Founded in 1955, Skelmersdale-based Kirkham Engineering has established a reputation as a specialist in the production of repetition turned parts on CNC fixed-head and sliding-head machines. With decades of experience and a machine inventory supplied by a host of manufacturers down the generations, the latest machine to be installed is a Nakamura Tome AS-200L turning centre from the Engineering Technology Group (ETG).

The Nakamura AS-200-LMYSF follows a previous AS-200L acquisition from ETG that arrived in 2017.

Financial director Barry Lynam says: “The AS-200-LMYSF can be set-up extremely quickly and this gives us flexibility for small batch runs of fast turnaround parts. It can respond far quicker than our more complex machines. The machine has a large work envelope in a small footprint and is extremely robust, which is perfect for heavy-duty cutting.”

Supplied as a complete package by ETG, the AS-200-LMYSF arrived with tooling, a Hydrafeed MSV-65 bar feed (plus BSU bar support unit to give 1.5 m) and a swarf conveyor, making the machine ready-to-run on the day it arrived. The machine has a maximum turning diameter of 280 mm with a maximum through-spindle bar diameter of 65 mm.

“We already have highly capable twin-spindle and twin-turret machines, but we wanted something that had a smaller footprint and was faster to program and get up and running – the AS-200L fitted the bill,” says Lynam. “Unlike the larger machines, the AS-200-LMYSF is the latest-generation machine with the new FANUC CNC and NT Machine Simulation and NT Collision Guard from Nakamura Tome. This allows us to rapidly program and simulate our components, and run the first part with confidence and speed.”

For further information
www.engtechgroup.com

The first sliding-head turn-milling centre to be installed at the Ferndown, Dorset factory of Air Bearings Ltd (ABL) is a Citizen Cincom L20-VIIILFV. Notably, the machine has brought in-house the production of nearly all shaft-type components, saving around £8000 per month previously spent on subcontract Swiss-type turning. As a consequence, the machine paid for itself within 18 months.

ABL only purchases top-end machine tools to meet the levels of precision required and ensure the rotational motion of its air bearing spindles to within a couple of microns. The shaft assembly, with its six key parts, is especially critical.

ABL’s senior production controller Dave Stacey says: “Take the collet, for example, which is produced from 13 mm diameter tool steel bar. The concentricity of the front bore to the taper is tied up to 30 µm TIR. Dimensional tolerances on diameter and length need to be within 50 µm, or sometimes 25 µm to allow post machining to sub-micron accuracy, while there is a 6 µm limit in the bore.

“Originally, before our decision to use subcontract services, these collets were machined in-house in two operations – turning and boring on a fixed-head lathe and then drilling of eight radial holes on a machining centre,” he continues. “This time-consuming process led to our pre-finishing department only producing the quantity needed, which could be as low as 15-off, yet external heat treatment and stress relieving before final finishing still cost £250 a time, irrespective of component quantity.

“Now, with single-hit turn-milling of the collets on the Cincom L20, we run off typically 500, representing three months’ supply, at a fraction of the cost of subcontracting them out, added to which we can take full advantage of the fixed-cost heat-treatment service.”

For further information
www.citizenmachinery.co.uk

Following a series of major investments at its Worcester-based manufacturing plant, Yamazaki Mazak has commenced the production of a number of models from its Quick Turn series of turning centres. The models include the Quick Turn 350, 350MY and 350MSY, taking the total number of UK-made Mazak machine tools to eight.

Previously manufactured at the company’s manufacturing facility in Minokamo, Japan, Mazak says the Quick Turn 350 series offers high-performance turning from a compact footprint. Models now manufactured at Mazak’s Worcester site include the standard Quick Turn 350, as well as those with milling and Y-axis functionality, (MY), and milling, second spindle and Y-axis capability (MSY).

