A dual-spindle CNC lathe allows turning of double-ended parts in a single set-up on one machine, and addition of live tooling and full C-axis options to the TL-15 increase versatility further.

Keeping parts flowing through a high-production shop is the key to keeping profits flowing into the bank account. Having to move the same part from machine to machine for different operations can increase set-up times, add to manpower costs and reduce part accuracy. The new TL-15 dual-spindle lathe from Haas Automation allows turning of double-ended parts in a single set-up on one machine.

Built on the shop-proven Haas SL-20 platform, the TL-15 CNC lathe features a 15kW vector-drive main spindle with 210mm chuck, and a 6kW sub-spindle with 135mm chuck.

Both spindles provide speeds to 4,000 rev/min standard, and the main spindle has options for 5,000 and 7,000 rev/min.

Maximum cutting diameter for the TL-15 is 255mm, with a maximum turning length up to 380mm, depending on the type of workholding and tooling used.

The TL-15 comes standard with a 12-pocket tool turret that holds a combination of six VDI 40 tools and six bolt-on tools.

Special twin-bore and twin-turn toolholders are included for sub-spindle work.

The addition of live tooling and full C-axis options to the TL-15 increase versatility further by allowing such secondary operations as drilling, tapping and light milling to be performed both on the face of the part and around the diameter.

With these options, the TL-15's main spindle is capable of fully interpolated, bi-directional synchronous motion for milling flats, hexes and flutes.

The end result is a finished part off the machine with no need for additional set-ups or operations.

Combine the TL-15 with the Haas Servo Bar 300 intelligent bar feeder and the automatic parts catcher option, and full lights-out operation is possible.

The new Haas TL-15 CNC lathe - a high-production turning centre at an affordable price.

MACH 2006 witnessed several brand new machines from Haas Automation, the largest CNC machine tool manufacturer in the world.

Haas demonstrated machines and metal cutting technology for aerospace, automotive, medical, mould and die and general machining industries.

More than 25 CNC technology products were on show demonstrating vertical and horizontal machining and turning applications.

Deep hole drilling and specialist sub-contract company Mollart has ordered an Integrex e-500 H multi-tasking machine, with 3m capacity, to machine complex parts after gundrilling.

Multi-tasking machine tool ordered at MACH 2006 deep hole drilling and specialist sub-contract company Mollart has ordered an Integrex e-500 H multi-tasking machine, with 3m capacity, to machine complex parts after gundrilling. Yamazaki Mazak's MACH exhibition success continues with the confirmation of a substantial order from deep hole drilling machine manufacturer and specialist sub-contract company Mollart . The order is for an Integrex e-500 H multi-tasking machine, with 3m capacity, which will be used in Mollart's extensive sub-contract facility at Chessington.

Its main role will be to machine extremely complex components in a single operation, after the preliminary gundrilling operations.

These components are part of a recently won contract from one of Mollart's customers in the oil and gas sector.

With some of the components measuring up to 2m in length repositioning for multiple operations is time-consuming and costly.

By using the Integrex e-500 H these costs are eliminated and, more importantly, Mollart will be able to guarantee the positional accuracy and concentricity of the multi cavity bores that are a feature of these particular components.

Guy Mollart, Mollart's managing director, said: 'We won the contract to manufacture these components on the strength of our ability to deliver on time and to the highest quality standards.

The Integrex e-500 H will enable us to maintain that business as we can reduce cycle times and lead times, thanks to the machine's ability to complete all operations in a single hit.' He added: 'However, the most important benefit is the fact that single hit machining enables the positional accuracy of the many features of these components to be maintained.

Avilion has drastically reduced mill-turning cycle times with a new type of lathe from Index that supports and moves the turrets using kinematically-actuated plates sliding over the bed.

Luxury tap and shower system manufacturer, Avilion, has drastically reduced mill-turning cycle times with a new type of lathe from Index that supports and moves the turrets using kinematically-actuated plates sliding over the bed, instead of conventional compound slides. It is the first of the German manufacturer's C-Series machines to be installed in the UK and was supplied through sole agent, Geo Kingsbury Machine Tools. Said Steve Pope, Manufacturing Development Engineer at Avilion's Rainham factory, 'The twin-spindle, triple-turret, fixed-head lathe produces parts in a single set-up in half, and sometimes one third, of the time taken on our single-spindle, single-turret machines.

Even comparing like with like, surprisingly it is around 30 per cent quicker than our conventional twin-spindle lathes.' Such fast cutting cycles result in part from the opposed spindle having 150 mm of X-axis movement in addition to 600 mm of longitudinal travel - a configuration normally found only on a sliding-head lathe, according to Mr Pope.

The second spindle's movements can be coupled electronically with the two-axis motion of the lower, double-sided, 24-tool turret, which can simultaneously be working with the upper turret at the main spindle, allowing three tools to be in cut simultaneously.

Each turret has a 70 mm Y-axis for extra versatility when mill-turning highly complex components, easily achieving tolerances down to +/- 0.02 mm on seals, +/- 0.05 mm for other features.

Rapid traverse rates of 25 m/min in X and 50 m/min in Z, and acceleration of 1g, are achieved by not having to move a bulky compound turret slide using conventional ballscrews, leading to short idle times.

The distance between the turret centreline and the point at which it is driven is shorter than for a compound slide, making it several times stiffer and more accurate.

Glass linear scales provide positional feedback.

Continued Mr Pope, 'We will produce 30 to 40 of our most complex brass components on our Index C-Series lathe from 13 mm to 65 mm bar, and billets up to 80 mm in diameter, as we prefer to machine our components from solid rather than rely on castings.

Every part will be machined on the reverse and a cycle will often include 50 per cent milling, drilling and tapping; sometimes a lot more.

'Such is the capability of the machine to slash cycle times, 24 hours a day, and reduce unit manufacturing cost that we have been redesigning our components, where necessary, to maximise the capabilities of the C65 lathe.' Again with high productivity in mind, Avilion has invested in one of the very few Kurt Breuning Profimat bar magazines in the UK to feed the Index lathe.

Changeover to a different bar diameter can be carried out in seconds, or a maximum of 10 minutes if the liner needs to be exchanged.

