FEATURE ON CNC LATHES AND TURNING CENTRES

Helical Technology opts for Nakamura-Tome

Helical Technology has installed a Nakamura-Tome WT150 from the Engineering Technology Group (ETG) at its Lytham St Annes facility in Lancashire.As a manufacturer of valve rotators used in the marine, locomotive, mining, automotive and power generation sectors, the products and assemblies are critical components that demand the utmost precision and quality. To uphold its stringent quality requirements, the family-owned company has embarked on a continuous investment programme to enhance the productivity and performance of its machine shop. The shop produces upwards of 500,000 steel components each year that contribute to the company’s annual output of over 4 million assemblies.

Operations manager Chris Waddington says: “Our investment strategy started with two turning centres from one of the largest and most prestigious brands in the world, but they let us down badly. In 2018, we had a 156mm diameter valve rotator that was required in batches of 150 per month and the machine kept breaking down. Subsequently, in 2019 a smaller 42mm valve rotator was ramping up from 5000 parts a week to 8000 and we needed a turning centre urgently. This leading manufacturer had an available machine, but it also proved a massive let-down.”

With 8000 parts to get out of the door and an unreliable machine, the company owners bought Waddington a Nakamura WT150II, an ex-demo machine that arrived in January 2020.

“The difference was like night and day,” he states.“The cycle times were 5 to 10% faster than the other leading machines we had bought, while tool life improved by 15%.”

The investment was followed by the purchase of a Nakamura-Tome NTY3-100 twin-spindle, triple-turret turning centre in 2021, which instantly took 20-25% out of cycle times. A smaller footprint Nakamura AS200LMSY arrived in June 2022.
For further information www.engtechgroup.com

Okuma presents Multus B300II at Intec 2023

Okuma showcased its high-performance Multus B300II turning and milling centre for the full processing of small to medium batch sizes at the Intec trade fair in Leipzig last month.

With a turning diameter of 630 mm, a turning length of 900 mm and a magazine that can carry up to 120 tools, the Multus B300II is suitable for the flexible manufacturing of a wide range of components. In conjunction with the universal milling spindle, the main spindle with a speed of 5000 rpm ensures high productivity. At Intec, Okuma demonstrated a complete machining operation, including parts transfer to the opposing spindle and axis processing using the B axis.

Okuma also demonstrated which technologies improve reliability, precision and sustainability.It is possible to plan, simulate and test machining processes using the 3D Virtual Monitor (3DVM), even before production, avoiding cost-intensive mistakes. Using 3D models of the machine, workpiece and tool, the Collision Avoidance System (CAS) monitors the ongoing process.

The intelligent technologies on display included Machining Navi, which selects optimal cutting conditions to avoid vibrations and their impact on the workpiece, and Servonavi, which improves cycle times and accuracy when processing heavy workpieces. Furthermore, the Okuma 5-Axis Auto Tuning System detects and compensates for manufacturing tolerances and wear-related errors in the machine geometry. This enables the machine to maintain its precision for many years.

Okuma also applies its Thermo-Friendly Concept for maximum precision. The system compensates for temperature fluctuations, resulting in dimensional stability in continuous, long-term operation. Users save time, energy and costs since there is no need to warm up the machines or manually adjust settings. Okuma machines are available in the UK from NCMT.
For further information www.ncmt.co.uk

High-level turning raises productivity

Prismatic machining on BT30 and BT40 machining centres accounts for the majority of throughput at the Mildenhall factory of subcontractor CTPE, which produces complex, high-precision components for the medical, marine, scientific, defence and electronics sectors. However, productivity on the turning side of the businessreceived a significant boost recently when an ageing, two-axis, fixed-head bar auto was replaced by a Miyano twin-spindle turning centre with twin Y-axis turrets and live tooling, fed by an LNS Alpha SL65 S short-bar magazine.

Supplied by Citizen Machinery UK, the 10-axis ANX-42SYY lathe is fitted with the latest FANUC 31i 15-inch touchscreen control incorporating a new HMI. The machine also features the company’s superimposed machining, whereby three tools can be in cut at the same time thanks to X-axis movement of the sub spindle. Three-axis simultaneous interpolation and double Y-axis cutting are also enabled.

