the sub spindle causes the completed tie-bar to be pulled through and off-loaded.

'This job used to require two set-ups.

The customer has already noted a quality improvement,' said Stephen McCracken.

'I no longer have to carry out two or three set-ups.

Most of the jobs are now done in one set-up.' Another example is a tooling head for a bar twisting machine.

The 'dumb-bell'-shaped head required two set-ups and around 8 minutes machining time to turn two large diameters of 65mm and a small diameter of 28mm, the latter dimension having to be held to +/-2micron.

This job is machined from 4m, 65mm diameter bar one set-up in the SL-203S in 2.5 min.

The tooling head is first faced and turned in the main spindle, picked up by the sub-spindle, parted-off, and then turned, faced and drilled.

When finished, the parts catcher picks it up.

Before, billets were sawn from 30mm bar, and then machined in two set-ups in the older CNC lathe.

The range of work produced in the SL-203S CNC lathe includes brass, non-ferrous and stainless steel alloys.

One of the toughest jobs carried out so far are titanium sealing rings.

'I chose the SL-203S because of its ability to hold tight tolerances, consistently, during long periods of unmanned machining.

Surface quality is also very important to me,' said Stephen McCracken.

'I did consider other makes, but an important factor is the high resale value the Mori Seiki CNC lathes command.

I expect to get some nine years' useful life from the machine, which compares well with four years of cheaper makes.

The machine's higher residual value certainly made it easier to get the financial support to purchase it.

The SL-203S will also be contributing to the companies own product line.

The impact of the SL-203S on turning steam generation and control gear components is such that Carousel Precision Engineering will be able to offer one-quarter-scale live steam, passenger-hauling traction engines at attractive prices and a one-month factory lead-time.

'As far as my customers are concerned, I am making a statement,' emphasised Steven McCracken.

'I have bought a good quality machine, capable of running unmanned, consistently and reliably, and it is attracting new work for me.' The Mori Seiki SL-203 has a standard turning diameter of 210mm, swing over cross-slide of 510mm diameter and 618mm or 752mm between centres.

Bar work capacity is 52mm or 65mm.

The main spindle speed range is 40 - 4000 rev/min and the drive motor is rated at 11/7.5kW.

The tailstock spindle drive is rated at 7.5/5.5kW.

Through bore in the tailstock spindle is 43mm diameter.

The turret accepts 12 tools and has a station-to-station indexing time of 0.2 sec.

Traverse speeds are18m/min and 24m/min in the X and Z axes respectively.

The control is Mori Seiki MAPPS which features conversational programming.

Routines include soft jaw turning, tool list, program editing, work simulation and maintenance management support.

Emag has developed a new machine design platform for machining shaft-type components, and will be unveiled at the forthcoming EMO exhibition in Hannover.

Emag has developed a new machine design platform for machining shaft-type components, and will be unveiled at the forthcoming EMO exhibition in Hannover. The company will also show a new machine design for round and out-of-round grinding, which has resulted from the amalgamation of Reinecker, Karstens and Kopp in the Emag group. The technology can be applied to small and large shafts, cam shafts and crankshafts as well as chucked components.

A simple integral loading device is used for workloading/unloading.

Special grinding cycles reduce grinding times by up to 50%, claims Emag.

Kopp will be showing a new 5-axis high performance grinding centre with a tool changer for complete grinding applications.

Folowing the co-operation between Emag and Hardinge, a second larger VL pick-up spindle turning machine, the Hardinge Emag VL 5, will be shown.

This machine, along with the existing VL 3, is a 'leaner' version of the production machines, has a smaller footprint and suits jobbing shop usage.

The VL series is being built at an Emag Hardinge joint venture plant in Leipzig, Germany.

