Hurco supports rebirth of Brough Superior

The Brough Superior, a classic British motorcycle designed by George Brough in 1919 and manufactured in Nottingham, was of such high quality it was dubbed the Rolls-Royce of motorcycles. One famous customer, TE Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), owned eight and died in 1935 from injuries sustained when he crashed number seven.

In 2014, the Brough Superior brand was purchased by a Jersey-registered corporation, which engaged Thierry Henriette to create a Brough Superior factory near Toulouse, France. The factory produces luxury motorcycles at the pinnacle of exclusivity and distinction. Although production is in France, the British spirit of design has been maintained through a joint venture with Aston Martin to create the AMB 001 Pro, a limited-edition, high-performance motorcycle.

To support the R&D process, it was necessary to bring in-house the manufacture of certain complex prismatic components. A Hurco VMX42SRTi five-axis VMC was chosen due to its ability to achieve the accuracy and surface finish required. It is also able to accept 3D models directly into the proprietary WinMax control, which is renowned for its suitability for high-mix, low-volume production. Additionally, and most importantly, the machine enables the manufacturer to go even further in the customisation of motorcycles for its discerning clientele, offering different machining finishes and engraving possibilities, and assuring high component quality.

The VMC also supports CNC machining of a new dual-cylinder, 997cc engine for the AMB 001 Pro. Manufactured from solid aluminium billet, the engine is lighter, stiffer and more powerful than in previous Brough Superior bikes. As well as powering the AMB 001 Pro, the engine has been designed to fit perfectly into contemporary versions of the classic Lawrence and Dagger motorcycles. The majority of metal removal and finishing is completed in a single set-up on the Hurco VMX42SRTi.

More information www.hurco.co.uk

Kern machine automates production at WLR

With a skills shortage in the manufacturing industry, WLR Precision Engineering had a burning desire to automate its high-precision production while maintaining the skill levels of its qualified engineering team. The opportunity to increase throughput, precision, quality and consistency prompted the Wilford-based subcontractor to purchase a five-axis Kern Micro Vario machining centre with an Erowa Compact 80 automated pallet loading system from Rainford Precision.

Located just south of Nottingham, WLR undertakes everything from prototype work to small and medium batches for manufacturers in the oil exploration, medical and pharmaceutical sectors, to name but a few. As a company ‘dedicated to precision’, the ISO9001-certified manufacturer is already an existing Kern user, installing a Pyramid Nano machining centre in 2013.

Discussing why WLR invested in its second Kern machine, the automated Kern Micro Vario, WLR managing director Kevin Callon says: “One of my regrets was not having some form of automation on the Pyramid Nano when we first bought it, despite having the option. There was no way we would have bought another Kern without some form of automated loading to maximise the running hours of the machine.”

With an 80-component Erowa pallet loading system and a 90-position automatic tool change, the Kern Micro Vario was the perfect solution. It enables WLR to run production continuously ‘lights-out’ while utilising the existing Pyramid Nano for smaller batch runs and one-offs during daytime working hours.

“The consistency of the components produced on the new Kern is amazing, with repeatability to the micron,” states Callon. “In fact, the precision is so impeccable that we now channel as much work as possible through the Kern Micro Vario.”

More information www.rainfordprecision.com

Pentzold opts for Heckert machining centres

Holger Pentzold, who learnt his trade at Heckert, has since remained loyal to the Heckert brand in his own company: “I know what Heckert machines are capable of, and I can rely on them 100%.” His company, Pentzold Metallbearbeitung und Musterfertigung (PMM), a service provider for precision machining, is based at the ITC – the Chemnitz Industry and Technology Centre near Heckert’s parent company Starrag GmbH.

“We primarily manufacture series parts with varying batch sizes of 10 to 15,000, but also prototypes,” says Pentzold. “Our in-house fixture and tool construction and a modular system for clamping fixtures allow us to react quickly and flexibly to customer requirements.”

He adds: “We mainly machine gearbox housings, chassis and engine parts, and hydraulic components made of steel and cast materials, so we need very stable, reliable machines. As a contract manufacturer, flexibility and long-term accuracy are paramount.”