The sub-spindle offset has the additional advantage of allowing reverse-end machining of long parts with extended tools, while simultaneous machining of the front end of the next component is in progress at the main spindle. Otherwise that would have to wait due to interference caused by back-end operations, lowering production output.

Advantage is taken of the machine’s other stand-out feature, LFV (low-frequency vibration) chip-breaking software in the control’s operating system. In practice, at Mildenhall LFV is on for 10 to 15% of a typical cycle.

CTPE’s operations director Alex Taylor says: “We saw LFV demonstrated on the Citizen stand at MACH 2022. This function is extremely useful when machining aluminium, which constitutes most of our work, and is even more effective on plastics, which accounts for about 25% of our throughput.”
For further information www.citizenmachinery.co.uk

Quest for productivity leads to Nakamura

Based just outside Dundee, Quest Precision Engineering has been on a trajectory of continuous growth. The Scottish manufacturer acquired two Nakamura-Tome turning centres through the pandemic and has recently added two more to the plant list.

Now with four Nakamura-Tome WT150II turning centres from Engineering Technology Group’s (ETG) Scottish distribution partner RAM Engineering & Tooling, the facility is filling fast. Quest Precision is well versed in machining everything from simple to the most complex of components. It is this requirement for one-hit machining of complex parts from challenging materials that led to the installation of the first Nakamura-Tome turning centre in December 2019, a twin-spindle, twin-turret WT150II. The impact of the Nakamura-Tome WT150II resulted in the installation of a second machine four months later, followed by two more in 2022.

Before Quest installed its first Nakamura-Tome WT150II, it was machining valves for the oil and gas industry in five operations on four machine tools. The production of the complex 2-inch diameter Inconel 718 valves that control the flow of oil from wells was time-consuming and not cost-effective enough to compete with an existing Chinese supplier. To increase productivity and reduce costs, Quest invested in its first Nakamura-Tome WT150II.

Managing director Gordon Deuchars says: “There are 25-30 different valves in the family of parts and, for us to win more business, we had to increase throughput and reduce costs to be cost-competitive with China. RAM Engineering discussed the merits of a Nakamura turnkey solution for the valves and our decision was made. It has been such a success; the first two machines made a huge impact and brought us significantly more business. To support subsequent growth and undertake more R&D work, we bought the next two machines.”
For further information www.engtechgroup.com

Turn-mill centre with automation options

German lathe manufacturer Index has developed a new twin-spindle turn-mill centre with 76 mm bar capacity, 230 mm chuck diameter and a turning length up to 900 mm. The Traub TNX220 has a vibration-damping mineral cast bed and generously dimensioned linear guideways in the X and Z axes, a combination that delivers accurate machining and high productivity. UK availability is via Kingsbury.

With a Y/B-axis tool spindle rated at 40 kW/207 Nm/6000 rpm above the work spindle centreline, and two 12-station (VDI30) or 15-station (VDI25) live turrets below, the lathe is suitable for the one-hit machining of complex parts in cycles that can include five-axis milling.

A magazine with 139 positions for HSK-T63 or HSK-T40 cutters serves the top tool carrier. The magazine is accessible from the front and the rear, from where it is possible to replenish one of the two magazine chains while the other is in use.

Notably, the two lower tool carriers also have Y-axis movement in addition to X- and Z-axis travels, and every station is driven. All tool carriers can operate simultaneously at either of the identical, fluid-cooled main and counter work spindles, which also carry a rating of 40 kW/207 Nm/6000 rpm.

Automation options include an Index MBL 76 bar feeder, tailored to match the new machine design and quick to change over to a new size of stock. The loader offers good damping properties and easy set up. As a purely electric solution, there is no requirement for hydraulics.

An integrated gantry-type loader with a double gripper and/or an Index iXcenter robot cell provides automatic load/unload of billet or shaft parts. The control system is a modified Mitsubishi TX8i-s V8.
For further information www.kingsburyuk.com