Purchasing a new CNC lathe helped a subcontractor overcome the dramatic downturn affecting others in the electronics and telecommunication sectors over the last 18 months or so.
Many OEMs and subcontractors have been badly affected by the dramatic downturn in the electronics and telecommunication sectors over the last 18 months or so. One Scottish subcontractor which had to find new markets was GSW Precision Engineering in Fife. And with the aid of a Samsung CNC lathe, supplied by Yamazen (UK), the Kirkcaldy-based company has been able to secure an increasing amount of work from the oil industry, notably for large down-hol e components.

Up until a couple of years ago, GSW's main subcontracting activities were focused on the telecommunications and electronics sectors.

Telecommunications represented almost 70% of the business and this industry had been the driving force behind the company's rapid growth since it was founded in 1993.

However, with a world slump in telecoms and over capacity in this area, GSW was forced to explore new markets and further develop existing ones.

The oil and gas industry was targeted as a prime area for the company's precision machining expertise.

However, GSW needed to increase the size of work it could turn if it was to succeed in winning more oil-related business.

Once again, the subcontractor turned to Yamazen (UK), as the Kingston-upon-Thames based company had supplied all 12 of its previous CNC machines over the last nine years (including eight Fadal VMCs).

The slant bed CNC lathe recommended was a Samsung PL35A.

With a 600 mm swing over the bed, an 18.5kW motor, and a maximum machining diameter of 490mm; this model was considered ideal for such work.

Supplied with a 406mm diameter chuck, the lathe was installed in the company's 6000 ft2 factory last year.

GSW has been really pleased with the performance of the machine and it has opened up new markets in the oil and gas sector (so much so that oil-related work now accounts for 60% of the company's business).

However, as director Ian Walsh explained, there were some initial teething troubles.

'We had a problem with the lathe's chuck early on but this was tracked down by Yamazen engineers to a faulty drawbar mechanism.

Since then, the Samsung has run like a dream and we are currently working it hard for some 70 hours each week.' While the capacity of the new lathe allows GSW to handle larger turning work, it has also proved much faster on smaller parts, too.

As Mr Walsh added.

'Compared with our other CNC lathes, the Samsung has cut cycle times by some 30 to 40% due to its speed and power.

This performance has helped us to stay competitive on a number of existing contracts as well as enabling us to secure new work machining much larger components for the oil industry.' Ease of set-up and programming are other benefits of the PL35A lathe and with batch sizes ranging from just 1 to 10 off, speed of job changeover is a key factor in the production equation.

A precision automotiove components subcontractor has bought more CNC lathes to get flexibility of production, quick change-over and rapid response to customers' demands.
As a precision subcontractor serving the needs of the medical, automotive and general engineering sectors, Wellington Engineering of Hayes in Middlesex is constantly facing new challenges to produce a wide range of components in fairly small batches. And for much of its turned parts work, the company now relies heavily on Colchester lathes purchased and supported by southern distributor, RK International of Erith in Kent. Indeed, Wellington now has four Colchester CNC machines, including a Combi K2 manual/combination lathe which was installed last autumn, and a brand new three-axis Tornado 220 M with driven tooling which has just been commissioned.

'Due to the variety of turned components we machine, flexibility of production, quick change-over and rapid response are key to our whole business strategy,' maintains managing director Daimon Wellington.

'That's why we have installed two additional Colchester CNC lathes in the last seven months.

We have found that to service our customers these machines give us the combination of versatility and power; are easy to set-up, program and operate; represent good value for money and we know we get good service and back-up from RK International.' The reason for buying the Combi was to meet the growing demand for a versatile combination type chucking lathe.

The machine was seen to be ideal to provide both manual and CNC turning requirements for batches of up to 10 precision components and allow the flexibility to optimise machining performance across a whole spread of work.

'After looking at several different machines,' continued Daimon Wellington, 'we decided that the K2 best met our requirements as it had a slant bed, was well-built on rigid castings for making accurate cuts and was just so simple to program and operate.

In order to meet our planned schedule of work for this machine, we also specified it with the eight-station indexing turret and swarf conveyor options,' he said.