The reason the machining professional repeatedly buys Heckert machining centres is quite apparent. PMM has been located the Chemnitz Technology Park (ITC) since 1999, right next to the Starrag plant.

“Nevertheless, we research the market for alternatives before almost every investment,” explains Pentzold. “But it’s all in vain – we have repeatedly decided on universally applicable Heckert horizontal machining centres.”

This was also the case in 2018 when the entrepreneur started automated production with the then newly developed Heckert H50 compact machining centre with an integrated six-pallet system. In 2022, Pentzold and his team invested in a Heckert HEC 630, automated with an Erowa Loadmaster shelving system with 21 pallets.

It is a significant purchase in every respect. The HEC 630 works with 630 mm pallets and produces components up to 1500 kg in weight, up to 1550 mm in diameter and up to 1250 mm in height.

More information www.starrag.com

Precision machining at fast processing speeds

Mills CNC has recently supplied AEP Precision Engineering, a precision engineering specialist and the CNC machining subsidiary of parent company Smith Metal Fabrications, with a new vertical machining centre from DN Solutions. The fourth-generation DNM 5700 is one of Mills CNC’s most popular three-axis machining centres and was installed at AEP Precision’s Newhaven machine shop in May 2024.

The machine, supplied with a 4th-axis unit to increase its versatility and help realise its productivity potential, has been positioned adjacent to the company’s first DNM 5700 machine tool investment – a second-generation three-axis model acquired in 2020. Together, these machines provide the company with a flexible CNC milling resource that is capable of meeting AEP Precision’s immediate and future machining requirements.

Since installation, the latest DNM 5700 has been put through its paces machining a range of complex, high-precision components from materials that include mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium, brass, bronze, copper and engineering plastics. A specific job involved the machining of 20 decorative metal rosettes for a pair of replacement doors for Trafalgar House in London.

The rosettes, a number of which were missing or were damaged, were originally made in the 1800s from bronze castings. Using AEP Precision’s reverse engineering skills and expertise – as well as its 3D scanning technologies – the company was able to manufacture a series of cost-effective replacement rosettes machined on the new DNM 5700 from solid aluminium billets.

Says David Mayers, director at Smith Metal Fabrications: “The addition of the 4th-axis unit has been really beneficial and means we can now machine complex, high-precision components in a single set up. Reducing ‘stop-start’ production and the time and expense associated with re-fixturing jobs has improved our productivity and efficiency.”

More information www.millscnc.co.uk

CNC machine improves toolroom productivity

Sustainable injection moulding specialist Great Central Plastics (GCP), which is committed to continuous improvement, has strengthened its in-house toolroom’s machining capabilities by investing in a new three-axis vertical machining centre from MACH Machine Tools. The machine’s arrival has had a direct and immediate impact on the company’s toolroom productivity, improving floor-to-floor times and optimising process efficiencies.

The machine, a DynaPath-controlled MACH MDV 855-S, was installed at GCP’s facility in Northamptonshire in December 2024, and is the first production-oriented CNC machine tool acquired by the company in its 27-year history.

Post installation, the machine has been put through its paces producing a range of high-precision mould tool components that include bolsters, plates, cavities, core inserts and supporting fixtures for GCP’s custom-designed and built mould tools. The machine was selected after conducting cutting trials at MACH’s Bristol facility.

Says Phil Brown, GCP’s toolroom manager: “We were impressed with the machine’s ability to deliver the accuracies, surface finishes and processing speeds we need.”

MACH Machine Tools’ MACH MDV 855-S features the DynaPath CNC control with a 15.6” LCD touchscreen. It can be used for conversational and ISO programming, and has 8 GB of memory and a 10,000 block look-ahead capability for fast and smooth contouring and profiling. The control also enables customers to access MACH’s 24/7 (Wi-Fi) remote service and support facility for real-time diagnostics, troubleshooting and applications advice.

“The remote assistance function is really useful, and I’ve had occasion to use it when I had an issue with the machine’s tool changer,” says Brown. “I’d made a programming error but, after logging into our company’s account was able, via the ‘What’s App’ link, to talk directly with MACH’s technical support staff to solve the problem quickly.”

More information www.machmt.co.uk