Restormel takes first five-axis steps

Being located in a picturesque corner of Cornwall poses no problems to Restormel Machine as the company grows its business, with customers from all over the UK recognising its ability to deliver on-time to high quality standards for turned and prismatic parts. Maintaining this reputation has been achieved through a programme of investment, with most of its extensive machine tool capacity being under three years old. The company’s purchase of an XYZ 710 vertical machining centre with five-axis capability is the latest example of meeting customer expectations.

In addition to ongoing investment in machines and people, Restormel Machine’s managing director Barry Kennett highlights other factors that have seen the business grow significantly since it was founded as an owner/operator concern over 30 years ago: “We have had a natural progression over the years based on our ethos of providing efficient service and high quality. We also took a decision not to focus on any one industry sector, which has protected us to a degree from downturns, such as that seen recently in the oil and gas sector. Above all, we are happy to throw time and effort at jobs for customers to ensure that we build relationships and that they get what they want or expect. By providing this high level of support we overcome any perceived issues with our location. The overriding factor though, is that we must invest to move our business forward. If we don’t buy better, faster, more efficient machines we will just end up going backwards.”
As an already a committed customer of XYZ Machine Tools, with nine machines installed, when Restormel Machine was approached with some new work that would benefit from five-axis machining, it turned once again to XYZ. While the UMC-5X simultaneous five-axis machining centre is the flagship of XYZ’s VMC range, Kennett didn’t feel that he was ready to go to full five-axis; space was also a limiting factor. Therefore, he looked once again at the XYZ 710 VMC, of which he already had two, one of which with fourth-axis capability.

“Five-axis was definitely the next step for us, but with the pressure on space and our experience, going with the 710 VMC with a Lehmann five-axis unit fitted was the right move. This met our immediate requirements and has also opened other opportunities to bring in five-axis work. Additionally, while the move to five-axis was a learning curve, it has also encouraged us to review existing work that we produce using three- and four-axis machines. The result is that we are finding significant improvements in cycle times.”
These savings are highlighted by one component that was machined on a combination of three- and four-axis machines; the total cycle time across the two set-ups was 2.5 hours. By transferring this part to the XYZ 710 VMC, with the Lehmann fifth axis unit, cycle time was cut to just 50 minutes. In addition to improved machining times, having the additional axis also allows single set-up machining to be carried out, bringing additional productivity gains, with work in progress reduced as parts are not waiting around for the next operation.
“Having this capability has definitely helped us to not only secure existing contracts, but win new business,” says Kennett.
Another benefit of choosing the XYZ 710 VMC is the Siemens 840D ShopMill Control. Like many businesses, finding the right skilled people is a challenge, one that Restormel is addressing through apprenticeships. The Siemens control with its ‘JobShop Concept’ helps to overcome any skill/experience issues as it is truly conversational and provides easy to understand prompts in order to create simple and complex programs in the background.
The end result can then be viewed in plan, three planes or full 3D, to provide the reassurance that a user may need.
“The control is so easy to use and straightforward enough that our operators are able to switch from other machines using different brands of control,” says Kennett. “So confident in it are we that the machine is operated on a regular basis by one of our apprentices, who is using it to advance his skills set. “When he is not at college he is setting, programming (in five axes) and operating the machine without any issues whatsoever.”

The XYZ 710 VMC installed at Restormel Machine features axis travels of 710 x 450 x 500 mm in X, Y and Z, with a table size of 760 x 430 mm, which the company makes full use of, with multiple set-ups on the table at any one time. Based on a solid cast iron structure, the machine features box slideways on all axes; the rigidity generated by this construction allows Restormel Machine to maximise available cutting-tool technology with increased cutting data. This is backed up by the 17 kW, 8000 rpm spindle, 20 m/min rapids and 24 station arm-type tool changer fitted as standard.
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

Furniture specialist chooses elite laser cutter

Goole-based Elite Office Furniture has invested in a 2D Platino Fiber Evo, laser-cutting machine from Prima Power UK.

