Complete tooling solutions from ITC

UK cutting tool manufacturer, Industrial Tooling Corporation (Hall 20, Stand 555) is once again demonstrating the ‘Best of British’. The company is introducing a host of new solid-carbide and PCD tooling innovations, as well as launching the latest product lines from Widia, Big Kaiser, Kemmler and Bass.

For instance, from the Big Kaiser portfolio is the Mega Synchro tapping chuck. The new chuck has a special function built-in to compensate for synchronisation errors that may occur during rigid tapping. With more than 60 body types and 193 tap holders, the diverse portfolio enables the end user to select combinations between the fixture and tap holder that provide the optimal cantilever length for any machine and processing scenario.

For further information
www.itc-ltd.co.uk

Debut for Matsuura five-axis machining centres

Matsuura Machinery (Hall 20, Stand 442) is giving an exhibition debut to its MAM72-52V and MX-420 PC10 five-axis CNC machining centres. Designed from the ground up, the Matsuura MAM72-52V is a “factory in one machine” equipped with 130 tools on a 330 tool magazine base and a proven tower pallet system for extended lights-out manufacturing. Furthermore, following the success of the MX-330 PC10 and responding to customer demand, Matsuura has developed its big brother: the fully automated five-axis MX-420 PC10, with larger capacity and workload.

For further information www.matsuura.co.uk

New-generation horizontal machining centres

Heller Machine Tools (Hall 20, Stand 130), whose factory in Redditch produces selected four-axis and five-axis horizontal machining centres for world markets, is showing for the first time in the UK its second-generation HF 3500 five-axis model, as well as the fourth generation of its H-series four-axis HMCs. In addition, Heller is shining the spotlight on Heller4Industry, the group’s worldwide drive towards integration of its machine tools and controls into the Industry 4.0 environment so that customers can gain maximum advantage from increased productivity and accuracy.

For further information
www.heller.biz

Start-up subcontractor selects Citizen

Stellar Precision Components is boosting capacity at its Bishop’s Stortford facility through investment in a Cincom L20-VIIILFV from Citizen Machinery. The machine joins two existing Cincom models on site, an L32-VIIILFV and
an A20-VII.

Glenn Poleykett began his career in manufacturing in 2006 at his uncle’s firm, making components for darts on Cincom sliding-head and Miyano fixed-head mill-turn centres. He quickly realised that sliding-head lathes with driven tooling were capable of producing virtually any part, provided that it was from 32 mm diameter bar or smaller.

Today, much of the subcontractor’s throughput is destined for the aerospace, medical, electrical connector and pneumatics industries. Batch sizes range from 10 to 40,000 parts and the factory operates 24/7, with two manned shifts per day and three hours of lights-out operation during the early hours of the morning. Operator attendance is necessary for a majority of the time as many of the components that the subcontractor produces are of very high accuracy, from a general tolerance of ±0.1 mm, down to ±5 µm.

The new L20-VIIILFV has Citizen LFV (low-frequency vibration) chip-breaking functionality on both the main and sub spindle, whereas on earlier models it features only on the main spindle.

“LFV is programmable via G-codes to start and stop during any program, breaking what would normally be stringy swarf into smaller chips that cannot wrap around the tool or component,” explains managing director Poleykett.

When turning and drilling 304 or 316 stainless, aluminium, copper or plastic, Poleykett always switches on the LFV function for at least part of the cycle as it has the effect of improving production output through not having to stop the machine for swarf clearance.

For further information
www.citizenmachinery.co.uk

Major turning centre launch

Hurco (Hall 20, Stand 510) is launching a new range of four driven-tool CNC turning centres. The models include 8-inch and 10-inch chuck versions with the option of a programmable W axis to position the tailstock or sub-spindle. One model, the TMX8MYSi, is on show for the first time in the UK. The new TMX turning centres offer higher specification and performance than the established TMi and TMMi models. Major differences include higher power and speed, plus a larger, heavier machine frame and the addition of a Y axis in addition to the W axis to allow more versatile machining. The servo-driven turret carries 12 VDI 40 radial tools, rather than axial tools as on the TMMi range. Each station provides a peak output of 6.3 kW and 5000 rpm.

For further information
www.hurco.co.uk