Businesses both large and small are regularly presented with an array of IT 'solutions' with unfathomable acronyms that promise tempting sales and productivity boosts.

Businesses both large and small are regularly presented with an array of IT 'solutions' with unfathomable acronyms that promise tempting sales and productivity boosts. But what do terms such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), Business Intelligence (BI), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Sales Intelligence (SI) actually mean? Where did it all start and what relevance do they have for industrial manufacturing and distribution companies.

Before CRM was even dreamt of, there was something called Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).

This acronym can be traced back to the 1960s and early methods of inventory control, but was later understood as the business strategy that promised to automate the 'back-office', provide financial reporting and control the supply chain.

It was in the early 1990s, when companies first started to build extensive ERP systems to automate and organise their data; that is also when business intelligence (BI) first emerged.

BI is a general term used to refer to the various ways in which a company analyses data, for example financial, operational or sales information, and the increased availability of company data was perceived as a boon for this process.

The initial problem with BI was, however, that as the new systems collected more and more information, it became impossible to extract what was relevant quickly and efficiently and deliver it to employees who needed it the most, rendering the massive amounts of data virtually useless.

Increasingly sophisticated tools and the advent of data warehousing have gone some way towards bridging this gap between available and useful data, but the process can still be complex and expensive.

Meanwhile, this trend towards harnessing and using key data had spread to the 'front office', and heralded the arrival of customer relationship management (CRM) in the mid-1990s.

In the early years, CRM simply referred to the software used to help businesses manage their customer information, predominantly sales force automation software (SFA) that focused on customer contact management.

It is estimated that the global market for CRM services and solutions is now worth 4.8 billion US Dollars, which gives some indication as to how far the market has developed since those early days.

Now businesses can choose from a wide array of CRM 'solutions' ranging from web-based systems aimed at small companies to sophisticated knowledge management solutions suitable for multi-national enterprises with millions of customers.

So where does CRM and related technologies fit with industrial manufacturing and distribution companies?

Traditionally, industry has been at the forefront of technology, but often in terms of front office software it has been a little slow in adapting to new technology, mainly because the implementation of a new software system has traditionally required a disproportionate amount of time and caused a similarly large amount of disruption.

There are also unique challenges faced by large scale manufacturers and distributors in that the sheer size of the average product range and inventory means there is a huge amount of data to handle and there will inevitably be legacy systems to deal with.

The need to win market share in a climate of increasing consolidation also means that they cannot afford to rush into a software purchase without being certain it is tailored to their needs.

In any industry, the key to making a decision about buying software is to be sure you understand what business problem it is actually a 'solution' for.

This may seem obvious but it's surprising just how few businesses actually take the time to do this and end up buying software that is too expensive, too onerous to fully implement and that the company rarely uses to anything near it's potential.

If the primary objective of a CRM system is to support the sales and administration teams, then why could it not be pro-active in actually identifying sales opportunities and alerting users to when customers started to drift away?

This is where Sales Intelligence (SI) was born, Vecta, one of the leading UK providers of SI solutions for example developed and implemented its first products during the late 90's.

Traditional CRM passively supports conventional sales techniques, often designed to drive 'new customer acquisition', but providing little in the way of delivering insight into the buying patterns of the all important existing customer base and so is unable to drive the sales effort.

It is designed to help salespeople record soft customer information, but it is much less effective for identifying new customers or retaining and selling more to existing ones.

A good Sales Intelligence system however will include advanced CRM style contact management functionality but will also extract the critical operational information it needs from existing back-office and accounting systems, which means there is no need to invest in an expensive CRM or BI solution.

It also avoids the long implementation period of traditional BI solutions that have to be built-to-order often by the user, and avoids the typical data 'overload' caused by the BI system when it is up and running.

Sales Intelligence is designed specifically around this premise that successful sales depend on identifying the right opportunities at the right time.

All the information needed to find new sales opportunities and identify customer issues is somewhere within your company's databases, and Sales Intelligence software simply automates the extraction of this knowledge and delivers it to the sales team.

Provided by vendors such as Vecta, it works by monitoring and analysing the buying patterns of customers by drawing data from existing accounts and enterprise software.

Irregularities and other trends in customer spending will trigger alerts that translate into sales leads delivered straight to the relevant sales representatives.

If, on the other hand, you need in-depth information to review and analyse business processes, then you may wish to purchase a full BI system.

Buyer beware, however, traditional BI solutions are seldom straightforward and users often have to build and implement systems themselves.

Similarly with CRM systems, salespeople are usually required to input data before they get useful information back, so end user adoption is far from guaranteed.

Put simply, all of these technologies are concerned with information management and, equally importantly, the every day use of that information.

Before considering any technology investment, it is vital that distributors identify the exact business requirement the promised information will meet.

Once this is established, they must not shy away from asking robust questions of all suppliers and mapping them against clearly deliverable business objectives.

Businesses both large and small are regularly presented with an array of IT 'solutions' with unfathomable acronyms that promise tempting sales and productivity boosts.

Businesses both large and small are regularly presented with an array of IT 'solutions' with unfathomable acronyms that promise tempting sales and productivity boosts. But what do terms such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), Business Intelligence (BI), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Sales Intelligence (SI) actually mean? Where did it all start and what relevance do they have for industrial manufacturing and distribution companies.

Before CRM was even dreamt of, there was something called Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).

This acronym can be traced back to the 1960s and early methods of inventory control, but was later understood as the business strategy that promised to automate the 'back-office', provide financial reporting and control the supply chain.

It was in the early 1990s, when companies first started to build extensive ERP systems to automate and organise their data; that is also when business intelligence (BI) first emerged.

BI is a general term used to refer to the various ways in which a company analyses data, for example financial, operational or sales information, and the increased availability of company data was perceived as a boon for this process.

The initial problem with BI was, however, that as the new systems collected more and more information, it became impossible to extract what was relevant quickly and efficiently and deliver it to employees who needed it the most, rendering the massive amounts of data virtually useless.

Increasingly sophisticated tools and the advent of data warehousing have gone some way towards bridging this gap between available and useful data, but the process can still be complex and expensive.

