Waterjet cuts costs at valve specialist

Hobbs Precision Engineering, a subcontract machining business that primarily manufactures components for Hobbs Valve, has recently invested in an Optima 320 twin head waterjet machine from Kerf Developments.

Revealing why the company opted for a waterjet machine, Hobbs Precision Engineering’s machine shop manager Craig Llywellyn says: “We identified that we could produce over 1500 clamp-ring parts in-house every year, something that would reduce our subcontract reliance, valve unit costs and improve overall production scheduling and lead-times – and waterjet was the only feasible option. Laser or plasma cutting would introduce heat, which would impact the properties and conformity of our parts. We investigated the options and the Kerf Optima 320 had the best build quality, software, productivity performance and value for our business.”
The clamp-ring components are manufactured from aluminium bronze and a range of stainless steels that vary from 316 to super duplex, with dimensions from 50 to 1200 mm diameter, in thicknesses from 4 to 12 mm.
“By bringing the production of clamp-ring parts in-house, we have reduced our subcontracting costs by over £30,000 per year,” says Llywellyn. “Furthermore, we have gained greater control over our processes and quality, while reducing the lead-time for these parts from four weeks to just one day. Triple offset butterfly valves are bespoke products that are not volume manufactured, so the ability to stock material and produce clamp rings when required gives us the flexibility and reaction time required for components which are produced in volumes from 1 to 10-off.”
Hobbs Precision Engineering has also applied the machine to the production of end plates for the butterfly valves, a move which has reduced subcontracting costs by an additional £20,000 per annum.
For further information www.kerfdevelopments.com

MTC events division celebrates success

The Manufacturing Technology Centre’s events and conferencing division – MTC Events – is celebrating after turning over more than £2.6m in just two years.

Profits from MTC Events are put back into the manufacturing apprenticeship programmes at the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre (AMTC) at Ansty Park, Coventry.
MTC Events has seen significant growth over the past 18 months, and has hosted events for major manufacturers and business organisations covering the manufacturing, aerospace and construction sectors, and related supply chains. The facilities available are capable of hosting events of up to 500 people, down to boardroom-sized meetings.
For further information www.the-mtc.org

Large-capacity VMC installed

Tamworth-based bespoke work-holding systems supplier and precision machining specialist – Brown & Holmes – has recently invested in a large-capacity Doosan three-axis vertical machining centre from Mills CNC.

The machine, a Fanuc controlled Mynx 9500, was installed at one of Brown & Holmes’ two facilities in May 2018, and is the third new Doosan machine acquired by the company in the past four years.
Brown and Holmes’ decision to invest in the Mynx 9500 was made, primarily, as a direct result of a growing order book and the anticipation of a new business contract to machine precision components for a defence sector customer. To machine the parts, made from titanium plate, to
the accuracies and surface finishes required, and hit the lead times demanded by the customer, the company realised that it needed to invest in additional in-house milling capacity.
Says Kevin Ward, Brown & Holmes’ joint managing director: “We investigated the market and discussed our requirements with a select number of machine tool suppliers.”
The new machine tool checklist drawn up by Brown & Holmes contained a number of ‘must haves’ that focused not just on technical specifications and cost, but on the quality and responsiveness of aftersales services and support.
“The Mynx 9500 is a brute of a machine, and is inherently versatile,” says Ward. “Its large working envelope means we can machine large components, as well as small parts, while its spindle technology ensures improved cycle times and the trouble-free machining of difficult-to-machine materials like titanium. The size, power and versatility of the machine makes it ideal for producing one-offs and small batches, and for parts requiring long machining runs.”
For further information www.millscnc.co.uk

Plug and play capability

Schwäbische Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH (SW), a specialist in challenging, workpiece-specific production systems for metalworking, is expanding its portfolio with a third plug-and-play-capable manufacturing cell.

The complete system consists of a BA3 series two-spindle horizontal five-axis machining centre, a loading module with integrated six-axis robot, and a vertical pallet storage unit for raw and finished parts.
SW’s latest module enables loading and unloading of the machining centre in parallel to machining time, and is completely integrated with the basic machine at the company’s plant. This process makes it possible to achieve especially short start-up times at the customer site. The machine, robot and workpiece storage system are designed as a crane hook solution to meet specific customer needs. Overhead robot mounting in the loading module provides more freedom of motion. The pallet storage is offset to the side, thus also allowing for manual loading of tools into the machine while requiring very little space. A maximum storage of 24 pallets (600 x 400 mm) can be offered.
Under the motto “Be Pro”, the machine made its exhibition debut at the recent AMB 2018 exhibition, where it could be seen producing electronics housings for an electric drive.
SW has also developed its own Cloud solution. The SW CloudPlatform gives customers transparent and user-friendly access to the machine information and process data of their machining centres. Continuous performance monitoring of machining centres ensures greater transparency over the entire manufacturing process.
For further information www.sw-machines.de

Further evolution of Droop + Rein gantry mills

Starrag has announced a world first in Droop + Rein vertical milling centres with the launch of three machines – led by the FOGS HD “which takes heavy-duty cutting to the next level” – and the NEO update of existing series machines.

The latest developments and updates all involved existing machine designs and complete the Droop + Rein product range of large vertical milling centres. Of overhead gantry design are the newly developed FOGS HD and updated FOGS NEO/N40 machines; of floor-guided gantry design are the latest GS and GFS NEO/N40 models; and of portal design are the updated TS and TFS NEO/N40 machines.
Following Starrag’s philosophy of modular design, the FOGS HD with hydrostatic guideways can be supplied with a choice of control systems, table configurations, milling heads, tool-changing system and spindles – rated up to 100 kW/7500 Nm – to satisfy even the most demanding tasks asked of its X, Y and Z axes travels of 31, 6 and 2.5 m, respectively. Feed rates are 40 m/min in X and Y, and 20 m/min in Z.
Droop + Rein’s evolutionary update of its milling technologies is exemplified by the machines with the NEO designation, and this work includes a newly devised rack and pinion drive system for the ram (Z axis) and an integrated C axis design of ±400° using a torque drive.
The enhancements to the NEO machines’ main milling drive – which utilises the multi-functionality of a 40 kW main spindle drive and head change, and are designated as N40 models – include a newly developed main drive motor and two-stage gearbox that can now be extended to 60 kW and 1800 Nm in S6 mode.
For further information www.starrag.com