Bentley test facility tops out

A new state-of-the-art engineering test facility, built at the headquarters of Bentley Motors in Crewe, is nearing completion following an official ‘topping out’ ceremony.

When it opens in 2021, the facility will cover more than 4600 sq m over two storeys. Included will be a climate-controlled chassis dynamometer, operating across temperatures from -10°C to +40°C. There will also be a dedicated laboratory to run RDE (real driving emissions) using the latest portable emissions measurement systems. Bentley’s Technical Conformity department will be based in the test centre, with over 100 people working in the building.

For further information www.bentleymotors.com

TWP installs used sliding-head lathe

Despite starting out more than 25 years ago, Dudley-based TWP Manufacturing only opened its CNC machine shop at the beginning of 2019 to produce in-house most of the components needed for its proprietary products.

Vertical machining centres and a single-spindle, fixed-head bar auto are to be found on the shop floor, but in May 2020 the company bought its first sliding-head twin-spindle lathe, a 20-year-old Citizen Cincom M32 equipped with an Iemca Boss 432r bar feed. The machine was originally sold in 2000 by the Japanese manufacturer’s agent for the British and Irish markets, NC Engineering, which in 2008 became a wholly-owned subsidiary, Citizen Machinery UK.
Phil Stanley, a director of TWP Manufacturing, says: “The speed and surface finish we are achieving are just incredible, and the fact that there is no operator intervention means we’re able to implement lights-out production, which we are looking to do later this year.”

In the first few of months of operation, the Cincom M32 was devoted to large-volume production of one particular component, but another four part numbers have now been added. All are machined from 1” hexagonal steel bar, and annual production will exceed 200,000.

Pre-sales time studies and cutting trials carried out by Citizen Machinery UK showed that all five components could be produced within tolerance at the required speed. The calculations were performed following a visit by managing director Edward James and regional sales engineer Warren Garratt to the Dudley factory, during which the company was advised on how best to proceed with its in-house turned parts production strategy.

“Even though the machine was 20 years old and we bought it independently on the second-hand market, from the outset Citizen have been behind us,” says Stanley.

For further information www.citizenmachinery.co.uk

COVID-compliant open house

Hurco Europe has decided to help keep the wheels of industry turning by staging an open house on 20-22 October at its UK headquarters in High Wycombe.

The open house will mark the official launch of a new range of Hurco driven-tool CNC lathes, represented by the TM8Mi with 12 axially-driven VDI 30 DIN1809 tool locations, and a new servo-drive that is said to offer high-performance milling.

Attendance at the open house is strictly by appointment and a maximum of six people per company may attend. Visitors from no more than three companies will be allowed in the showroom at a time, where a one-way system will be in force. Barriers will be in place at a 2 m distant from the machines being demonstrated. There will be hand-sanitising stations available for use and every visitor will be given a Hurco-branded face mask and an individually packed lunch.

For further information rozanskab@hurco.com

Tornos aids automotive fortunes

Identifying a business opportunity is one thing, but turning an opportunity into a profit centre is quite another. When the founder of Wuxi Fortune Technology decided to pursue manufacturing certification with one of the world’s largest automotive technology powerhouses, he chose Tornos as his partner for turning machines and the respective application and process support.

Managing director Jian Wang says: “We saw there was a place for high-end turned part production. To fulfil the great potential this opportunity represented we needed high-end, reliable and effective turning machines that would guarantee our ability to serve automotive customers. We knew that using advanced production equipment and technologies would help identify us as an excellent supplier, allowing Wuxi Fortune to deliver parts earlier than expected and even become an exclusive supplier of certain components.”

Jian Wang specifically wanted multi-spindle turning machines to gain higher efficiency and product consistency, while reducing manpower and production costs.

Wang visited and compared several turning machine manufacturers before purchasing from Tornos. Today, there are two MultiSwiss 6×14, one MultiSwiss 8×26, an SAS 16.6 and a MultiSigma 8×28 for small precision parts on site at Wuxi Fortune.

“Our Tornos machines are reliable and efficient,” he says. “Tornos provides completely integrated services, application knowledge, machine maintenance, training and spare parts to the Chinese market.”

Collaborating with Tornos helped pave the way for Wuxi Fortune to become the exclusive, worldwide supplier of a diesel injector pin shaft to a leading automotive technology player. The 23 mm long part has a maximum outer diameter of 9 mm and a minimum groove diameter of 1.3 mm, and requires a tolerance of ±0.03 mm on the outer diameter.

