FEATURE ON CNC LATHES AND TURNING CENTRES

Energy Efficiency Drives Swissmatic’s Sliding-Head Purchases 

Citizen Machinery UK has supplied six of the sliding-head CNC lathes currently operating at turned parts subcontractor Swissmatic’s Wishaw factory near Glasgow. According to Ian Corbally, son of founder Jim, the Japanese-built, bar-fed turn-milling centres combine reliable unattended productivity with low power consumption. 

A key enabler of lights-out machining is Citizen’s low frequency vibration (LFV) chip-breaking technology. Integrated into the Mitsubishi control, LFV breaks stringy swarf into manageable chips, reducing the risk of workpiece and tooling damage and eliminating the need for operators to periodically clear accumulated swarf. 

Energy efficiency is equally important to Swissmatic, with Corbally confirming it is ‘100%’ at the forefront of purchasing decisions. In October 2023, the company installed 319 solar panels, reducing grid electricity consumption by approximately 25% over 12 months. 

The latest arrival is a Citizen Cincom Series 2 L32-XII B5 LFV, the first of its type installed in the UK. Featuring a swivelling B-axis tool carrier and upgraded four-axis LFV capability, the nine-axis machine enables full five-axis simultaneous machining and superimposed machining to reduce cycle times. 

It replaces an older 32 mm capacity sliding-head lathe and joins previous Cincom M32-VIII and M16-VIII LFV models, alongside two L12-VII LFV machines acquired for medical component production. 

Swissmatic processes materials including plastic, stainless steel, aluminium and copper, producing everything from prototypes to batches exceeding two million components. 

“We manufacture components ranging from one-off prototypes to production runs of more than two million and the versatility of the Cincoms suits this activity perfectly,” says Corbally. 

Operating 24/7 with minimal attendance, the machines achieve a scrap rate below 0.25% while maintaining tolerances down to four microns total. 

More information www.citizenmachinery.co.uk 

17D Grows Turning Capacity with DN Solutions Lynx 2600M

17D, a precision subcontractor specialising in machining rolling stock replacement and spare parts, has increased its in-house turning capabilities with a new DN Solutions Lynx 2600M lathe from Mills CNC. 

The investment addresses growing demand from main-line, heritage and miniature and narrow-gauge rail customers for small, high-precision, quick-turnaround machined parts. 

Installed in February 2026 at 17D’s 2500 sq ft machine shop in Matlock, the three-axis, 10” chuck Lynx 2600M features a C axis, driven tooling and FANUC i Plus control.  

“Since Covid, we’ve experienced strong growth year-on-year,” says owner and managing director Tristan Dengate. “Our sales turnover increased 35% in 2025 from what it was in 2024 and we’ve doubled our headcount in just a couple of years.”  

With main-line rail customers now accounting for 80% of annual turnover, compared with 20% in 2020, 17D’s two older CNC lathes were creating production bottlenecks and putting pressure on customer lead times. 

Having researched the market and created a detailed machine checklist, 17D initially considered a smaller Lynx 2100M. However, when Mills CNC offered a larger, more powerful Lynx 2600M from stock for immediate delivery, the company placed its order. 

The new machine features an 18.5 kW spindle, 460 mm maximum turning diameter, 658 mm maximum turning length and BMT 55P turret with driven tooling. Supplied with a swarf conveyor, auto tool setter and Filtermist extraction unit, it has already machined shafts, housings, cylinders, couplings and other components in batches from one-offs to 200-off. 

“Opting for the Lynx 2600M with driven tooling enables us to machine larger parts in a single set-up,” concludes Dengate. “The investment has helped us significantly improve productivity and process efficiencies and, more importantly, meet our production schedules and hit customer lead times.” 

More information www.millscnc.co.uk 

DAS Engineering Goes from One XYZ Machine to 25

The installation of an XYZ TC 400 turning centre at DAS Engineering represents the 25th machine purchased from XYZ Machine Tools by this successful subcontract machining business. Dave Stone, owner of DAS, purchased an XYZ Vulcan turning centre back in 2002, marking the start of a relationship that has helped the Yorkshire-based company outgrow two industrial units. 

That original purchase was a story of desire, as Dave recounts: “We visited the MACH 2002 exhibition to see the latest XYZ machines. As soon as I saw the Vulcan, I needed to have it. Within a couple of weeks, one arrived at our facility and, 24 years later, the machine is still running 45 hours a week and holds tolerances the same as it did on day one.” 