Jason Butler, sales director – UK & Eire sales & service division at Yamazaki Mazak, says: “While the past 18 months have certainly been among the most challenging in living memory for UK manufacturing, Mazak’s strategic investment plan has remained undeterred. We are now seeing the benefits of focused spend throughout our European manufacturing plant, which has allowed us to increase the volume of models manufactured here by over a third.

“The Quick Turn 350 series is an incredibly diverse family of machine tools, and is closely aligned to the machining needs of customers here and in mainland Europe,” he continues. “As society continues its journey to fully reopening, our European Technology Centre remains open to both existing and prospective customers. For those unable to travel in person, we have also invested in a virtual ‘digital twin’ of the ETC, which features an interactive overview of all machines currently installed.”

For further information
www.mazakeu.co.uk

To enable all companies an easy step into automation, Okuma is now offering a new combination of lathe and robot system. Users can benefit from a flexible automation solution with high cutting performance on the entry-level Genos L3000-e Standroid, which is available in the UK from NCMT.

The Genos L3000-e with Standroid is a horizontal universal lathe equipped with flat guides and a solid turret design. Okuma’s new model is a package version completely equipped and ready to use. A comprehensive accessories package is standard, containing an integrated motor spindle with three-year spindle warranty, NC tailstock, chip conveyor and a tool-holder package, as well as a three-jaw hollow chuck. The proven Thermo-Friendly Concept developed in-house ensures high workpiece accuracy.

Okuma’s Standroid robot system is part of the Okuma Roid series and is specifically for the automation of small and medium-batch sizes. As it comes with the new Roid Navi system with dialogue user interface, no prior robot knowledge is required. The intelligent OSP-P300LA Okuma control software makes it easy to operate, also leading to shorter set-up times. Additionally, the machine and the robot are both integrated into the proven Collision Avoidance System (CAS), which makes the whole system safe to operate without exception.
With the Genos L3000-e Standroid, Okuma is offering an automation solution that enables an easy step into automated production for all company sizes.

“A small footprint and optimised operation makes the Genos L3000-e Standroid a dedicated tool to increase productivity and maximise machine utilisation,” states Jakob Simon, automation specialist at Okuma Europe GmbH.
Deliveries in Europe will start next month; pre-orders can be placed now.

For further information
www.ncmt.co.uk

When JEB Precision won an order to manufacture a complex component for an aerospace air handling system, the Northwich-based subcontract manufacturer recognised that its existing production method required an upgrade in order to improve productivity. The solution arrived in the shape of a Nakamura-Tome AS200L-MYS turning centre from the Engineering Technology Group (ETG)
The S130 grade stainless steel parts were required in batches of more than 100 per month, but the existing five set-up process on multiple machines was an unsustainable long-term solution.

With six turning centres from ETG on-site, JEB Precision was already familiar with the extensive solutions available, but this was to be the first Nakamura-Tome machine.

Discussing the project, JEB operations director Michael Bebbington recalls: “Although our Hardinge turning centres are very capable machines, the Nakamura-Tome AS200L-MYS is a twin-spindle machine with milling capability and Y-axis machining that is built on a very robust platform. By investing in this technology, we were immediately able to reduce set-ups, increase throughput, improve process reliability and quality, and free capacity on our other machine tools.”

Before the arrival of the Nakamura-Tome AS200L-MYS CNC turning centre, the 83 mm diameter by 23 mm aerospace part demanded an extensive seven-hour set up time across several machines, although the combined cycle time was only 30 minutes.

The Nakamura-Tome AS200L-MYS at JEB Precision features a Hainbuch collet chuck in the main spindle and a Hainbuch expanding mandrel on the sub-spindle for ID clamping to ensure complete machining in a single operation. The part is machined complete in just 20 minutes on the Nakamura-Tome AS200L-MYS and, in the early days of gaining familiarity with the twin-spindle workhorse, JEB had slashed 30% off its programming time, a figure that is destined to improve as the company enhances its understanding of the machine.

For further information
www.engtechgroup.com