New machine shop means business

Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland, has recently supplied EDM precision subcontract specialist – Erodatools Ltd – with three new Doosan machine tools: two compact multi-tasking Lynx lathes (a Lynx 2100LSYB and a Lynx 2600Y) and a DNM 6700 vertical machining centre.

“The new machine shop complements the EDM side of the business,” says machine shop manager Jon Harper. “It’s run on the same business principles and company values that have served Erodatools well for almost 50 years – namely a commitment to continuous improvement, ‘best-in-class’ quality and unrivalled customer care.

“We wanted to expand our customer base to include non-EDM users, and offer them the same high-quality CNC milling and turning services,” he continues. “Doosans are high-performance machines. They are accurate and reliable and, in my experience, do not miss a beat.”

The first Doosan acquired by Erodatools was a Lynx 2100LSYB. This 8-inch chuck, FANUC-controlled compact lathe is equipped with a 15 kW/4500 rpm main spindle, a 5-inch chuck 6000 rpm sub-spindle, a 24-position/12-station turret, 6000 rpm driven-tool capability and a ±52.5 mm Y-axis stroke.

“The Lynx 2100LSYB is a multi-tasking lathe that, with its live tooling and sub-spindle, can machine small parts to completion in a single set up,” says Harper. “It operates as a de facto self-contained turning cell.”

Since then, Erodatools has installed a Lynx 2600Y which, incidentally, was one of the first in the UK. The Lynx 2600Y, again with the latest FANUC control, is a 12-inch chuck lathe with a 18.5 kW/3500 rpm spindle, a 24-station turret, 5000 rpm mill/drill capability and a ±52.5 mm Y-axis stroke.

For further information
www.millscnc.co.uk

GM CNC introduces latest turning centre

As part of its growing portfolio of machine tools, GM CNC has introduced the Victor Vturn-A20Y turning centre. Now available from GM CNC, the upgraded Victor Vturn-A20Y features increased structural rigidity on the headstock, box slideways, turret and carriages, as well as the latest Victor technology – such as Direct Drive Spindle (DDS) – built-in as standard.

From a capacity perspective, the Victor Vturn-A20Y offers a swing-over-bed of 700 mm with a 550 mm swing-over-carriage. This compact footprint machine offers a turning capacity of 630 mm between centres, with a maximum turning diameter of 390 mm and a bar capacity of 52 mm (66 or 75 mm options).

The rigid machine base has an equally robust Victor servo driven VDI or BMT tooling turret option with 12 tool positions that can accommodate tool shanks up to 20 mm, while the 11/18.5 kW continuous spindle motor offers a maximum spindle speed of 5000 rpm.

At present, GM CNC has stock models available with the AICC-2 for FANUC 0i-T (10.4-inch) CNC, an upgraded Kitagawa chuck, Grundfos SPK4-8 or MTH4-40/4 high-pressure coolant system, Renishaw manual tool pre-setter, bar-feed interface, swing-type parts catcher, four additional ‘M’ codes and an oil skimmer.

For customers wishing to tailor the Victor Vturn-A20Y turning centre to their specific production needs, the machine can be supplied with either manual or automatic Renishaw tool pre-setter, parts catcher, auto door opening, bar-feed interface, air-blast system, high-pressure coolant, oil skimmer, larger spindle bore (66 or 75 mm), gantry loading robot, independent tailstock, bolt-mounted turret, gear-hobbing interface and, of course, a sub-spindle.

For further information
www.gm-cnc.com

EMO 2021 opens its doors

This week (4-9 October) sees EMO 2021 welcome thousands of visitors to the Fieramilano Rho in Milan, Italy. EMO is a travelling exhibition held alternately in Italy and Germany, a feature that makes it unique in the world among events dedicated to the machine tool, robot and automation sectors. A total exhibition area of 110,000 sq m is hosting the products and services of more than 700 companies.

Besides the wide and varied product ranges on show, EMO Milano 2021 features numerous complementary attractions, such as: EMO Digital, exhibition space focused on digital technologies; EMO Additive Manufacturing, dedicated to one of the most promising fields in the industry; EMO Start-Up, offering a view to the new enterprises developing products and projects related to the world of production systems and metalworking; and Speakers Corner, an arena that hosts speeches and in-depth analyses by exhibitors and organisers.

For further information
www.emo-milano.com

New touch probe available from Blum

Blum-Novotest will present its new TC55 touch probe on Stand B28/C33 in Hall 5 at EMO 2021 (4-9 October, Milan). The company is thus expanding its CNC machine tool product range by adding a compact system featuring the shark360 measuring mechanism and fast infrared transmission.

Winfried Weiland, head of marketing at Blum-Novotest GmbH, explains: “The TC55 is Blum’s smallest wireless probe to date. With a length of 46 mm and a diameter of 32 mm, it is suitable for use in highly compact milling centres, turning centres and turn-mill machines in micro-machining and medical technology applications, and for measuring components on additive manufacturing machines. Thanks to its face-geared measuring mechanism, the TC55 is also suitable for the tactile measurement of turning tools.”

The TC55 is equipped with the proven shark360 measuring mechanism that is present on other measuring systems from the same manufacturer. This technology supplements the multi-directional measuring mechanism with a face gear that features 72 teeth, which facilitates both pulling and torsional measurements in the C axis. The torsion forces that occur are absorbed by the face gear and therefore have no influence on the measurement result. Moreover, the trigger signal for the measurement process is not issued by means of a mechanical contact. Instead, the trigger is opto-electronic, by shading a miniature light barrier inside the system. As a result, there is no wear and tear, guaranteeing maximum reliability for many years, even under the most adverse working conditions.

For very small and delicate workpieces, Blum also offers the measuring system in a TC55 LF (Low Force) variant.

For further information
www.blum-novotest.com

Cost-optimised horizontal-arm CMMS

To supplement its high-accuracy HC-90 ceramic horizontal-arm CMMs, LK Metrology has introduced three additional models based on an aluminium construction. The new CMMs provide users with multiple affordable alternatives for the dimensional inspection of large components found typically in the automotive, land transport and heavy industries.

LK’s horizontal-arm CMMs are available in three ranges: the LY-90T table version, LY-90R rail version with single or twin arms, and the shop floor ready HD-90 rail version with single or twin arms, which is specifically for the quality control of vehicle bodies and sub-assemblies in car plants.

Of rail design, LK says the HD-90R single-rail and HD-90TR twin-rail models offer superior dynamics and accuracy for use in production areas. The CMMs feature protective covers to ensure thermal insulation against environmental changes, and protect the system from airborne contaminants.

Typically used in line-side metrology applications, the LY-90T table CMM has the horizontal arm installed on guideways side-mounted to a cast-iron surface plate for the measurement of metal and plastic components. The table and special three-point support system eliminate the need for expensive dedicated foundations.

The LY-90R single-rail and LY-90TR twin-rail CMMs offer a similarly advanced, cost-effective, typically in-line metrology solution for the dimensional control of large, heavy components found in vehicle manufacture and heavy engineering. The rails can be installed flush at floor level, with heavy-duty walk-on covers protecting the X-axis slideways. Notably, the open design provides full access for part loading/unloading, including within in-line/line-side automated inspection cells with roll-on/roll-off transfer systems.

For further information
www.lkmetrology.com