Meanwhile, this trend towards harnessing and using key data had spread to the 'front office', and heralded the arrival of customer relationship management (CRM) in the mid-1990s.

In the early years, CRM simply referred to the software used to help businesses manage their customer information, predominantly sales force automation software (SFA) that focused on customer contact management.

It is estimated that the global market for CRM services and solutions is now worth 4.8 billion US Dollars, which gives some indication as to how far the market has developed since those early days.

Now businesses can choose from a wide array of CRM 'solutions' ranging from web-based systems aimed at small companies to sophisticated knowledge management solutions suitable for multi-national enterprises with millions of customers.

So where does CRM and related technologies fit with industrial manufacturing and distribution companies?

Traditionally, industry has been at the forefront of technology, but often in terms of front office software it has been a little slow in adapting to new technology, mainly because the implementation of a new software system has traditionally required a disproportionate amount of time and caused a similarly large amount of disruption.

There are also unique challenges faced by large scale manufacturers and distributors in that the sheer size of the average product range and inventory means there is a huge amount of data to handle and there will inevitably be legacy systems to deal with.

The need to win market share in a climate of increasing consolidation also means that they cannot afford to rush into a software purchase without being certain it is tailored to their needs.

In any industry, the key to making a decision about buying software is to be sure you understand what business problem it is actually a 'solution' for.

This may seem obvious but it's surprising just how few businesses actually take the time to do this and end up buying software that is too expensive, too onerous to fully implement and that the company rarely uses to anything near it's potential.

If the primary objective of a CRM system is to support the sales and administration teams, then why could it not be pro-active in actually identifying sales opportunities and alerting users to when customers started to drift away?

This is where Sales Intelligence (SI) was born, Vecta, one of the leading UK providers of SI solutions for example developed and implemented its first products during the late 90's.

Traditional CRM passively supports conventional sales techniques, often designed to drive 'new customer acquisition', but providing little in the way of delivering insight into the buying patterns of the all important existing customer base and so is unable to drive the sales effort.

It is designed to help salespeople record soft customer information, but it is much less effective for identifying new customers or retaining and selling more to existing ones.

A good Sales Intelligence system however will include advanced CRM style contact management functionality but will also extract the critical operational information it needs from existing back-office and accounting systems, which means there is no need to invest in an expensive CRM or BI solution.

It also avoids the long implementation period of traditional BI solutions that have to be built-to-order often by the user, and avoids the typical data 'overload' caused by the BI system when it is up and running.

Sales Intelligence is designed specifically around this premise that successful sales depend on identifying the right opportunities at the right time.

All the information needed to find new sales opportunities and identify customer issues is somewhere within your company's databases, and Sales Intelligence software simply automates the extraction of this knowledge and delivers it to the sales team.

Provided by vendors such as Vecta, it works by monitoring and analysing the buying patterns of customers by drawing data from existing accounts and enterprise software.

Irregularities and other trends in customer spending will trigger alerts that translate into sales leads delivered straight to the relevant sales representatives.

If, on the other hand, you need in-depth information to review and analyse business processes, then you may wish to purchase a full BI system.

Buyer beware, however, traditional BI solutions are seldom straightforward and users often have to build and implement systems themselves.

Similarly with CRM systems, salespeople are usually required to input data before they get useful information back, so end user adoption is far from guaranteed.

Put simply, all of these technologies are concerned with information management and, equally importantly, the every day use of that information.

Before considering any technology investment, it is vital that distributors identify the exact business requirement the promised information will meet.

Once this is established, they must not shy away from asking robust questions of all suppliers and mapping them against clearly deliverable business objectives.

Subcontractor Colbree Precision was based within two hundred yards of the Buncefield depot and the blast destroyed its factory and most of its equipment.

When the Buncefield petrol storage facility in Hemel Hempstead exploded last December the effect on neighbouring companies was devastating. subcontractor Colbree Precision was based within a two hundred yards of the depot and the blast destroyed its factory and most of its equipment. But what could have been a complete disaster for the company has actually allowed it to develop new ways of working by investing in three new Nakamura-Tome turning centres from UK representative Turning Technologies.

As director Steve Bree explains, Colbree makes most of its smaller turned parts on bar fed sliding head machines, but before the fire it only had single spindle CNC machines for parts bigger than 32mm diameter.

Not only was Steve unhappy with their reliability, but they didn't fit in with his desire to cut out costly and time consuming multiple operations.

When the single spindle machines were destroyed in the fire Steve wasn't sorry to see them go.

'Although we lost that larger CNC capacity, we had already been looking round for alternatives - and in particular we were thinking of investing in Nakamura twin-spindle twin-turret lathes so that we could expand one hit machining,' he says.

'Obviously, in many ways we would have preferred it if the fire hadn't happened, but when it did we tried to make that work to our advantage as an opportunity to change the way we worked.' The Nakamura machines that Colbree invested in - two WT-150 turning centres and one Super NTJ - are all twin-spindle, twin-turret machines that allow complete components to be produced in one set up.

The WT150 machines have 51mm bar capacity, the Super NTJ has 65mm bar capacity.

All three machines are equipped with 24 tool stations per turret, including 12 driven powerful driven tool positions, and are designed to be highly precise, rigid, yet compact production machines.

The Super NTJ also has a +/- 90o B-axis on the upper turret.

This means that the parts can also be machined on multiple angled faces and contour milled in one set up during the turning cycle.

Colbree's major customers in sectors such medical equipment, defence, oil and aerospace often require complex parts with many auxiliary milled and drilled features, which had required further operations on machining centres.

With the new Nakamura machines these can easily be completed in one hit - and the B-axis on the Super NTJ opens up even more possibilities.

'With the B-axis we can actually swivel the turret round and do features such as angled holes.

The only way we could do this before was as another operation on a milling machine.

Doing it on the same machine as the turning obviously reduces the manufacturing time and maintains accuracy.

We used to have three milling machines and now we have cut that down to one - the more work you can do while you are turning the better,' says Steve Bree.

'With these new machines we can do things we couldn't do before and improve cycle times on the work we are already doing.

They have made us more competitive.' The speed with which Colbree has bounced back from what could have been a crippling blow has been impressive.

