Subcontractor stays loyal to Okuma

In 2017, Mick Catherine opened CNC Subcon Services in Holmfirth, where two early lathe purchases were a Genos L400 and an LB25-II, followed more recently by an MU-6300V-L five-axis mill-turn centre, all manufactured by Okuma. These purchase decisions emanate from 1989, when Mr Catherine started as an apprentice at a subcontract machinist that later started using Okuma turn-cut technology.

The firm operates seven days a week, often responding to urgent requests for replacement pump and impeller parts to repair customer equipment that has broken down.
Paul Neville, sales and operations manager at CNC Subcon, says: “For this and most of our subcontract work we need to machine to very close tolerances, for which top-quality equipment like the Okuma MU-6300 mill-turn centre is essential. The rigidity of its bridge-type construction suits the machining of difficult materials. With an Okuma you know there won’t be any trouble.”
The MU-6300V-L fitted with Okuma’s OSP-P300SA control at CNC Subcon has a +90°/-120° trunnion carrying a 630 mm diameter table that can turn rotational parts up to 830 mm diameter by 550 mm tall, at up to 800 rpm. Furthermore, the machine, which was supplied by UK agent NCMT, is able to mill and drill components within a 925 x 1050 x 600 mm working envelope using fully interpolative five-axis cycles. The HSK-A100 spindle is served by a 64-station tool magazine and is rated at 11/7.5 kW, with a maximum speed of 8000 rpm.
Okuma’s Thermo-Friendly Concept built into the machine, which applies to both the structure and the spindle, feeds data back from temperature sensors to the control. Continual compensation in the part program for thermal drift delivers high-accuracy metal cutting in a shop-floor environment, even if the ambient temperature varies by as much as 8°C, says the company.
For further information www.ncmt.co.uk

The art of micro-machining

The micro-machining capabilities offered by a Bumotec machining centre have recently been demonstrated by AMRC engineers who used the Swiss-made mill-turn machine to reproduce a series of tiny brass portraits of Queen Elizabeth II.

Indeed, the intricate detail of Her Majesty’s head can only be seen clearly through a powerful microscope.
It is a major achievement for University of Sheffield AMRC engineers Emma Parkin and Joe Thickett, who wanted to create the miniature artwork to demonstrate the AMRC Machining Group’s capabilities with the goal of bolstering industry knowledge on micro-machining to help UK firms win business.
Supplied by Starrag UK, the Bumotec s191 – one of eight Starrag machines in-situ at the AMRC and its sister centre, the Nuclear AMRC – was used by Parkin and Thickett to produce four highly-detailed Queen’s heads with diameters of 11.2, 7, 2.8 and 1.4 mm, on a single circular piece of 25 mm diameter brass. The pair used Sandvik micro-end-mills to achieve the basic shape of the design before switching to tiny ball-nose cutters – the smallest of which was just 0.2 mm diameter – for detailed contouring.
“We wanted to show our partners and wider industry what is achievable; that we can work to an accuracy of 0.001 mm on workpieces as small as 1.5 mm, and maintain detail,” says Parkin.
She is hoping the ‘coin’ demonstrator will lead to further micro-machining R&D and commercial projects for the AMRC.
“At the moment, when people come to the AMRC, and here to Factory of the Future, what they generally see are massive aerospace components and huge machines. I want people to also say ‘wow, the AMRC can make some really small parts, let’s work with them’.”
For further information www.starrag.com

Metav online

The launch of the Metav Web Sessions has been an all-round success.

VDW Verein Deutscher Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken e.V., Frankfurt/Main, 11.und 12. April 2018 © Uwe Nölke, look@team-uwe-noelke.de, +49 6173 321413, alle Rechte vorbehalten. Die Verwendung dieses Bildes ist für redaktionelle Berichterstattung honorarfrei. Veröffentlichung nur mit Quellenangabe: Bild: Uwe Nölke / team-uwe-noelke.de

Last month, over 80 Metav 2020 reloaded exhibitors gave 30-minute presentations, some in English, to their customers. The presentations covered major product topics from machine hardware and software, through to components and services. Each of the almost 1600 visitors from over 60 countries attended an average of just over three sessions. A total of around 5000 sessions were booked. There are now plans afoot for further such events in the run-up to ‘Metav 2020 reloaded’ in March.
For further information www.metav.com

Automotive investment

As part of a £74m investment in green automotive technology, more than 200 value-added jobs could be created in Sheffield thanks to a partnership between an electric automotive drives manufacturer and the University of Sheffield’s AMRC.

Funding has been awarded to Magtec to allow it to scale up the UK production of electric motors. Magtec will work with the AMRC and fellow HVM Catapult centre, the MTC, in the £6m project. Four transport sector OEMs will also participate – Dennis Eagle, Paneltex, Volta Trucks and strategic partner Angel Trains.
For further information www.amrc.co.uk

Apprenticeships in composites

TRB Lightweight Structures is investing in the development of staff to meet the needs of its growing customer base.

The company takes an active role in funding and supporting individuals with their studies, with 20% of its total workforce in training or attending vocational courses. The Composites Technician Apprenticeship scheme is a key part of this initiative, with two apprentices from TRB already enrolled on the scheme. The course offers a great opportunity to improve knowledge and skills, and graduates earn a BTEC Level 3 Diploma and an NVQ Level 3 in Composites Engineering.
For further information www.trbls.com