As a precision component manufacturer to the oil and gas, nuclear, defence, hydraulic, off-highway, automotive, and aerospace industries, Mollart Cox has invested in its first robotic machining cell to enhance flexibility and productivity. Turning to the Engineering Technology Group (ETG) and its Nakamura-Tome range of turning centres, the flexibility of the manufacturer has flourished since installing the automated cell.

Referring to why the Chesterfield-based company invested in the cell from ETG, Christopher Cox, managing director of Mollart Cox, says: “We needed an automated cell like this because we have various set-ups. Many of the parts are similar in shape but different to produce. So, the set-up was key to us, as was the ability to use a machine with or without the robot.

“We selected the Nakamura-Tome WT-150II because of the build quality,” he continues. “Additionally, ETG has a very good back-up and support service. The speed and low-noise levels are impressive, while our tooling packages work very well with the machine.”

Steve Brown, sales director at ETG, adds: “We have a fully operational automated cell that incorporates the Nakamura WT-150II turning centre and the Robojob turn assist. So, what we’re doing here is loading billets and unloading finished parts. The Robojob stores the raw material, and it has a pallet system where the finished parts collect. The beauty of the cell is that it’s a completely flexible unit, so you can produce anything from a very small component up to a larger billet, light-out. This enables anybody with a nucleus or a range of parts to move into full production.”

The Nakamura WT-150II is a twin-spindle, twin-turret machine with a Y axis on the upper turret and a 65 mm through-bore capacity.

For further information
www.engtechgroup.com

Exhibiting for the first time at the MACH 2022 exhibition last month, the GM Group took the opportunity to introduce the Victor Vturn-A20YCM and Vturn-S26/60CM single-spindle turning centres.

The Vturn A20-YCM offers Y-axis milling capability and an 8” chuck with a swing-over-bed of 700 mm, while a 52 mm diameter bar can pass through the headstock for bar-feeding applications. The machine provides X-axis travel of 150+35 mm with 600 mm in the Z axis and a Y-axis driven tooling unit that can traverse ±45 mm.

Within this spacious work envelope sits a main spindle that generates 11/18.5 kW of power with a spindle speed of 5000 rpm. Complementing the power of the spindle is a 4.5 kW motor on the driven tooling turret. This high-torque motor drives the 12-station BMT-55 tooling turret at spindle speeds up to 4000 rpm. Options include a FANUC 0i-TF CNC control, 10.4” colour display, high-pressure coolant system, part catcher, oil skimmer, programmable tailstock and more.

Also on the stand at MACH was the Victor Vturn-S26/60CM. With a 600 mm swing-over-bed and 640 mm between centres, the 6230 kg machine has a spacious work area and a compact footprint. Furthermore, with a 12-position live tooling station that can drive the 25 mm maximum tool diameter at 6000 rpm with its high torque 4.5 kW motor, the milling flexibility of the Vturn-S26/60CM facilitates productive one-hit machining.

With a bar capacity of 75 mm through the drawbar, 640 mm between centres and a maximum turning diameter of 420 mm, the Vturn-S26/60CM is suitable for both one-off components and production runs of small to medium sized parts. Like the Vturn A20-YCM, the Victor Vturn-S26/60CM is available with an extensive list of optional extras.

For further information
www.gm-cnc.com

Hartlepool-based JJ Hardy is investing in a new Mazak QTE-200 SG turning centre as a way of plugging the skills gap for CNC machinists in the northeast. The new machine will help the company to introduce an unmanned shift and keep pace with growing demand.

Managing director Andrew Pailor says: “Our plan is to get more out of what we have. We’ll use technology, including new machine tools and, in time, additional automation, to increase our capacity with one manned shift and one unmanned shift each day. The new QTE machine is an affordable solution that will be equipped with a Hydrafeed barfeed, a parts racking system for finished components and an automatic tool eye for inspection. Most importantly, we’ll also have the ability to monitor work online while it runs unmanned.”

With an eight-strong machine shop, JJ Hardy concentrates on automotive and energy work, as well as the rail sector, for which its manufactures components such as bogie parts, hangar bolts, shackles, suspension links and impellers.

Says Pailor: “We have an older Mazak turning centre that has been a good solution for us and has outperformed some of our more expensive competitor machines. However, it doesn’t have some of the equipment we need to get it running unmanned.

“The new QTE is equipped with Mazak’s latest Mazatrol innovation, SmoothEz, a touchscreen CNC,” he adds. “It’s now so easy to program that we can put CNC operators with much less experience on the machine. They can be running it, unsupervised, very quickly.”

Described as a simple and compact machine design, the QTE is equipped with a high torque spindle and 12-position drum turret, along with capacity for 12 different tools.

For further information
www.mazakeu.co.uk