It was back in full production in new premises within eight weeks of the blast - thanks to good disaster recovery insurance and suppliers who were prepared to make an extra effort.

'Turning Technologies pulled out all the stops to help us back into production as quickly as possible.

They took a chance on our verbal order and were able to rescheduled and reallocate machines.

Macro CNC sells a twin spindle, three-turret, 10-axis Miyano turning centre with 51mm bar capacity to Irish precision turned/milled components manufacturer, Mann Engineering.

The recent MACH exhibition at the Birmingham NEC proved the ideal opportunity for Mann Engineering of County Wexford, Ireland to become familiar with its new purchase - a Miyano ABX-51TH2 turning centre from Macro CNC. This twin spindle, three-turret, 10-axis Miyano turning centre with 51mm bar capacity has the manufacturing capability to produce complex/high-value parts efficiently in a single setup; the main reason behind the purchase. Mann Engineering specialises in the manufacture of precision turned/milled components for diverse industrial sectors.

Additionally the company designs and manufactures lathe bar feed systems and specialist tooling/fixturing systems for manufacturing applications.

A primary objective for the company will be market penetration into the highly competitive and demanding medical device sector.

Mann Engineering started purchasing CNC machine tools at MACH 2002 and has since acquired ten CNC machines, two of which are Miyano ABX-51TH2 machines.

Rolf Fuhrmann, managing director, commented: 'Since the introduction of the first Miyano, we have been able to produce parts in a single set-up with minimal labour involvement'.

'There are no second operations and this dramatically reduces cycle times when combined with increased product quality it enables the company to directly compete with off-shore competitors.' The first Miyano ABX-51TH2 was bought at MACH 2004 and was one of the first Miyano ABX machines sold in Europe.

The third turret on the machine has provided the company with sustainable productivity improvements in the order of 20%-30% and with such impressive results, it is no surprise the company has opted for a second machine.

The second Miyano ABX-51TH2 turn/mill centre was installed and commissioned the week after MACH 2006.

With this latest state-of-the-art machine the lower tooling turret, usually dedicated to the left spindle, can now be deployed on either spindle.

This additional manufacturing facility further enhances the manufacturing capability within the company and facilitates the company focus of providing cost-effective, high value added and high quality components to their expanding customer base.

With a solid order book and a customer base in excess of 50, the company sees investment in innovation and high specification machine tools, not only as the way forward but the only way to survive in such competitive times.

The commitment of Mann Engineering is summarised by John Stretton, general manager of Macro CNC: 'most subcontractors have a threshold and will work with 6- to 8-axis machines, but will go no further'.

'For Mann Engineering, like any other machine shop, it takes a massive leap of faith to invest in a 10-axis three turret fixed head machines.

For companies like Mann Engineering that are willing to take technology to the next level, the benefits can be remarkable.

This type of investment will enable Irish companies to level the playing field against cheaper foreign economies.' An example of this can be seen in the cycle time reductions at Mann Engineering.

One particular component previously taking 2 min 30s and four operations to complete is now being completed in 25s in a single operation.

Another job taking 20 minutes and five operations; it is now produced in 8 minutes complete on the Miyano ABX-51TH2.

Mann Engineering with the purchase of this additional Miyano ABX-51TH2 is proactively establishing itself.

The company fully realises the crucial role of CAD/CAM and co-ordinate measurement systems required to complement these CNC resources.

To address these issues the company has embarked on an InterTrade Ireland, Fusion graduate development programme in association with the University of Ulster, Belfast.

The primary objective of this cross-border programme will be to focus on business improvements, the integration of CAD/CAM systems and a CMM inspection facility.

'As a company we are committed to establishing continual productivity improvements.

Single hit machining and rapid changeovers together with the rigidity and additional power provided by the Miyano machines enables us to manufacture significantly more efficiently than any competitors in the Irish market.

We are at the forefront of technology and the acquisition of a second Miyano ABX-51TH2 at MACH 2006 will enable us to stay ahead of the competition,' concluded Fuhrmann.

Linear drives, 'high-end' controls and a novel tool box system in CNC universal lathes have stimulated demand, such that DMG (UK) is increasing machines in stock - including CNC millers.

To meet an increasing demand for its most popular machines on short lead times DMG (UK) has taken the unprecedented step of establishing a range of stock machines. These include both milling and turning machines and cover a wide range of performance requirements. In the CNC universal lathes category the options extend from the NEF 600 and CTX 10-series models through to the CTX 620 linear that provides up to 28% higher productivity thanks to the linear drive, high-end controls and a unique tool box system.

The single spindle Sprint monoBLOCK and twin spindle Twin turning machines are readily available as is the GMX400 linear for six-sided machining with up to 90mm bar capacity and 12,000 rev/min milling spindle.

The entry-level DMU 50, the DMU 60 and 80 monoBLOCK and DMU 50 eVolution linear models for five-sided/5-axis machining provide a wide choice of CNC universal milling machines.

And the choices continue with DMC-V vertical machining centres and models from the DMC U universal machining centre series with pallet changer for 5-axis machining.

All machines are available for immediate delivery and may also be supplied on an attractive rental or lease basis.

Their price includes full programming and operator training and delivery within the UK.

Machining wheel carriers - or 'knuckles' - is performed on a very flexible 'quad-type' manufacturing system based on vertical turning centres, machining centres, automation and robotic handling.

The manufacturing solution for the machining of wheel carriers, also called 'knuckles', adopted by Georg Fischer Automotive, Singen in Germany, is a prime example of productivity and quality on the smallest possible footprint. This particular 'quad-type' Manufacturing System is the brainchild of a team of highly experienced specialists from GF, EMAG and SW. All parties expect that this will create a 'bandwagon' effect, bringing in further large-scale orders for everyone concerned.

* Summary of the manufacturing system for front axle wheel carriers/knuckles.

Linear automation equipment and robots link up four radially arranged, flexible manufacturing cells - consisting, in the main, of two each of EMAG VSC 500 turning centers and one each SW BA 600-2 horizontal, twin-spindle machining center, i e, in total eight VSC 500 and four BA 600-2 - with an industrial washing machine, measuring cells and inkjet markers, to provide 880m2 of concentrated productivity.

