Okuma will exhibit at this year’s Paris Air Show (Le Bourget, 17-23 June, Hall 4 E51).

The company has more than three decades of expertise in machining technology for the aerospace industry. Within Okuma’s aerospace portfolio are manufacturing solutions for many workpieces such as turbine components, gear parts, hydraulic valves and landing gear components. Okuma’s range of turn-mill machines, including the MU-V, Multus-U and VTM-YB series, are predestined for aerospace applications, while the multi-tasking Laser EX series is additionally equipped with additive manufacturing capabilities.
Aerospace manufacturers benefit from Okuma’s intelligent technologies, like its Thermo-Friendly Concept, which compensates for thermal deformation. The benefit is dimensional stability during long-term machining operations. Furthermore, with the use of ‘Dynamic Tool Load Control’, costs can be reduced by allowing the use of cheap tooling inserts for machining difficult-to-cut materials like titanium.
Visitors to the Paris Air Show will have the opportunity to discuss the latest technological trends with Okuma experts, and are welcome to experience the company’s IoT solution Connect Plan. This software-based system provides analytics for improved utilisation by connecting machine tools and providing visual control of factory operations and machining.
Okuma traditionally puts a special focus on dedicated applications for the aerospace industry, and maintains three global Aerospace Centres of Excellence in Krefeld (Germany), Charlotte (USA) and Oguchi (Japan). All three facilities offer demonstrations of the specific solutions in operation and are open to interested visitors all year round.
For further information www.okuma.eu

Hartlepool subcontractor JJ Hardy & Sons, which specialises in supplying the rail and energy sectors, has replaced an ageing lathe with a Genos L3000e turn-mill centre built by Okuma, Japan, supplied through sole UK and Ireland agent, NCMT.

The first job on the machine, which involved turning and milling a batch of parts from brass bar, resulted in each component emerging from the lathe 26% faster than previously.
More recently, a batch of 400 components turned and drilled from 40 mm diameter mild-steel bar showed an almost identical saving. Each part previously took 225 seconds to produce and is now completed in 165 seconds on the Okuma. The one minute reduction per part translates into more than six and a half hours saved, an economy that allowed the subcontractor to hold the price for the customer.
Andrew Pailor, JJ Hardy’s managing director since 2002, says: “With material costs going up all the time, purchasing new machinery to bring cycle times down is helping us to increase our competitiveness and win new business. We identified a requirement for another turn-mill solution and recognised Okuma as the leading manufacturer of machinery to fill that need. We did not think we could afford one, but NCMT’s help made it possible.”
The Genos L3000e has box sideways in X and Z to support heavy cutting, while the NC tailstock runs on a linear guide. A total of 12 live tools in the turret have up to 7 kW of power for prismatic metal cutting in conjunction with the C-axis spindle.
Pailor concludes: “The Genos L3000e is an operator-friendly machine that simplifies cleaning, filtration and maintenance. It is a one-saddle lathe that is strong and compact, ideal for cutting a wide range of exotic materials with ease.”
For further information www.ncmt.co.uk

Liberty, part of GFG Alliance, a global industrial, metals and energy group, has announced its investment in a £10m global technology centre in Leamington Spa.

By the beginning of 2020, in time for the 100th anniversary of the start of automotive production at the site, all of Liberty’s design and manufacturing for braking systems – currently in an adjacent plant – will be transferred to the modern facility, which will also become home to its wider research, design and product development activities.
Among the advanced manufacturing equipment will be £5m of new CNC lathes, machining centres and other equipment bought since the acquisition of 920E (originally Automotive Products). The investment includes two Traub turning centres built in Germany and supplied through Kingsbury, which have raised to eight the number of Traub turning machines on site.
First of the latest lathes to arrive in Leamington was a 32 mm bar capacity TNL 32, which has the notable ability to be changed over quickly from sliding-head to fixed-head operation. The second machine to arrive was a TNX 65, another twin-spindle, twin-turret turn-mill lathe but for fixed-head turning only, which is capable of producing parts from bar up to 65 mm diameter.
Production group leader, Bill Dhesi says: “The latest Traub machines produce parts more than 25% faster than the existing models due to their higher spindle speeds, faster axis movements, quicker turret indexing and higher power driven tooling.”
Many of the components find their way into brake systems, calipers and actuation products for marques such as JLR, Mini, Morgan and other major automotive brands. The parts are supplied to production lines mainly in the UK and to outlets for aftermarket sale.
For further information www.kingsburyuk.com