Quest for productivity leads to Nakamura

Based just outside Dundee, Quest Precision Engineering has been on a trajectory of continuous growth. The Scottish manufacturer acquired two Nakamura-Tome turning centres through the pandemic and has recently added two more to the plant list.

Now with four Nakamura-Tome WT150II turning centres from Engineering Technology Group’s (ETG) Scottish distribution partner RAM Engineering & Tooling, the facility is filling fast. Quest Precision is well versed in machining everything from simple to the most complex of components. It is this requirement for one-hit machining of complex parts from challenging materials that led to the installation of the first Nakamura-Tome turning centre in December 2019, a twin-spindle, twin-turret WT150II. The impact of the Nakamura-Tome WT150II resulted in the installation of a second machine four months later, followed by two more in 2022.

Before Quest installed its first Nakamura-Tome WT150II, it was machining valves for the oil and gas industry in five operations on four machine tools. The production of the complex 2-inch diameter Inconel 718 valves that control the flow of oil from wells was time-consuming and not cost-effective enough to compete with an existing Chinese supplier. To increase productivity and reduce costs, Quest invested in its first Nakamura-Tome WT150II.

Managing director Gordon Deuchars says: “There are 25-30 different valves in the family of parts and, for us to win more business, we had to increase throughput and reduce costs to be cost-competitive with China. RAM Engineering discussed the merits of a Nakamura turnkey solution for the valves and our decision was made. It has been such a success; the first two machines made a huge impact and brought us significantly more business. To support subsequent growth and undertake more R&D work, we bought the next two machines.”
For further information www.engtechgroup.com

Full speed ahead with Mills CNC

Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of DN Solutions’ and Zayer machine tools in the UK, is showcasing a recently-introduced DN Solutions’ high-speed machining centre on stand C160: the SVM 4100. This high-speed vertical machining centre helps manufacturers to reduce part processing times, especially when machining aluminium alloys and performing the light-duty machining of steel components. The specification includes acceleration/deceleration rates of 0.72/0.6/0.6 G on the machine’s X, Y and Z axis respectively, tool-to-tool changeover times of 1.3 seconds and 36m/min rapids.

The machine’s speed and power received a further boost with its 18.5 kW/12,000 rpm/95.5 Nm directly-connected BT40 spindle, which also features the Big Plus face and taper dual-contact system, and an integrated thermal displacement correction system to ensure high accuracies, even during long machining runs. The 920 x 410 mm worktable supports table loads up to 600 kg.
For further information www.millscnc.co.uk

Turn-mill centre with automation options

German lathe manufacturer Index has developed a new twin-spindle turn-mill centre with 76 mm bar capacity, 230 mm chuck diameter and a turning length up to 900 mm. The Traub TNX220 has a vibration-damping mineral cast bed and generously dimensioned linear guideways in the X and Z axes, a combination that delivers accurate machining and high productivity. UK availability is via Kingsbury.

With a Y/B-axis tool spindle rated at 40 kW/207 Nm/6000 rpm above the work spindle centreline, and two 12-station (VDI30) or 15-station (VDI25) live turrets below, the lathe is suitable for the one-hit machining of complex parts in cycles that can include five-axis milling.

A magazine with 139 positions for HSK-T63 or HSK-T40 cutters serves the top tool carrier. The magazine is accessible from the front and the rear, from where it is possible to replenish one of the two magazine chains while the other is in use.

Notably, the two lower tool carriers also have Y-axis movement in addition to X- and Z-axis travels, and every station is driven. All tool carriers can operate simultaneously at either of the identical, fluid-cooled main and counter work spindles, which also carry a rating of 40 kW/207 Nm/6000 rpm.

Automation options include an Index MBL 76 bar feeder, tailored to match the new machine design and quick to change over to a new size of stock. The loader offers good damping properties and easy set up. As a purely electric solution, there is no requirement for hydraulics.

An integrated gantry-type loader with a double gripper and/or an Index iXcenter robot cell provides automatic load/unload of billet or shaft parts. The control system is a modified Mitsubishi TX8i-s V8.
For further information www.kingsburyuk.com

16-edge face mill series on show

Complementing the UK-manufactured ITC product lines on stand H250 are products from the Widia range. For instance, the company is presenting the latest Widia M1600 face mill series. Suitable for roughing to semi-finishing operations in steel, stainless steel, cast iron and nodular iron materials, this series has 16 cutting edges and a smart insert design that performs well under various machining conditions, including low-power machines, long overhangs and weak fixture conditions. The precision-ground inserts with positive geometry enable low cutting forces and low power consumption, resulting in long service life.
For further information www.itc-ltd.co.uk

Combined laser cutting and turning

At Southern Manufacturing and Electronics 2023, Citizen Machinery is demonstrating a Cincom L12‐VIILFV sliding-head lathe with integral laser cutting capability. The advanced configuration broadens the production possibilities of Swiss-type machining. There is almost unlimited scope for laser cutting geometric shapes and precision holes into solid bar previously drilled within the same production cycle, or directly into tubular stock. It is possible to machine features far more quickly than can be accomplished by milling cutters in driven stations in the lathe’s tool carriers, and to higher precision.
For further information www.citizenmachinery.co.uk