* The rivalry between cast iron and aluminium - the rivalry between cast iron and aluminium has not yet been brought to a conclusion.

Cast iron materials are still eminently suitable for the conversion of automotive ideas into reality - provided the partner in the production of such components has a firm grip on the material and the processes involved.

It is being confirmed again and again that the use of light alloys does not always lead to the necessary reduction in weight, and especially not when the attendant requirements also include cost benefits.

Cast iron, however, still carries a creative weight potential, especially if one keeps in mind the availability of innovative ferrous alloys such as higher-tensile ferritic materials.

GF Automotive - the automotive sector of the Georg Fischer Group with a global workforce of 14,000 and its headquarters in Schaffhausen, Switzerland - sees itself as a member of a partnership of excellence in the field of modern, cast iron-based vehicle manufacturing solutions.

Continuous research and development in the areas of pressure die, sand and chill casting in iron, aluminium and magnesium are the kind of activities that are in high demand in development- and manufacturing-based partnerships with the automotive industry.

It gives the makers of vehicles access to a whole range of materials and manufacturing solutions for ready-to-install components.

Within the Swiss Group, the plant at Singen in the South of Germany - with its close on 1,300 staff and an annual turnover of EUR 220 million - is responsible for the manufacture of ductile cast iron components for passenger cars and commercial vehicles at a ratio of 50:50.

The 180,000 tonnes of cast iron parts produced annually are used to make chassis, steering and transmission components and also motors, the major customers being the important European car manufacturers in both branches of the industry.

It therefore did not come as a surprise that GF Automotive, Singen, received the order for the casting and machining of the two front axle wheel carriers for the BMW 1 series and also for the new BMW 3 series.

The larger size is intended for the high-powered vehicles and the smaller one for the entry-level models.

Once the 'run-up' period for the models has been successfully negotiated, a total annual number of 450,000 sets is to be delivered to the assembly plants at Dingolfing and Leipzig in Germany and also in South Africa with a lead time of just two to three days.

The complex front axle wheel rim geometry and the resulting variety of machining geometries would normally be an ideal case for the clever experts in special purpose machine construction.

However, although special purpose machines are available for every single requirement these days, they are often quite inflexible - when one of today's most important investment criteria for production tools happens to be flexibility.

* More flexible than special purpose machines - the specially conceived manufacturing solution to the requirements at Singen consists of highly productive vertical turning centers from EMAG, Salach, and horizontal machining centers from SW, Waldmoessingen - today part of the EMAG Group, and represents a neat bit of straight-forward, uncomplicated, partnership-based work, offering a high degree of productivity on a compact footprint of just 880m2.

Four radially arranged manufacturing cells ensure flexibility, each of them consisting of the following.

* Two EMAG VSC 500 pick-up vertical turning centers with integrated measuring system, special chucks and automatic workpiece handling.

* A SW BA 600-2 twin-spindle horizontal machining center with 2x4 clamping unit on a 5-axis double swivel trunnion.

* A FANUC R 2000-i 165F industrial robot with a swivel gripper able to accommodate both types of wheel carriers.

* An inkjet writer with optical recognition, which marks each component with its specific ident number.

* A downstream industrial washing machine cleans and protects the wheel rims against corrosion.

Georg Fischer has invested some EUR 10 million in this ingenious manufacturing system.

The price also covers: the elaborate special workholding equipment, the original tooling specification and - last but by no means least - the extensive process know-how.

* About the companies involved - in 2004, the Georg Fischer Group, with its headquarters in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, and its 12,300 staff worldwide achieved a consolidated turnover of approximately EUR 2.3 billion, of which EUR 1.1 billion were generated by the automotive sector with its workforce of about 5,800.

The Singen works employ 1,300 staff, achieving a turnover of EUR 220 million.

Half of their annual production of 180,000 tonnes of ductile cast iron is used for passenger car parts and half for truck components.

20% of them are complete machined and dispatched ready-to-install, another 20% are pre-machined and 60% leave the works as raw-parts.

The EMAG Group, with its headquarters at Salach, Germany, presently employs 2,000 staff, with a turnover of approximately EUR 430 million in 2005.

The Group includes the grinding specialists Reinecker (high precision internal grinding), Karstens (external production grinding), Kopp (grinding of cams and camschafts) and Naxos-Union (grinding of crankshafts), the laser specialist Lasertec and the automation equipment manufacturer Heilig.

Since mid-2004 SW Schwaebische Werkzeugmaschinen, Schramberg-Waldmoessingen/Germany (horizontal and vertical machining centers), with 265 staff and a turnover of EUR 70 million is also part of the EMAG family.

Since May 2005 the Group also includes the gear hobbing specialist Koepfer.

* Manufacturing system - comments - 'A technical availability of 95% for the complete system makes us very happy,' commented Jurgen Bolle, responsible for production planning and complete machining.

'We also reach the calculated efficiency level of 80% without any problem.

In fact, we are achieving an effective level of 85%,' he added with a smile.

Norbert Schnurr, the responsible project leader, asked the two machine manufacturers for a cycle time guarantee.

'It has since been more than just adhered to.

The system is highly flexible - not only with regard to changing batch sizes, but also when it becomes necessary to react quickly to component variations and new orders.' He also praised the excellent co-operation throughout the lifetime of the project between GF and BMW on the one side and the two machine tool builders, EMAG and SW, on the other.

* 19 shifts/week - owing to the fact that the BMW series 1 and 3 are in greater demand than expected, the plant is running to capacity.

In fact, it presently works 19 shifts a week - from Sunday evening to Saturday afternoon.

The total capacity of 450,000 sets of wheel carriers means that between 1,200 and 1,400 sets - or 56 skeleton containers full - are leaving for the BMW sites every day.

The blanks of the wheel carriers/knuckles, cast and protective-coated at Singen, are inserted into the workpiece receptors of the transport system and conveyed to the the VSCs.

One of the two VSCs within the four manufacturing cells complete-turns the wheel hub and mills, drills and threads the fixing points of the left wheel carrier, the second VSC the right wheel carrier, respectively.

