Sherwood Aluminium chooses Emmegi

Emmegi (UK) has become a machinery partner to Wolverhampton-based Sherwood Aluminium, with the supply of a four-axis CNC machining centre from Tekna.
Sherwood wanted a flexible machine with a larger capacity than its existing Emmegi Comet T6HP machining centre, and needed it to be compatible with a Renishaw probe. After a comprehensive audit of Sherwood’s needs both in the immediate and longer term, Emmegi recommended the Tekna 944, which can accommodate the Renishaw probe, and has a number of other significant benefits.

The 944 is a four-axis machining centre with a mobile gantry and an 8 kW high-torque, electro spindle suitable for the heavy-duty machining of large sections of aluminium and steel. This electro spindle moves along the A axis, allowing machining through a full 180° around the section. The machine can travel up to 7000 mm in the X axis and meets Sherwood’s specific requirement of a wide workable section, with travel in the Y axis extending to a maximum of 1,070 mm. A clamp unit ensures the correct positioning of the sections, even at this extended width.
“Partnering with Emmegi on this machine has given us the best of both worlds,” states operations manager Geoff Woodfield. “We have been able to source the Tekna 944 machine from them with the ideal specification for our needs, and have the benefit of dealing direct with a dedicated, UK-based supplier with full technical and service back up.”
For further information www.emmegi.com

Pressings subcontractor brings toolmaking in-house

PAB Coventry, which produces sheet metal components, pressings and fabrications in quantities from prototypes up to 10,000 per year, has since early 2016 invested £1.5m in new machine tools, which now include a Hurco vertical machining centre. The company also bought a second and third industrial unit in Canley, increasing floor area by two-thirds.

Underpinning this expansion is strong growth in sales to the automotive sector, which accounts for 90% of turnover. TS16949-accredited PAB specialises in fabricating sub-frame pressings, bracketry and grilles, as well as assemblies such as windscreen surrounds for Aston Martin, Lotus and Triumph Motorcycles.
The company, which operates 24/7 with close to 100 employees, is also moving strongly into the rail industry and has recently used its AS9100 quality accreditation, gained through earlier military work, to win contracts in the aerospace sector.
As a result of this growth, Mark Brazier, second-generation director at the family-owned pressings subcontractor, decided to bring some of the manufacture in-house.
“We already had a smaller Hurco machining centre and one of their CNC lathes, which we bought about six years ago to help fulfil a defence contract involving manufacturing blast seats for military vehicles,” he says. “We had no hesitation in returning to the same supplier for a bigger machining centre to address our toolmaking needs.”
The three-axis Hurco VMX60Ti now produces 35% of the subcontractor’s tools, while additional duties include the manufacture of inspection fixtures and composite try-out tools, milling and drilling of large parts such as door sills, and the production of smaller components such as bosses and machine pins if the other machining centre is occupied.
For further information www.hurco.co.uk

Pressco Precision – 25 years of investing in Haas

In 1992, Dublin-based Pressco Precision Engineering purchased its first Haas machine, a VF-0 vertical machining centre, followed by a VF-1 two years later. Both machines are still a regular part of the production process and continue to hold tolerance.

Today, Pressco is a global company supplying to some of the biggest life-science companies in the world. Around 40% of work is in the healthcare sector, with much going to mainland Europe and the USA. Aerospace makes up 25%, reaching as far as China and South America. Central to this growth is the company’s relationship with Haas, with the business currently operating 23 Haas machines. In 2015 Pressco invested in a VF-5SS Super Speed vertical machining centre, followed by a UMC-750SS Super Speed five-axis machining centre in February 2017.
“Multi-axis is the future,” says the company’s Stephen Hayes. “We’ve moved up the food chain of customers and are now considered tier 1 by our major clients. Using Haas machines has cut down our handling times and reduced costs, allowing us to be more competitive when quoting.
“The 15,000 rpm UMC-750SS has halved our cycle times,” he adds. “Its full simultaneous five-axis motion is perfect for cutting complex components for our healthcare customers. Moreover, the ability to cut five faces in a single set-up means we load once and the part is finished.
It cuts the labour right down.”
First attracted by the competitive price of Haas, Hayes says it is the high level of service that brings them back each time: “The machines are very reliable, but if there is an issue, the engineer and parts arrive next day.”
For further information www.haascnc.com

Brake plant doubles production

A second automated production cell has been installed at the Tamworth factory of Alcon Components to cope with worldwide demand for its monobloc brake calipers. The calipers are machined from aluminium or lithium billet for motorsport race cars and high-performance road cars, as well as from cast iron for military vehicles.

Similar to the original automated system installed in February 2007, the latest configuration is based on a bigger Hermle five-axis vertical machining centre, a model C32U with 650 x 650 x 500 mm axis travels, reflecting the fact that brake calipers have become larger over the past decade. Supplied by Geo Kingsbury, UK agent for the German machine manufacturer, the C32U has been equipped with an Erowa Robot Easy that stores 12, 210 mm diameter pallets, which are transferred to and from the working area by a horizontally travelling load/unload arm.
As on the previous Hermle C20U, the latest five-axis machine is equipped with Blum laser tool-breakage monitoring and length setting, Renishaw part probing, an 18,000 rpm HSK63 spindle, 80-bar through-tool coolant and a 117-position tool magazine. Swarf management has also been provided, consistent with unattended machining of light alloy parts. Designs are produced in SolidWorks, while Open Mind’s HyperMill CAM software is used for creating the cutter paths prior to program transfer to the Heidenhain control.
Brake caliper production is a natural application for five-axis machining, as Alcon discovered 10 years ago. Compared with four-axis metal cutting, it is not only faster but also inherently more accurate, as approach angles can be adjusted to allow shorter and hence more rigid tool holders to access awkward component areas.
For further information www.geokingsbury.com

Foundry installs third CNC machine

The foundry at Thomas Dudley in the West Midlands is to be equipped with a third CNC machine. This latest investment, in a new Dugard XP1600 CNC machining centre, comes in response to demand, further expanding the company’s ability to quickly manufacture patterns in-house.

“At present, we are producing patterns up to 700 mm wide,” explains foundry director Mick Cramphorn: “With this investment, we’ll be able to cut approximately 1150 mm wide, larger patterns all in-house. The machine has a faster spindle, which will reach up to 15,000 rpm, offering enhanced finishes when cutting fine details such as text or texture on patterns.
“Our maximum traverse feed rate at the moment is 15 m/min, whereas installing the new machine means this will increase up to 20 m/min, which is exactly what we need for projects that require a fast turn-around,” he continues. “The combination of advanced engineering technology, a skilled team and ‘can-do’ attitude provides a high level of flexibility. Producing new patterns with the Dugard XP1600 will enable us to reduce lead times even further.”
Thomas Dudley’s new investment supports a commitment to working in partnership with existing and new customers as a value-adding, strategic engineering partner. The company says that, unlike many competitors, its foundry division can call upon automated and air-set manufacturing facilities to provide a flexible, UK-based production platform.
For further information www.dugard.com