Bearing giants opt for SIC Marking solutions

To prevent counterfeiting, SIC Marking says that an increasing number of the world’s largest bearing manufacturers are adopting its traceability solutions. For instance, the company recently supplied a solution to a major Swedish ball bearing manufacturer that wanted to mark an alphanumeric and Data Matrix code on steel bearings with diameters ranging from 150 to 600 mm. SIC Marking’s customised station is equipped with an IPG 50W laser for marking on the bearing face, and an IPG 3D laser – automatically controlled in two axes – that is capable of marking on the part radius. SIC also integrated a proof-reading system.

For further information
www.sic-marking.co.uk

MRT ‘turns the tables’ on Brother machines

Established in 1947, MRT Castings specialises in the manufacture of high-quality aluminium die castings. In addition to regularly investing in the most up-to-date casting technologies, the progressive family business has introduced a range of complementary end-to-end services over the past 70 years. Along with state-of-the-art high-pressure and gravity die casting, the Andover-based company now provides tool making, surface finishing, mechanical assembly and, not least, a comprehensive CNC machining provision.

The mainstay of MRT Castings’ impressive machining facility is its collection of Brother CNC vertical machining centres supplied by Whitehouse Machine Tools. MRT’s policy of standardising on machines from a single supplier provides enhanced flexibility, as both operators and products are interchangeable between machines.

Additional benefits include the use of standardised fixtures, tooling and CNC rotary tables.
Having previously used two well-known brands of CNC rotary tables, following advice from Whitehouse Machine Tools, the company’s most recently installed Brother VMCs feature PL Lehmann CNC rotary tables.

MRT Castings’ managing director Phil Rawnson says: “We are able to support our customers from initial ideas, through product development and design for manufacture stages, to full production and logistics. Our extensive in-house CNC machining facilities are at the very core of our operations. To help ensure short lead times and the manufacture of premium quality products we use a range of Brother machine tools, the fastest machining centres available.

“Such is the quality and cost-effective nature of our CNC provision, in addition to machining die castings that are produced in our own foundry, we also machine components cast by other companies,” continues Rawnson. “As we usually perform small-to-medium production runs on a diverse range of products, we need each of our machine tools to deliver the best possible levels of flexibility, while also striving to maximise machine utilisation times and minimise set-up times. Over several years, our use of rotary tables has made important contributions in these areas.”

As many of the components manufactured at MRT Castings are relatively complex, without the use of rotary tables the company would need to perform two or three different machining operations, rather than producing parts in one hit. The ability to finish components in a single cycle means that MRT does not face the issues related to the accurate relocation of workpieces for subsequent machining operations.

“Over the past 12 months we’ve been involved in the casting and machining of critical parts that were urgently needed for medical ventilators,” explains Rawnson. “To help keep pace with this challenging production schedule we brought the planned purchase of six Brother vertical machining centres forward, bringing our current Brother VMC count up to 25 machines. To provide highly efficient four-axis capabilities, each of our latest six Brother VMCs feature rotary tables from PL Lehmann, which has provided us with a range of advantages.

He adds: “Despite our Lehmann CNC rotary tables being extremely robust and able to perform all the tasks we require, when compared with our previous rotary tables they are relatively small. Their reduced footprints mean that, when mounted inside our Brother VMCs, they take-up minimal area. In addition to releasing machine bed space for other work holding, the reduced size of Lehmann CNC rotary tables means that, when they are not required, they can often remain inside our VMCs while other machining operations take place. Additionally, the reduced height of Lehmann CNC rotary tables helps to increase the available working volume of our machines.

“As well as benefiting from the quality of Lehmann’s products, we received excellent installation and interface help from Whitehouse Machine Tools and PL Lehmann’s UK service agent. The machining flexibility, precision and speed delivered by our Lehmann rotary tables is now proving invaluable to MRT Castings.”

PL Lehmann has been involved in the design and manufacture of high-quality rotary tables for over four decades. The in-depth expertise gained throughout this time is reflected in the quality of the company’s products. To help reduce parts and enable the availability of Swiss quality at a cost-effective price, Lehmann rotary tables are based on a novel modular design system. This highly efficient arrangement enables the availability of a wide range of CNC rotary table options to meet customer needs.

Four sizes of Lehmann CNC rotary tables are available – 507, 510, 520 and 530 mm – with centre heights from 110 to 240 mm. Due to the company’s modular design approach, from these size options it is possible to offer more than 170 different rotary table variants. Models are available from basic single-spindle 4th axis units, to four-spindle tilting rotary tables with 4th and 5th axis capabilities. Now, rather than compromise and obtain a rotary table that represents a close match to a machining requirement, Lehmann customers are able to take delivery of a high-quality CNC rotary table that corresponds exactly to their specific needs.

In addition, the company’s modular design system means that the purchase of a well-engineered Lehmann CNC rotary table represents a safe, future-proof investment. For example, if a customer’s manufacturing requirements change, instead of investing in a new rotary table, the existing Lehmann CNC unit can be easily modified and adapted to changes in use.