Every fourth component is measured with in-process gauging equipment and, like the other three, inserted by robot into the SW twin-spindle machining center, where the linking points are high-precision milled and drilled.

The components are then washed and all crucial features and dimensions re-checked to intolerances on a central measuring cell.

Finally, an optically controlled printer marks every component with an identifying code.

To ensure that such large quantities of components are delivered on time and at the right batch sizes is not just a question of machine performance but also of organisational effort.

For this reason, a cell computer with SAP system is used to handle all communications and necessary data exchanges.

GF sees the performance, economic viability and perfection of this manufacturing system as the Group's successful entry into the mass production of completely-machined vehicular components.

Together with their acquired know-how in manufacturing techniques this surely provides GF with a decisive edge in the global cut-throat cost and quality competition of 'made in Germany' production components.

As a subcontractor replaced its early CNC machine tools, the same floor space created twice the number of components - a productivity increase that soon balanced out any price differential.

Investment has always been a high priority for the Harmon Group, a family-owned business founded in 1964 as Harmon Form Tools. Initially the company provided a grinding and tooling service, now known as the Harmon Precision Grinding division, with the focus on the aerospace and defence industries. But in 1987 it entered the sub-contract machining market with the formation of the Harmon Manufacturing division and in 2002 set up the Harmon Metal Treatments division.

All three divisions are located in 32,000ft2 purpose-built premises on the Ferndown Industrial Estate in Wimborne, Dorset, each functioning as a separate business entity accessing shared resources and looking to lean manufacture as the route to remaining competitive in a global marketplace.

As part of its lean manufacturing strategy the 76-employee Harmon Group has recently re-organised its machine shop into four manufacturing cells and added to its complement of Mazak CNC lathes and machining centres with a QuickTurn Nexus 350 MY turning centre.

According to Robert Harmon, group managing director, the decision to take the tally of Mazak machines to 12 was a relatively easy one to make, because of the performance of the existing Mazak machines and the QuickTurn Nexus turning centre's combination of advanced technology, productivity and value for money.

'The Mazak machines are very reliable and in terms of components per hour the output is phenomenal,' saidHarmon.

'As we replaced our early CNC machines with Mazaks, we found that the same floor space was, in effect, creating twice the number of components and this increase in productivity soon balances out any price differential.' However, finding and retaining skilled staff to operate these CNC machine tools is a tougher proposition, although the problem is tackled in typically enterprising fashion.

In addition to encouraging several third-generation family members to enter the business and to follow in the footsteps of Robert Harmon and his brothers, David and Ian, by beginning as apprentices, the Harmon Group has made the most of the switch to the new manufacturing cell layout.

Said Harmon: 'As we set up the next cell of three machines, one of the operators from the previous cell moved to the new cell, allowing us to move a semi-skilled operator to the first cell and then to bring his level of competence up to that of a fully skilled operator.

This has proved to be an extremely efficient way to increase our level of multi-skilled staff and to enable us to continue expanding our business.' This willingness to adapt to new ways of working has enabled Harmon Manufacturing to develop an enviable reputation for its ability to machine intricate components while, at the same time, reducing costs and lead times for a customer base that includes 'preferred supplier status' with Airbus Industrie, BAE Systems, Westland, Goodrich and Smiths Aerospace.

'We do not do easy components,' said Harmon.

'We do high value, complex components and we are very good at what we do.

However, close tolerance aerospace components such as undercarriage legs, actuators and hydraulic cylinders can take several weeks to complete and it is essential to keep track of work-in-progress to ensure on-time delivery.' Part of Harmon's expertise rests with the use of Preactor scheduling software, the basis for one of the four modules in Mazak's Cyber Production Centre (CPC) production management system.

'We now know exactly how our shopfloor capacity is loaded and we have the flexibility to schedule AOG (aircraft on ground) priorities without adversely affecting other work.' Harmon Manufacturing has an annual turnover of around GBP 5 million but current plans envisage this rising to GBP 15 million within the next few years.

And with its extensive experience of machining unusual or exotic materials such as plastics, heat treated stainless steels, Inconel, Monel and Hastelloy, ISO 9002-accredited Harmon is well placed to advise potential customers on methods of manufacture, whether small batch work or large production runs.

'Anyone sitting back and waiting for new business to come to them will not survive,' said Harmon.

'However, we are not looking just to the UK for future growth.

We are looking to companies in France and Italy, for example, that are associated with our existing customers and where existing customer approvals are relevant.

The key attributes are quality and delivery, and maintaining delivery schedules is one of the reasons why we set up Harmon Metal Treatments, because when we were sending out components for treatment we were unable to guarantee their return delivery time.' The QuickTurn Nexus 350 MY chosen by Harmon Manufacturing features a 30kW/3300 rev/min spindle, and can machine components up to 420mm diameter by up to 1538mm long.

It also benefits from the inclusion of a NC electric tailstock that delivers quick set-up with no manual intervention.

The tailstock provides accurate support even for components that can only be supported by low-thrust force.

Added versatility is provided by the 150mm Y-axis and the capability of rotary tools in any of the 12 positions on the drum-type turret.

These tools are driven by an impressive 7.5kW/4000 rev/min motor.

Machine power is matched by agility, with the X, Y and Z axes having rapid traverse rates of 30m/min, 15m/min and 25m/min respectively.

This fast, vibration-free, acceleration/deceleration results from the use of high-gain servo-control and high-power AC servo motors.

The Mazatrol Fusion 640T Nexus CNC unit features the easy-to-use Mazatrol conversational programming format.

The main attractions of a mill-turn centre to a precision engineering company was its ability to enable parts to be made in 'one-hit', reduced time spent on job set-ups and reduced cycle times.

Chard, UK-based precision engineering subcontract specialist - Metaltech Precision - has recently invested in a Doosan Daewoo MX 2500 ST mill-turn centre. The investment, the latest in a long line of machine tools purchased from Leamington-based Mills Manufacturing Technology - is already having a positive impact on Metaltech's productivity and performance by reducing cycle times, increasing work throughput and improving part accuracy. Metaltech is one of the largest precision subcontractors in the South West.

The company currently employs 55 people at its 35,000ft2 facility (soon to be increased by a further 5,000ft2) and operates 24h, 'around-the-clock' production (Monday - Friday).

