With up to 30% of its machined components manufactured from hard metals, Longford, Ireland-based N&E Precision acknowledged a requirement for EDM technology to complement its extensive CNC machine shop facilities. In September 2019, the subcontract manufacturer invested in its first Mitsubishi wire EDM machine and, such was its success that the company has now purchased a second Mitsubishi machine from the Engineering Technology Group (ETG).

Discussing the arrival of the first Mitsubishi wire EDM machine, N&E Precision joint managing director Noel Farrell recalls: “As a first-time EDM user, ETG’s Scot Elsemere was a major factor in our decision process. He provided expert advice, demonstrations and feedback. The technology and new software interface with the Mitsubishi MV2400R were also huge factors, but our decision was sealed by a number of recommendations from trusted contacts in the industry.”

With the company outsourcing a considerable amount of work, the Mitsubishi MV2400R immediately stemmed the flow.

“Our lead times for many components fell from weeks to 2-4 days, with some parts turned around in less than 24 hours,” says Farrell. “This wouldn’t have been possible with an external subcontract supplier involved.”

With the first Mitsubishi MV2400R making such an impact, the company invested in a second machine, a Mitsubishi MV1200R.
“The two Mitsubishi machines have added greater flexibility to our business,” states Farrell. “Some parts have tight tolerance bores and, instead of machining, we can put them on the EDM machines and achieve tolerances better than ±5 µm with excellent surface finishes.”

From a productivity standpoint, the Mitsubishi MV1200R and MV2400R are running across the company’s two-shift pattern, with many jobs set up to run unmanned overnight or at the weekends.

For further information
www.engtechgroup.com

Three key aspects make ONA’s new IRIS its most advanced EDM machine to date: an unprecedented integration of digital tools, a powerful graphics engine together with easy-to-use touchscreen, and a 100% digital, configurable and programmable generator.

The ONA IRIS offers digital tools that include improvements in terms of data download and transfer, external connections, security, integration with other software, and remote process management. In addition, the IRIS can integrate ONA’s Security Pack, a system that allows for the creation of an administrator, the configuration of different profiles, the limiting of file modification or deletion, as well as the blocking of external access.

Thanks to its graphics engine, users will be able to simulate processes before executing them, verify results, and change the configuration as necessary, all while the machine is in full production of another job. Its large touchscreen also allows for use in tablet mode and, together with a user-friendly interface and digital JOBS manager, ONA says that customers can expect a significantly improved project management experience.

ONA reveals that IRIS has the market’s first CNC that visualises the real execution of a die-sinking job in 3D. The ONA IRIS CNC also displays 3D models of parts and electrodes in a wide variety of file formats, including STEP, IGES, VRML and BREP.

Thanks to the digital JOBS manager with user-friendly interface, operators will be able to manage everything from simple programs to complete manufacturing orders. All the information necessary to process an EDM job can be contained in the JOB, including its priority in the JOBS queue. On the other hand, the large touchscreen and the ability to use it in tablet mode will facilitate the management work of any task.

For further information
www.onaedm.com