Rapid response from XYZ

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic the focus was on ventilators, but as things developed testing became the priority of Government. Step forward Atherstone-based Shield Marquee Manufacturing. While its usual customer base, the hospitality industry, continues to face strict restrictions, Shield Marquees became part of the marquee hire industry’s National Emergency Testing Stations Network (NETS). Working with the Government, NETS has been central in supplying the network of test centres for COVID-19 with temporary structures. The demand for a quick response, however, placed significant pressure on Shield Marquee’s manufacturing capability.

“With every structure containing multiple machined components, such as leg and ridge knuckles, we found that our existing machine capacity was limited, and the volumes we were asked to produce were leading to backlogs,” says director Matthew Faizey.

While speed was crucial, Faizey was cautious and carried out due diligence online of a select group of machine-tool suppliers, with XYZ Machine Tools coming out on top.

“If I’m going to spend a significant amount of money, I want to do my research and check on a supplier’s viability, history, reputation and ability to support my business,” he says. “XYZ Machine Tools impressed in all respects. In particular, was the knowledge that we could get support in terms of service and programming very quickly, as we can’t afford for the machine to be down for any length of time.”

With that reassurance and time ticking away, Faizey contacted XYZ Machine Tools at 09:30 on a Friday morning. XYZ’s area sales manager jumped in his car and by lunchtime the order was placed and paid for. The following Tuesday the machine, an XYZ 1000 LR vertical machining centre, was delivered, commissioned and ready for production.

For further information
www.xyzmachinetools.com

Hardinge re-shores production

Hardinge plans to shift the manufacturing of its machining centre and turning centre solutions from the Hardinge Taiwan plant to its facility in Elmira, New York, USA. This strategic manufacturing transition condenses product development, supply chain and assembly operations for the company’s American and European turning and milling business to a single US-based location. Hardinge will now supply customers with a stronger line of milling and turning products assembled in the USA.

The company will be repatriating the manufacturing of its Bridgeport XR series of vertical machining centres and the Hardinge Talent series of turning products. Hardinge is modernising its Elmira facility, investing significant resources in new assembly capabilities, as well as state-of-the-art heat-treatment equipment. Following the transition, the Taiwan location will continue to operate as one of Hardinge’s regional sales and fulfilment facilities, as well as a global engineering centre supporting the needs of international customers.

For further information www.hardinge.com

Hygiene should be top priority

A survey about how coronavirus has affected the perceptions of cleanliness and hygiene in manufacturing workplaces has been conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Kimberly-Clark Professional, showing that 86% would avoid a facility if they did not think it was COVID-secure. Moreover, only 31% think hygiene practices in factories are currently adequate.

Kimberly-Clark Professional has introduced its 360˚ Hygiene & Protection programme to help businesses get back on their feet and restore confidence. A free no-obligation ‘Virtual Hygiene Walk’, which can be booked using the link below, reviews a facility and provides expert guidance on cleaning and hygiene protocols, recommending the right product solutions to tackle key hygiene hotspots.

For further information https://is.gd/malewo

Tough decision made easy

Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland, has supplied Birmingham-based Burcas Ltd, a privately-owned specialist engineering subcontractor, with a new large-capacity vertical machining centre. The machine, a Doosan Mynx 9500/50 with a Doosan-Fanuc control, was installed at the company’s 32,000 sq ft facility in October 2021 and is being used primarily to machine specialist tooling, prototypes and a range of precision components for the nuclear sector.

When not being deployed to machine parts for the nuclear industry the Mynx 9500/50 also machines high-precision tungsten carbide and HSS sheeter and slitter knives/blades for Burcas’ paper and packaging customers, located both nationally and overseas.

Says Mike Burrows, Burcas’ owner and managing director: “Although the new machine purchase was driven almost entirely by an increase in demand from customers in the nuclear sector, we never lost sight that it would also become a major machining asset for our future aerospace and oil and gas business – when both return to something resembling normality.”
Having canvassed the market and discussed its requirements with a ‘hit list’ of potential machine-tool suppliers, Burcas ultimately decided to invest in the Mynx 9500/50.

“The Mynx 9500/50 is our first Doosan machine and, since its installation, it hasn’t missed a beat,” says Burrows. “It is versatile and reliable, and its cutting performance is impressive.

“In addition to the machine we’ve also been impressed with Mills CNC. From the outset they adopted a proactive role and, even a tricky installation that necessitated the craning in of the machine through the roof, was professionally managed and executed.”

He concludes: “The new Mynx 9500/50 investment is another example of Burcas’ commitment to continuous improvement and of us striving to be the best we can.”

For further information
www.millscnc.co.uk

End mills in short and long versions

The Haimer Mill solid-carbide end mill – for roughing, finishing, drilling, profiling, ramping and slotting in nearly all materials – is now available in a short and a long version.

For a long time, Haimer says that manufacturers, especially those in the areas of mechanical engineering, medical and contract machining, have been asking for a milling tool that they can use universally in steel and stainless steel, but also in cast iron, copper and even hardened steel.

The Haimer Mill tools, which are available as end mills according to DIN 6527 with a sharp edge, corner radius or chamfer, show substantial results in most cases. The same edge geometries are available as modular tools for the Haimer interchangeable head system, Duo-Lock.

Characteristics for Haimer MIll end mills are the unequal cutting edge, the centre-cutting design and a neck for higher cutting depth. The end mills are supplied with an h6 shank tolerance and come fine-balanced. Run-out accuracy is <10 μm. To offer users even greater benefits, the Haimer Mill range has now been expanded further. A short version with a cutting-edge length of 1.25xD is suitable for all applications that require less cutting depths. The mill, which features no neck clearance and reduced shank length, uses the cutting edges at low ap (axial depth of cut) values and achieves high stability. In addition to the short version, a long version is available for engineers who want to machine higher workpiece walls. With the new 3xD Haimer Mill, it is possible to achieve consistent high-quality surfaces for such requirements, reports the company. For further information www.haimer.biz