Metaltech manufactures and supplies precision components (predominantly high-accuracy pump and valve parts and sub-assemblies) to a diverse range of industry sectors.

These include - petrochemical, oil/gas, tobacco and other 'processing' industries.

The company provides total manufacturing solutions to its customers - and as well as the full complement of CNC machining capabilities - turning, milling, grinding etc - also offers fabrication and welding as well as other finishing operations, e g, painting, heat treatment, shot-blasting, assembly, etc Metaltech manufactures high-precision parts made from titanium, aluminium, mild steel, alloy steels, Inconel, Hastelloy and stainless steels (e g, 316, Duplex, etc).

Parts are usually required in low-medium volume (typically 100 off) - although the company does manufacture in batch sizes from 1-5000 off.

Part accuracy varies according to the specific job in question - but on average +/-7-8 micron tolerance is standard.

The company's latest investment in the Doosan Daewoo MX 2500 ST Mill/Turn machine reflects Metaltech's desire to increase its productivity and maintain its competitive advantage.

The MX machine provides Metaltech with improved manufacturing flexibility - from simple turning operations right through to highly complex multi-axis machining.

Whatever the manufacturing scenario - the MX 2500 is a more than capable performer.

The attraction of the MX machine to Metaltech was its ability to enable parts to be made in 'one-hit'.

The advantages of 'one-hit' machining are well known - and Metaltech is experiencing and benefiting from all of them.

Reduced time spent on job set-ups is a definite advantage as are reduced cycle times.

Improved part accuracy (due to minimal workholding and fixturing) and reduced operator intervention - also have a positive impact on performance.

Said Steve Hill, director at Metaltech: 'The decision to invest in the MX 2500 ST was a relatively easy decision to make.

Although the machine represents a significant investment for us - we know that its functionality and capability will strengthen our performance.

Even though we have only had the machine for a couple of months - it is already an indispensable part of our operation'.

The MX 2500 ST is a high-performance machine.

It has a 76mm bar working capacity and both left and right (main) motor driven spindles have 26kW 3,500 rev/min capability.

For extra productivity the MX machine has a 18.5kW 10,000 milling spindle with 40 tool magazine (B-axis with 240 deg indexing); a +/-80mm double-slide Y-axis and a 12-station driven tool bottom turret.

A multi-functional 6-axis turning centre offering heavy-duty cutting capability and high levels of accuracy has two spindles radially synchronised to provide accurate second operation milling.

In today's global economy precision manufacturers expect and demand more from their machine tools. Manufacturers need to achieve better machine utilisation to help increase work throughput, reduce production bottlenecks and improve lead times. They need machines that are capable of multi-tasking in order to increase their production capabilities and capacity - and reduce operator interventions.

And they need machines that deliver increased accuracy and repeatability, whilst offering a high level of reliability.

As a consequence more and more manufacturers are looking to invest in multi-functional machines to help them achieve these business benefits.

And more and more of these manufacturers are specifying, and relying on, Doosan Daewoo machine tool technology to help improve their competitiveness.

The Puma 2000SY is a multi-functional 6-axis turning centre designed for a multitude of machining applications (heavy-duty cutting capability and high levels of accuracy).

The machine has a powerful, high torque 15kW 4,500 rev/min main spindle with 65mm bar capacity, and a 7.5kW 6,000 rev/min sub-spindle with full C-axis control and 0.001 deg indexing.

Both spindles are radially synchronised to provide accurate machining of second operation milling operations.

The versatility of the 2000SY is increased via the machine's generous 100mm travel Y-axis function - which enables parts to be machined off centre, such as contour milling of keyways and cross milling of flats.

The 2000SY combines flexibility and power with speed.

X and Z-axis rapids are 20m/min and 24m/min respectively, and the machine's large, 12-station, heavy-duty turret achieves 0.10 second indexing - which helps reduce machine cycle times still further.

The 2000SY has a rigid design structure.

Its heavy-ribbed, torque tube cast iron construction absorbs vibration and helps reduce thermal distortion and the machine's guideways are widely-spaced and of a wrap-around type for increased rigidity and life-time accuracy.

To improve the machine's performance the 2000SY features the latest milling toolholder design with Eppinger Preci-flex face and taper contact system that delivers higher rigidity and, as a consequence, improved milling performance.

The Puma 2000SY also includes as standard an automatic parts catcher and automatic tool setter.

Precision engineering subcontractor's continued growth is down to rigorous planning, a disciplined focus and strategic investment in advanced machine tool technology.

Market-leading Poole-based specialist subcontractor - Aercomp Precision Engineering - is experiencing significant growth and has done so since its creation 8 years ago. The company, established in 1998 and now employing 17 staff, has made its name and built its reputation manufacturing high-precision complex parts for the aerospace and electronics sectors. The company's success in these demanding 'growth' sectors has not happened by chance - but rather can be explained by the tight management and control exercised over all operations by Aercomp's directors and founders - Glen Marsh and John Mulqueen.

Indeed it is the company's commitment, dedication and attention to detail that has seen Aercomp become a 'value-adding' preferred supplier in the aerospace supply chain - and explains how 70% of the company's business now comes from this sector.

It also helps explain Aercomp's full order book; a move completed two years ago to its present 8,000sft2 facility - and why the company operates a 5-day per week 24h shift system too.

Aercomp specialises in the manufacture of small series, and prototype complex aero-engine parts.

These parts, mainly made from exotic heat-resistant alloys such as inconel and Nimonic along with other difficult-to-machine materials are time consuming to manufacture - and without the sophisticated and be-spoke workholding and fixturing solutions that Aercomp specialises in producing - would be virtually impossible to manufacture commercially.

However, the workholding prowess of Aercomp is only part of the story.

In addition the company makes regular strategic and prudent investment in the latest machine tool technologies as a route to improving component accuracy, reducing lead times and driving down the cost per part.

As part of this process - Aercomp has made significant investment in Mills: Doosan Daewoo advanced turning technology.

To increase its capability and capacity Aercomp, in 2005, invested in 3 new machine tools from Mills - and now has a total of eight machines supplied by Mills at its facility along with five vertical machining centres and one other CNC lathe.