Installed at Wellington's 12,000ft2 factory in September 2001, the Combi has proved to be an instant hit with the workforce.

In fact, one manual lathe operator who was about to leave the company in order to gain CNC experience elsewhere, decided to stay and combine the best of both worlds on the Colchester machine.

This is the key feature of the Combi, which can be programmed in several different ways including: simple digital readout, on-screen CAM based programming, electronic handwheel teach and repeat, cut and paste, traditional G-codes and by direct numerical control.

While both the company's operators started programming the K2 using on-screen CAM simulation in order to learn the system, virtually all programming is now carried out on the machine's Fanuc 210-TA digital control using standard G-code routines.

On average, the Combi now spends over 80 per cent of its production time being used as a full production CNC lathe.

However, its manual capability does provide added production cover and this method of operation is regularly used for simple shoulder and facing type operations - as it is quicker than writing a program.

With a swing of 400mm over the bed, the Combi tends to be used by Wellington on parts up to around 203mm diameter and in batch sizes ranging between five and 10 parts.

Much of the work involves machining aluminium alloy components with tolerances down to 0.02mm such as bearing heads for motor sport simulation equipment which are required in batches of eight.

These 180mm diameter by 130mm long aluminium parts have an 80mm diameter through bore and various profiles and recesses on the front face.

While programming and machining the first of these quite complex parts took just over five hours, each subsequent bearing head is then produced in less than 45 min under full CNC.

As Daimon Wellington confirms: 'Manually turning components such as these would have taken over four hours each, so the Combi is more than three times faster for the complete batch, and once one part is inspected and passed-off, we know the following components will all be the same.' Established in 1992, Wellington Engineering has progressively expanded its subcontract operations and today employs 30 people.

It now has some 17 CNC machine tools of which eight are vertical machining centres.

The BS EN ISO 9002 approved company has invested heavily in six new CNC machines during the last five years and recently updated its computer system.

Medical work now accounts for around 40 per cent of the business and involves machining a range of components for cryogenic equipment and optical systems along with the production of thermal links, weld bushes, baffles and special nuts.

Automotive projects, which tend to be mainly for the motor sport sector, represent around a third of turnover involving production of manifolds, bearings, heads, piston rods, links, shafts and load cells.

While the Combi K2 lathe very capably bridged the gap between manual and full CNC, Wellington's latest investment takes the company into the realms of one-hit machining cycles.

With the installation of the Colchester Tornado 220 M three-axis CNC lathe with six driven tool stations and a 65mm capacity bar feed, the company will be able to produce complex mill/turn components in a single-set-up.

While the machine has only just been commissioned, Daimon Wellington is in no doubt as to the difference it will make by eliminating second operation work.

'We have a number of potential jobs lined-up for the Tornado and its ability to turn, mill and drill in a single set-up will enable us to win new work we just could not have economically quoted for in the past.

While on certain existing projects, the one-hit nature of the machine will help us reduce manufacturing and tooling costs, ensure high quality especially on geometric tolerances and further improve delivery performance.' Even on fairly simple components like transit flap assemblies, for example, the 220 M is already making a big difference.

While these 75mm diameter, aluminium discs only require OD turning, facing, and recessing, they have four 9mm diameter holes equally spaced on a common pitch circle diameter.

The ability to drill these holes in the same set-up, without having to transfer the parts to a machining centre, is enabling production time cycles to be cut by almost 40 per cent! While on potential new work for a customer in the valve sector, the Tornado should be able to reduce machining times on quite complex 'T' valves by up to almost 500 per cent compared with conventional, multi-machine methods of working.

'As such, we will now be able to quote very competitively for such projects,' he says.

The new Tornado 220 M machine has a 510mm swing over the bed, a 65 mm bar capacity, full C-axis with disc brake, 22kW spindle drive with 3.7kW available at the tool drive.