For further information www.tornos.com

MACHINING SMALL OBJECTS OF DESIRE

Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machines in the UK and Ireland, has supplied 17D Ltd, a family-owned miniature railway manufacturing specialist based in Matlock, with a new Doosan vertical machining centre.

The machine – a compact, high-performance DNM 4500 – was installed at 17D’s 2500 sq ft facility in July 2020, and is being used to produce a range of precision components. These parts include live steam locomotive parts (such as valve gears and cylinders), chassis components, axles, bogies, couplings, buffers and wheels. Workpiece materials extend from aluminium, through to cast iron and carbon steel.

17D, which was established in 2010, manufactures a range of scaled working models of locomotives, carriages and wagons for three miniature railway gauge systems: 5”, 7¼” and 10¼”. The company’s locomotives for the 5” gauge are produced to a scale of one-twelfth, at around 6 ft long, rising to approximately 12 ft for the 10¼” gauge.

In addition to designing and manufacturing miniature locomotives and associated rolling stock, the company devotes significant time and resources to producing and supplying high-quality, cost-competitive and quick-turnaround parts and spares. These components are destined for a myriad of UK and internationally-based customers that include hobbyists and private collectors, through to clubs and commercial organisations.

The company has a strong reputation in the markets it serves and is highly regarded. To maintain its market position and competitive edge, 17D invests regularly in plant, equipment, processes and systems. The company’s commitment to continuous improvement, combined with a dramatic and sudden upsurge in demand for its machined parts, were the driving forces behind 17D’s new DNM 4500 machine-tool investment.

Explains partner Tristan Dengate: “Business had been growing incrementally, but the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a sharp and dramatic increase in demand from hobbyists who, having been furloughed as part of the lockdown, had time on their hands.

“This increase in demand was putting a strain on our existing machine tools so, to ensure we could meet customer expectations, we made the decision to strengthen our capabilities and invest.”

17D has a variety of CNC and manual machines at its disposal and, in November 2019, further strengthened its turning operations by investing in a pre-owned 51 mm bar capacity Doosan Lynx 220LM lathe equipped with 6” chuck, C axis and driven tools.

“The arrival of the Lynx lathe had an immediate and positive effect, helping us to reduce part cycle times, eliminate production bottlenecks and improve lead time fulfilment,” explains Dengate. “Although the machine is a few years old, it still delivers exceptional performance and hasn’t missed a beat since installation.”

The machine’s arrival and subsequent performance also ‘converted’ 17D into becoming advocates of Doosan machine tools.

“The increase in demand for machined parts, which started at the onset of the pandemic in April, was putting pressure on our milling resources,” says Dengate. “We needed additional milling capacity and capabilities, and we needed them fast. Our experience with the Lynx 220LM helped narrow down our choice: put simply, we wanted a Doosan.”

17D drew up a list of key requirements, investigated the market and approached Mills CNC.

“We needed a versatile, high-performance machining centre – one that could deliver accuracy and high metal-removal rates, combined with an ability to produce intricate part details and features, and achieve super-fine surface finishes,” states Dengate.

To help reduce part cycle times, the machine also needed the ability to cope with high speeds and feeds, and aggressive depths of cut. The company had narrowed down its choice to a DNM 4500 machining centre and, with funding in place via an EU grant, placed the machine order with Mills CNC.

Says Dengate: “We ordered the machine on a Monday and it was delivered and installed by the end of that week.”

The DNM 4500 is a high-speed, rigid and versatile three-axis vertical machining centre that is suitable for a range of applications. Standard features include a large working envelope (800 x 450 x 510 mm), a direct-coupled spindle (18.5 kW/8000 rpm), roller LM guideways and an on-board thermal error compensation system.

Among further features are fast rapid-traverse rates (36/26/30 m/min in the X, Y and Z axes respectively), a large work table (1000 x 450 mm with 600 kg maximum table load) and a 30-position ATC. The machine supplied to 17D was equipped with a Fanuc i control, but it can also be specified with either a Siemens 828D or Heidenhain TNC 620 CNC.

Concludes Dengate: “The DNM 4500 is a great addition to our operation. We’re confident that the machine will be more than instrumental in helping us to further grow our business, not just with our miniature railway customers, but with customers from other sectors looking for a proven, high-quality subcontract machining specialist.”

For further information www.millscnc.co.uk