NTG invests in more five-axis capacity

NTG has put its first machine into a new facility in Gateshead and at the same time increased its five-axis machining capacity.The subcontract manufacturer remains on the Team Valley Trading Estate in Gateshead, but has massively increased the size of its premises, up to 45,000 sq ft, from 18,000 sq ft.The first machine into the new facility is a new Mazak VariAxis i-800 NEO.

Mike Hutchinson, group managing director at NTG Holdings, says the investment in both the new facility and the new machining technology opens up opportunities for his company: “Our five-axis capability has become a bottleneck due to demand from customers for this type of complex work. The new machine will enable us to offer shorter lead times by reducing the restrictions around our five-axis work.”

The VariAxis i-800 NEO is a five-axis vertical machining centre that delivers advanced high-speed multiple-surface machining in a large machining area. It will be followed by another 50 machines that will be transferred to the new facility in the coming weeks, including Mazak turning centres, Integrex multi-tasking machines and vertical machining centres.

“We’ve increasingly diversified the business from its roots as predominantly a tooling and oil and gas focused supplier,” explains Hutchinson.“We now operate across defence, food production, energy, subsea, electric vehicles and renewables. The new facility will give us the footprint to be able to continue to grow and service all our sectors, while also giving us the footprint to introduce more capacity and new technologies in the future.”

Mazak has been a long-time partner for NTG, helping the company make the move into complex five-axis work more than a decade ago.
For further information www.mazakeu.co.uk

New entry-level five-axis machining centre

At the recent DMG Mori open house held at the machine tool manufacturer’s Pfronten factory in Germany, a new five-axis machining centre was launched aimed at the entry-level market. Less than 2 m wide, the compact, competitively priced DMU 40 is capable of fully interpolative five-axis machining to within microns inside a 550 x 450 x 420 mm working volume.

Of trunnion-mounted rotary table design, the machine is based on the DMU 50 3rd Generation, of which more than 10,000 have been sold worldwide.The one-piece machine bed is made from grey cast iron, while the optimised geometry of the Y- and Z-axis slideways and the inline spindle with hydraulic clamping further ensure high rigidity. In addition, direct-drive ballscrews in the X and Y axes improve surface quality. For machining flexibility, the swivel range of the B axis extends from -35° to 110°.

The ergonomic design of the DMU 40 offers optimal accessibility to the work area. Table loading height is 800 mm and the distance from the operator to the table centre is short, while it is also possible to load components by crane. A large window and improved lighting provide good visibility. Optionally, the tool magazine may be loaded from the front.

There are three machine options with different equipment packages to meet individual requirements. The standard DMU 40 has a 12,000 rpm spindle and 24-position tool magazine, while the DMU 40 PLUS features a 15,000 rpm spindle and a tool magazine with 30 pockets, linear scales and passive cooling of all main components. Finally, the DMU 40 PRO is the most accurate and productive model, with active cooling and a 20,000 rpm spindle.
For further information www.dmgmori.com

GM CNC unveils heavy-duty machining centre

According to GM CNC,unparalleled stability and rigidity are the foundation blocks of the new VictorVcenter G-series range, which offers high material removal rates for applications where manufacturers are processing particularly challenging materials.

The three-axis G series is available in a trio of sizes to meet diverse demands. Unlike its competitors in the mid-sized VMC market segment, the G-series incorporates a meehanite casting with a wide base A-frame design, a wide span column, four boxways and screw removers with a wide boxway.

Victor’s smaller G105 provides X, Y and Z-axis travel of 1050 x 600 x 600mm,stretching to a spacious 1650 x 850 x 900mm on the largest G165. This freedom of movement is matched by accommodating bed sizes of 1100 x 600mm (G105), 1400 x 700mm (G135) and 1700 x 800mm (G165). Furthermore, the robust nature of the range permits the loading of components up to 1200, 2200 and 2500kg respectively.

Common features on all three machines include a powerful gearhead spindle design that generates a power output of 18.5 kW with a torque level of 498Nm. Developed, manufactured and built in-house by Victor, the 6000rpm gearhead design spindle retains maximum torque levels throughout the speed range. Thisfactor makes the Vcenter series a good choice for machining hard materials and exotic alloys with high material removal rates. In addition, the G-series incorporates a Big-Plus BBT-50 spindle taper that guarantees dual face and taper spindle contact.

The Victor Vcenter has an automatic tool change unit with 24-tool capacity and the option for 32 or 40 tool positions; all positions can accommodate tools up to 15kg.
For further information www.gm-cnc.com

EKC Group plans for future with big investment

With support from central government funds, EKC group is investing significantly to develop engineering centres of excellence across three of its six community colleges in East Kent. This investment includes 25 machines valued at around £500,000 from XYZ Machine Tools, covering CNC machining and turning centres, as well as an array of manual machines located at Dover Technical College, Canterbury College and Ashford College.

XYZ Machine Tools has a long history of working with the education sector through its ‘XYZ for Education’ initiative, which provides special pricing on the full range of XYZ machine tools, with ongoing training programmes. “We see it as vital to educate and inspire tomorrow’s engineers in order to maintain the UK’s position as a leader in engineering development and manufacturing,” states Nigel Atherton, managing director at XYZ Machine Tools.
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

Abusy Southern Manufacturing for Hurco

In the opinion of Hurco Europe, one of the exhibitors at the Southern Manufacturing exhibition earlier this month, the show certainly delivered in terms of visitor footfall and customer enquiries.Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Southern Manufacturing was a record-breaker in terms of attendance, with 9144 visitors welcomed through the doors. This increase in footfall was reflected in people coming on the Hurco stand. More than 80 enquiries were booked over the three days, of which 20% were new contacts.

David Waghorn, managing director of Hurco Europe says: “In a non-MACH year especially, Southern Manufacturing is proving to be a significant event for UK manufacturing industry. Recent improvements to the road access and venue have guaranteed a better experience for exhibitors and visitors alike. We had no hesitation in rebooking the same space for 2024.”
For further information www.hurco.co.uk