Danobat buys Delta Wheel Truing Solutions

Vertical turning lathe (VTL) manufacturer Danobat is strengthening its position in the North American rail market with the acquisition of US-based company Delta Wheel Truing Solutions. Signing the agreement at Delta’s headquarters in Escanaba, Michigan, Danobat continues to make its way in the United States. Danobat entered the US market in 1982. The company has a technical centre in Chicago focused on the development of solutions for processes such as hard turning.

“This acquisition is an important boost that will position us as one of the benchmark players in the North American rail sector, bringing competition for in-situ wheel profiling maintenance that has been lacking in North America,” says Oskar Uria, director of the Railway Business Unit at Danobat. “Delta’s expertise and know-how will be a strategic support for Danobat to grow in such a demanding market.”

The main objective of this approach is to get closer to the US market, offering products tailored to the specific needs of customers in the North American railway sector. In addition, the Escanaba plant will provide direct services, ensuring a close and agile service to customers. 

Delta has a team of people with extensive experience in the design and manufacture of rail wheel re-profiling equipment. In addition, it holds several patents on different systems, offering unique solutions to the market. The manufacturing capacity in the US, its products and customer base are key elements for future joint development with Danobat.

Danobat has recently inaugurated a new 130,000 sq ft plant with increased manufacturing capacity at its Elgoibar manufacturing complex in northern Spain. The acquisition of Delta adds to its strategic investments for the coming years.

More information www.danobatgroup.com

WFL machines make parts at ArianeGroup

The ArianeGroup site in Vernon, France, designs, develops, manufactures and tests liquid hydrogen propulsion systems. Much of its activity revolves around propulsion for launch vehicles. The site encompasses three test benches for cryotechnic thrusters and component testing benches. In total, six WFL machines are present on the site: four M60 MillTurn and two M35 MillTurn models, all for machining rotating engine parts.

“Machines from WFL are particularly crucial as we use them to manufacture high-value parts,” states Dominique Delor, head of industrial maintenance at ArianeGroup. “We primarily require precision and good rigidity in our machines because we process hard materials that will undergo significant stress during use. Furthermore, process standardisation is part of our business strategy.”

In production, this entails working with the same machines and the same numerical control.

For Delor, this is undeniable: “It saves us time and allows all our operators to work on these machines. Our satisfaction has increased as we gained experience with machines from WFL. We have realised that they are good, sturdy and reliable machine tools. Therefore, if we were to need a new machine, we would undoubtedly opt for a MillTurn. Our colleagues in Ottobrunn, Germany, are also convinced by MillTurn machines. After visiting our production site in Vernon and the subsequent purchase of an M80, they were able to significantly reduce their production time.”

He adds: “For 20 years we’ve maintained excellent relationships with WFL. For us, in a new project, it’s always important to have assurance of functioning production. And that’s the case with WFL. Their service doesn’t stop at simply selling a machine. Implementation is also impeccable. By purchasing a WFL machine, we know everything will go smoothly.”

More information www.wfl.at/en

Tufcot Engineering installs large Puma lathe

Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of machine tools from DN Solutions and Zayer in the UK and Ireland, recently supplied Tufcot Engineering with a new, large-capacity multi-tasking lathe. The machine, a 24” chuck DN Solutions Puma 700LM II featuring driven tooling and FANUC 0iTP control with 15” touchscreen capability, is one of the largest CNC machine tools acquired by Sheffield-based Tufcot in its 43-year history.

Tufcot’s relationship with Mills CNC began in 2005 with the purchase of its first Doosan lathe, a Puma 240LC. Over the past 19 years, more investments with Mills followed and, in early 2024, the company placed an order for the Puma 700LM II and a new 21” chuck Puma 4100MC lathe (due in August 2024). These latest investments take the number of CNC lathes Tufcot has acquired from Mills CNC to 11.

Tufcot’s managing director Greg Majchrzak says: “The high-performance lathes from Mills are real workhorses; they are reliable and deliver the fast processing speeds and high accuracies we need to meet the quality and lead-time demands of customers.”

The Puma 700LM II is machining small batches of high-precision, large diameter Tufcot composite bushes and bearings for customers primarily in the UK and European marine sectors. These parts, machined to tight tolerances, often have long cycle times (hours as opposed to minutes) and a range of intricate milled features.

Says Justin Krebs, Tufcot’s operations manager: “Our own knowledge of composites and their application in the marine sector, combined with expert insight from our international distributor network and existing customers, helped highlight significant new business opportunities that we could exploit if we had larger and more sophisticated in-house turning capabilities.”

More information www.millscnc.co.uk

Government’s industry focus welcomed

The Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA) says it welcomes the new government
and its robust commitment to revitalising the UK’s manufacturing and technology sectors.
For over a century, the MTA has championed the cause of a comprehensive industrial
strategy, and it is thrilled to see this vision finally seeing recognition and implementation by
the new administration.
The Labour Party’s manifesto promises a strategic partnership through a new industrial
strategy that is both mission-driven and future-focused. According to the MTA, this initiative
is precisely what industry needs to seize emerging opportunities and remove barriers to
growth. Establishing an Industrial Strategy Council on a statutory footing – ensuring
representation from all regions, businesses and trade unions – marks a significant shift
towards long-term economic planning and stability.
More information www.mta.org.uk

MTT invests in Nakamura-Tome WT150

When an ex-employee of the Engineering Technology Group (ETG) had the ambition of setting up his own business, the company provided both its blessing and support with a Nakamura-Tome machine tool. While working as an applications engineer at ETG, Mike Jerdin’s personal circumstances changed and he needed to be close to his family, not on the road as the role required. Jerdin subsequently launched MTT Engineering and bought a Nakamura-Tome WT150 multi-tasking turn-mill centre. The results are nothing short of phenomenal.

“Most start-ups begin with a second-hand machine or two, but working with Nakamura users during my 10 years at ETG meant I knew that these machines deliver a competitive edge,” says Jerdin. “I spoke with the team at ETG and they helped me with a finance and support package that you wouldn’t get from any other machine tool supplier.”

Initially having challenges acquiring a local industrial unit, MTT Engineering co-located with a fabrication business in Macclesfield – a partnership that is proving beneficial for both parties. As part of the start-up strategy, the company is offering a fast-turnaround service to the subcontract and tier-one supply chain in the local area. MTT’s early customer base is reaping the rewards of the twin-spindle, twin-turret Nakamura-Tome WT150.

“I started the business with customers that would give me their overspill work when they are running at capacity,” explains Jerdin. “However, with its twin-spindle and twin-turret capabilities, I can manufacture the parts faster, with higher precision and more cost-effectively than my clients. They recognise the benefits and profitability they are yielding from my service, so they continually provide us with more work. This service is enabling my clients to reduce their lead times and, in turn, win kudos from their customers.”

More information www.engtechgroup.com