In the years since that original purchase, DAS has purchased a range of XYZ products. The most recent acquisitions include a TC 400 two-axis turning centre.  

“We needed a turning centre with greater metal removal capability,” states Dave. “The TC 400 fitted the bill perfectly. With its 32 kW spindle motor and 40 VDI 12-station turret, we knew it would be robust enough to increase material removal rates and reduce cycle times.” 

He continues: “The maximum turned diameter capacity of 400 mm and maximum turned length of 600 mm are more than we already had. In addition, with its 78 mm bar capacity, it opened up the opportunity to put bigger stock down the spindle drawtube. Within an hour of commissioning we were producing parts. That’s testament to the ease of use of the Siemens 828D control and its 15-inch touchscreen.” 

More information www.xyzmachinetools.com 

CMZ TA Series Lathe Lurpasses 3000 Machines Dold

CMZ has reached a significant manufacturing milestone with the sale of its 3000th TA series lathe, underlining the enduring popularity of the slant-bed turning centre among manufacturers seeking precision, reliability and long-term performance.

Introduced more than 20 years ago, the TA Series has earned a strong reputation in demanding production environments by combining robust construction with high machining accuracy and productivity. The range is available with three Z-axis travel options of 400, 600 and 1100 mm, providing the flexibility to suit a wide variety of turning applications.

A defining feature of the TA series is its prismatic bed, which is stabilised, machined and ground in a single set up at CMZ’s manufacturing facilities. Each machine is hand-scraped during assembly to optimise slideway performance, while direct metal-to-metal contact eliminates the need for Turcite, helping maintain long-term geometric accuracy and extending service life.

All models are equipped with an oil-cooled integrated motor turret delivering 75 Nm of torque, 11 kW of power and speeds up to 12,000 rpm. A three-curvic coupling design enables tool changes in just 0.2 seconds while improving thermal stability. Oil-cooled integrated spindles, free from belts and pulleys, further enhance accuracy, surface finish and machining performance by reducing vibration and spindle runout.

The TA series is also fully compatible with CMZ’s GL20 II gantry loader, providing straightforward automation for both short and long production runs.

Manufactured entirely in Europe, the TA series reflects CMZ’s vertically integrated production philosophy, with more than 80% of machine components produced in-house. By maintaining close control over manufacturing and the supply chain, CMZ combines premium components with competitive pricing, delivering machine tools designed to provide reliable performance for more than two decades.More information www.cmz.com

Aerzen Relies On WFL’s Automated MillTurn Technology

Aerzen has strengthened its machining capability with two further WFL M65 MillTurn centres, creating a highly automated manufacturing cell that is improving productivity, process reliability and ergonomics at its headquarters in Lower Saxony, Germany.

The family-owned manufacturer, which develops blowers and compressors for industries ranging from water treatment and food processing to chemical and process engineering, now operates 10 WFL M65 MillTurn machines, which combine turning and milling capabilities in a single platform. The latest investment integrates two turn-mill centres with an ABB loading robot, Kardex storage system and fully digital production workflow.

The automated cell is primarily used to manufacture rotary lobe blower rotors, processing materials including C45 steel and EN-GJS-500-7 cast iron. According to Tobias Krebs, team leader for mechanical applications, machining these components presents significant challenges due to interrupted cuts and variations in material hardness. To maintain accuracy and stability, the machines are equipped with 55 kW spindles, enabling complete machining in a single set up while consistently achieving machining tolerances of 0.02 mm.

The new cell also links directly with Aerzen’s ERP, tool management and CADCAM systems, allowing production orders, tooling and machine programs to be managed automatically. Once an operator releases a job, the robot retrieves raw components directly from standard delivery pallets using bin-picking technology before loading the machines without manual intervention.

Although automatic part positioning adds slightly to machining time, eliminating manual loading delays has significantly increased overall efficiency. The automation also reduces physical handling of heavy components weighing several hundred kilograms, improving workplace ergonomics and supporting unattended production.

Having relied on WFL technology for almost 20 years, Aerzen cites the machines’ reliability, complete-machining capability and responsive after-sales support among the reasons for its continued investment.

More information www.wfl.at