Lehmann’s standardised spindle arrangement allows the use of an extremely wide range of workpiece clamping systems. As a result, in addition to standard work holding being set-up for an initial workpiece range, the system can quickly convert to accommodate other workpieces.

PL Lehmann says that its heavy-duty CNC rotary tables have earned a global reputation for performance, quality and longevity. Further aiding efficient, precision machining, the company’s robust products benefit from high clamping torque, load weight capabilities and accuracy specifications.

For further information
www.lehmann-rotary-tables.com

Arcot makes five-axis investment

Cramlington-based Arcot Engineering has upgraded its capabilities by investing in a Yamazaki Mazak CV5-500 five-axis machining centre, which Mazak says is suited to engineering companies making their first move into five-axis work.

Kevin Graham, machine shop manager at Arcot Engineering, says: “We have a long history of working with vertical machining centres, but we’ve had ambitions to move into more complex and lucrative five-axis work for some time. The CV5-500 is priced at a very competitive level for subcontract manufacturers like ourselves, but still has the usual Mazak build quality.”

Arcot has developed a strong reputation manufacturing parts for a variety of industries, with particular strength in oil and gas, torque tension tools and hydraulics.

“Our new five-axis capabilities mean we can perform multiple tasks on one machine, which in turn reduces set-up times,” says Steve Mason, machine shop-floor manager. “We’re now doing three, four or five phases of a job in one set up, while also reducing cycle times by a minimum of 30% thanks to the 12,000 rpm main spindle. This machine is going to make us much more competitive.”
The move into more complex five-axis work was aided by Mazak, which provided a full week of off-site training.

“The CV5-500 is programmed using Mazak’s own SmoothX control,” says Mason. “I’ve never run a Mazak before but I’ve found the programming to be really easy and very user-friendly.”

Alan Mucklow, Mazak UK’s managing director – sales and service, adds: “Five-axis is a more complex type of machining, but Arcot Engineering are showing what’s possible when a company has the ambition to try and the will to make it work.”

For further information
www.mazakeu.co.uk

Pumping up the volume

Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland, has recently supplied high-end audio equipment design and manufacturing specialist, Linn Products, with a customised SYNERGi automated manufacturing cell.

The state-of-the-art cell, installed at the company’s 7200 sq m facility in Glasgow, represents a significant investment for Linn and comprises a new Heidenhain-controlled Doosan DVF 5000 five-axis machining centre and a Fanuc six-axis industrial robot with 45 kg payload. Other features include an integrated racking system that holds up to 24 standard size pallets, 2 m high safety caging/fencing and a 17” touchscreen HMI driven by Mills’ proprietary SYNERGi software. The cell is already running unattended overnight and at weekends

“Our high-end products are machined from solid aluminium,” states director of operations Chris O’Brien. “Product interiors are ‘hollowed out’ and feature a number of chambers, separated by thin walls, where electrical and electronic components are housed. We machine product exteriors to a mirror finish using a large diameter fly cutter that face mills the entire surface in one pass to produce a uniform finish.”

He continues: “We rely on our Doosan machining centres to deliver fast and accurate material removal rates and super-fine finishes. Metal removal on premium products can be in excess of 80%, while part cycle times, owing to roughing, semi-finishing and finishing operations, can take several hours to complete.

“The DVF 5000 machine is a proven performer. It is fast, accurate, flexible and reliable. When in automatic mode the machine’s side door is used, but we can also use it in manual mode via the front door. This means we can use the DVF 5000 as a stand-alone machine when required.”

For further information
www.millscnc.co.uk

Space rover gets ‘scientific eyes’

The European Space Agency’s Rosalind Franklin Rover is due for launch from Baikonur, Kazakhstan in summer 2022, with a target to land on the surface of Mars in March 2023. Once there it will set about identifying signs of water-rich minerals, which could indicate past life. Key to these investigations will be the optical bench which, as the ‘eyes’ of the rover will contain two stereo cameras, a mono high-definition camera and array of electronics. Known as the ‘Pan Cam’ this device was developed and manufactured by the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, the home of UCL’s Department for Space & Climate Physics.

The optical bench comprises a box with separate top and bottom, machined from 5083 grade aluminium, which are joined together using electron beam welding techniques. Machining was completed at the laboratory’s workshop in Surrey using an XYZ MiniMill, the smallest vertical machining centre available from XYZ Machine Tools.

Due to the complex design, there were some extremely fine details to machine, such as an O-ring groove around the lid, measuring just 0.35 mm wide, as well as numerous M1.6 threaded holes.
The success of this project convinced Simon Hemsley – head of the mechanical workshop – of the value and flexibility provided by machining centres with tool-change capabilities. So much so that an order has just been placed for an XYZ 500 LR linear rail vertical machining centre. This machine, which has been part funded through the Government’s Research Capital Investment Fund, comes with the latest Siemens 828D control featuring the optional advanced programming software package that includes ShopMill technology.

For further information
www.xyzmachinetools.com