The new machine tool investments made in 2005 are as follows: * One 240 LC 2-axis lathe: The Puma 240 LC is a compact, high-performance lathe with 76mm bar working capacity, a high-torque 18.5kW 3,500 rev/min spindle and 30m/min rapid feeds.

* Two 240 MSB multi-functional turning centres: The Puma 240 MSB is a high-productivity, multi-tasking turning centre (mill-drill capability) with 65mm bar working capacity, a 15kW 4,500 rev/min main spindle and 5.5kW 6,000 rev/min sub-spindle.

All three machines have helped to increase Aercomp's manufacturing capacity and provide the company with additional production flexibility.

As stated above - aerospace precision sub-contract work accounts for some 70% of Aercomp's turnover.

The remaining 30% comes from the electronics/telecommunications sector - in particular the manufacture of precision components for ultra high-speed spindles (500,000 rev/min) used to machine minute holes and features in circuit boards.

Unlike its aerospace work which is characterised by high precision and low volume/small series manufacture - Aercomp's 'electronics'/ spindle assembly work, whilst requiring high accuracy and repeatability, is much more high-volume in nature with batch runs of 60,000 components not being uncommon.

To manage both types of work effectively - requires robust planning and first-class production/work scheduling - and a vital and constant element in the equation is access to and availability of reliable machines on the shop floor.

Said Mulqueen, director at Aercomp: 'We run a 'tight ship' here at Aercomp.

Everything is finely balanced to ensure that we optimise our production.

The additional capability we now have from our latest Doosan Daewoo machines gives us more flexibility and has presented us with opportunities to improve our performance.' He said: 'Eight years ago when we created Aercomp - the first machine we invested in was from Mills.

Since then we have always found that Mills' technology, applications help and support, after-sales services and general all-round proactive approach fits in well with our operations.''

With C and Y axes plus 12 driven tools, a twin-spindle CNC slant bed lathe has X, Y, Z axes travels of 245mm, 160mm and 710mm, as well as 710mm travel in the B axis (right-hand spindle).

The comprehensive range of turning machines offered exclusively in the UK by Ward CNC of Sheffield includes a series of high-specification yet cost-competitive Takisawa Taiwan lathes with functionality and specifications that illustrate how the machines offer 'Japanese quality at Taiwanese prices'. Takisawa Taiwan machines utilise a special one-piece, thermally balanced bed that promotes powerful and stable operation, coupled with four-track super rigid precision linear guideways and high-speed servo turrets. Fanuc 18i or 21iT CNC feature as standard, incorporating the user-friendly Manual Guide i programming functionality.

With C and Y axes plus 12 driven tools, the Takisawa Taiwan EX-910 twin-spindle CNC slant bed lathe has X, Y, Z axes travels of 245mm, 160mm and 710mm, as well as 710mm travel in the B axis (right-hand spindle).

It features full C axis capability on both spindles, and accommodates bar capacities of 75mm and 52mm (left- and right-hand spindles, respectively) to complement maximum turning diameter and length capabilities of 340mm and 660mm.

Both left- and right-hand spindles incorporate oil-cooled Fanuc built-in motor providing exceptional performance for turning and C-axis operations.

Swing over the bed is 680mm, chuck size is 255mm on both spindles, and spindle speeds are up to 3,500 rev/min from the 22/18.5kW motors on both spindles.

Driven tool speed is 4000 rev/min from a 5.5kW motor.

Rapid traverse rates are 24m/min.

As standard, the machine is supplied with auto tool setting arm, parts catcher and swarf conveyor.

Bar feed systems and collet chucks are options.

With a swing over the bed of 400mm, the Takisawa Taiwan EX-108 has a crosslide travel of 320mm and a between centres distance of 645mm.

Standard turning diameter is 216mm, and with a 203mm chuck the machine has a maximum turning diameter and length of 320mm and 530mm, respectively.

Bar capacity is 52mm and spindle speeds range from 60-4,000 rev/min (7.5/11kW) for the 12-tool turret machine.

Auto tool setting arm, parts catcher, swarf conveyor and programmable quill tailstock are standard; collet chucks and bar feed systems are options.

With C-axis and 12 driven tools, the Taiwan Takisawa EX-310 three-axis slant bed CNC lathe offers users a level of single set-up turn/mill/drill capability that is unparalleled on a cost-to-performance basis.

Swing over the bed is 495mm, between centres distance is 845mm and the maximum turning diameter and length is 350mm and 710mm, respectively.

The 75mm bar capacity machine has rapids of 20/24m/min and a spindle speed up to 3,500 rev/min from the Fanuc 15/22kW oil-cooled built-in motor providing exceptional performance for turning and C axis operations.

Driven tools speeds are 40-4,000 rev/min.

Auto tool setting arm, parts catcher and swarf conveyor are standard, and the use of the optional auto toolsetter, bar feed and robot interface systems can significantly enhance the machine's capability for the unmanned production of complex parts.

Fanuc 21iT CNC incorporating the user-friendly Manual Guide i programming functionality is standard.

The heavy-duty Takisawa Taiwan EX-122 CNC lathe is of cast iron slant bed construction combined with extra heavy duty linear guideway technology.

The long bed EX-122 universal has maximum turning lengths and diameters of 1650mm and 610mm, respectively, coupled with a 22/26kW motor producing spindle speeds from 12 to 1,200 rev/min.

(The EX-122/H variant also available offers a 30/37kW main motor, which coupled with the standard two-range geared headstock offers excellent power and torque capabilities.) The EX-122 has a swing over the bed of 910mm and 560mm over the crosslide, as well as X and Z axes strokes of 330mm and 1650mm, respectively, and a 200mm spindle bore.

Rapid traverse rates are up to 24m/min and the Fanuc 21iT CNC complements the 10-station tool turret to offer users a multitude of machining alternatives on a machine that is fitted with a 533mm (21in) three-jaw hydraulic chuck as standard.

Fanuc 21iT CNC incorporating the user-friendly Manual Guide i programming functionality, auto tool setting arm, bar feed interface and swarf conveyor are all supplied as standard; bar feed systems and steady rests are optional extras.