Prototyping, rapid manufacturing and industrial model-making specialist, Ogle Models and Prototypes of Letchworth has taken delivery of its first five-axis machining centre, a Hurco VMX42SRTi with B-axis spindle head and flush rotary table. The machine features a 60-station tool changer, as premiered at the MACH 2026 exhibition in Birmingham earlier this year, rather than a standard 40-station version to allow extended periods of unattended production. The extra tool capacity also lends itself to the retrofitting of robotic automation, should it be necessary in the future.
Ogle invested in the advanced machining centre to gain maximum flexibility within a compact footprint for producing large, complex 3D shapes without the need for multiple set ups.
The VMX42SRTi offers a 12,000 rpm, 36.5 kW motor spindle with integrated chiller, 20‑bar through‑spindle coolant, direct drives in the B and C rotary axes, and linear scales in X, Y and Z. An advantage of the SRTi configuration is that, when five‑axis machining is unrequired, the machine functions as a three- or four‑axis machining centre utilising the entire working envelope. This flexibility is particularly valuable in mixed‑production environments.
Continuous investment by Ogle in modern production technology complements a long history of engineering excellence that dates back to the company’s founding in 1954. With more than 70 years of experience, Ogle serves as a key development partner across the product design, film, architecture, aerospace, defence, medical and automotive sectors.
This latest five-axis delivery builds on an ongoing partnership with Hurco that began in 2017 when Ogle acquired its first machine from this supplier, a VM30i three-axis model. Over subsequent years, the facility integrated two additional Hurco machining centres into its production, including an extended-travel VMX42Ti.
More information www.hurco.com/gb