“Our policy of making continuous investments in the latest production machinery has allowed us to produce 90% of all of our required components in-house,” says production director Rob Clarke. “This high level of autonomy allows great flexibility and helps us to provide the best possible standards of product quality and service.
“Having considered the laser-cutting machines from several leading manufacturers, we decided that the Prima Power 2D Platino Fiber Evo was the ideal model for our needs,” he adds. “A demonstration proved that the machine was easy to program, simple to operate and straightforward to integrate into our production system. We were satisfied that the Prima Power 2D Platino Fiber Evo was capable of producing high volumes of premium-quality laser-cut parts. It also helped that the Prima Power 2D Platino Fiber Evo met our environmental standards as it has very low power consumption needs and minimal consumable requirements.”
The 2D Platino Fiber Evo is provided with a series of optional suites, each dedicated to different production needs. For instance, Smart Cut, allows the rapid cutting of thin sheets of up to 5 mm and delivers reductions in cycle times of up to 30%, says Prima Power. For the fast laser cutting of medium-to-high thickness sheets, Max Cut, enables reductions in processing times up to 40%, while Night Cut, intended for use in intensive production situations, provides higher piercing and cutting process safety.
For further information www.primapower.com

New investment fast-tracks success at Gripple

When Sheffield-based Gripple UK – a specialist in wire-joining, wire-tensioning and wire-suspension systems – wanted a suitable means of manufacturing a new product, the company turned to Trumpf, its establish supplier of sheet-metal processing machinery. Duly acquiring a TruPunch 3000 to complement an existing TruPunch 1000 model installed three years ago, the machine has been set to work producing Fast Trak, Gripple’s new series of rapid trapeze brackets that are considered a breakthrough in pre-fabricated containment supports.

“Although the TruPunch 3000 is essentially dedicated to one product, it’s great to have a machine that is easy to configure as it means we can adapt to any design iterations that arise,” explains the company’s production manager David Grant. “On top of flexibility, we were also drawn to the machine’s productivity levels.”
The machine has been set to work producing parts for the 11 different sizes of the Fast Trak range. Components are punched from 2 mm thick mild steel and measure up to 1200 mm in length. Essentially, Fast Trak is a simple U-channel in shape, although some of its parts require the generation of complex forms.
“Trumpf showed us the optimum way of producing the forms using their tooling and TruTops Punch software,” states Grant.
“If we hit the anticipated sales volumes we will in all likelihood require another TruPunch 3000 to meet demand,” he adds. “As with all of our in-house manufacturing strategies, we only want to work with the best technology, as this means we get the best cycle times and the best savings.”
For further information www.uk.trumpf.com

Latest turning grades for steel

MACH will provide Sumitomo Electric Hardmetal (hall 20, stand 888) with the platform to add two grades to its AC8000P series of Absotech Platinum CVD-coated turning grades for steel.

The AC8015P and AC8035P grades are said to provide users with higher stability through improved wear resistance, reduced crater damage, improved surface smoothness and lower stress cutting due to a recently introduced patented coating process. AC8015P has been developed for higher speed, continuous cutting operations, while AC8035P has up to double the fracture resistance of traditional grades to withstand heavy interrupted cutting cycles.
For further information www.sumitomotool.com

BTA drilling expertise

Mollart (hall 20, stand 855) will focus on its expertise in BTA deep-hole drilling technology following the establishment in 2017 of its BTA Application Centre in Chessington.

This capability will be supported at the exhibition through its subcontract machining operations, which include gun drilling, BTA deep-hole drilling and multi-axis machining techniques and assembly. Visitors to the stand will be able to discuss BTA drilling technology with regional specialists representing various areas of the UK. Mollart’s subcontract capability includes multi-axis machining technology both at its 40,000 sq ft headquarters in Chessington and 21,000 sq ft production facility in Resolven. Production installations across the two sites comprise six Mazak Integrex turn-mill centres, large Doosan turn-mill centres, a range of large-capacity turning and machining centres, as well as subcontract drilling, automatic deburring, ultrasonic testing and surface finishing. The company also houses welding and fabrication facilities across
10,000 sq ft of space.
For further information www.mollart.com