FEATURE ON CNC LATHES AND TURNING CENTRES

From seven operations down to two

It is only within the past five years that Nuneaton-based subcontractor Oaston Engineering, which specialises in work for the aerospace and biotechnology industries, has embraced sliding-head turning. July 2018 saw the arrival of the firm’s first sliding-head lathe, a 20 mm bar capacity Cincom L20-VIIILFV from Citizen Machinery UK. It was followed in October 2022 by a second, larger model, a 32 mm capacity Cincom L32-VIIILFV.

Oaston Engineering’s managing director Sean McCarthy says: “We were always led to believe that sliding-head lathe operation was a dark art and that you need to produce large batch quantities, say 50,000, to justify setting them for a new run. We had been looking at the technology since MACH 2008 and, a decade later, when the Cincom L20 was delivered, we discovered the myths were untrue.”

Oaston Engineering had a particular job in mind for the Cincom L32: the production of a light aircraft pump camshaft from martensitic stainless steel.

The component, which is produced from 1.25-inch bar, formerly needed seven separate operations: outside diameter turning and grooving; milling on a machining centre; two separate turning operations in offset fixtures to machine the cams to a dimensional tolerance of 0.07 mm; drilling a longitudinal bore on a machining centre; cross drilling a tooling hole in another operation; and off-site grinding of two spigots to within 0.015 mm.

The camshaft produced in this way required a total of 18 minutes 30 seconds of cutting time, plus inter-machine handling, as well as 30 to 60 seconds for deburring and more time for inspection at each stage. Now, six of the operations are performed in one hit in less than 15 minutes on the Cincom before the part goes out for grinding.

For further information www.citizenmachinery.co.uk

Turn-milling gear parts for premium for klifts

Owing to their high rigidity and damping properties, Index Werke says its machines are suitable for the complete machining of complex workpieces, including the integration of gear teeth. The Czech Linde Pohony plant knows this all too well, recently decommissioningits existing Index G400 turn-mill machines, after 20 years of service, and investing in six new Index G420 models. The new turn-mill centres should achieve amortisation within three years. Index machines are available in the UK via Kingsbury.

Head of production and technologyPetr Vitásekand his team tested various offers and decided once again to go for Index.

“Few suppliers were able to offer a machining centre that is equipped with two turning spindles, two turrets and a powerful motorised milling spindle that masters power skiving technology,” he says.“This gives us decisive advantages, particularly since we are able to achieve complete machining with our new Index G420 machines. Before, we had to use a lathe, a milling machine and a gear cutting machine.”

The investment allowed Linde Pohony to increase the productivity of its machines and, at the same time, save space in the production hall and thus increase productivity per unit area.

A special Indexpower skiving cycle and user-prompted input screens for workpiece, tool, process and correction data ensure easy operation.

Miroslav Vařečka, head of production engineering, mentions dry machining as a further advantage: “Compared with the former machining technique, it’s no longer necessary to clean off any oil residues on the workpieces, which implies time and financial savings.”

He adds: “We can use our turn-mill centres not only for shaft production, but also for other tasks, such as manufacturing transmission housings.”

For further information www.index-werke.com

Nakamura turning centre gets even faster

At September’s EMO exhibition in Hanover, Nakamura-Tome CEO Shogo Nakamura provided the crowds with a presentation on the Nakamura-Tome WY-100V turning centre. Now available in the UK from the Engineering Technology Group (ETG), the presentation discussed how Nakamura is making its fastest machine even faster.

The new flagship machine is a twin-spindle, twin-turret turning centre with both turrets offering Y-axis capability. With the ‘V’ in the machine name denoting ‘Velocity’, Shogo Nakamura says: “The machine cuts the burden of manufacturing by giving faster cycle times that enable customers to make more workpieces in a shorter time.”

Looking at the hydraulic component that was machined at EMO in a single operation with complex milling, drilling and turning cycles, the CEO explains how the part is machined with a 30% cycle time reduction: taking the cycle time from 536 to 375 seconds. It is achieved with new ChronoCut software technology that eliminates non-productive time.

The hydraulic component machined at EMO ran through some of the key areas where the Nakamura-Tome WY-100V is slashing cycle times. One example was demonstrated on holes drilled around the periphery of the part, using both turrets drilling simultaneously to reduce the drilling cycle time by 56%. This was followed by the rigid tapping of eight holes on the face of the turned part. The ChronoCut technology tapped the holes at 4000rpm and retracted the taps at 8000rpm, conducting very high-speed synchronisation of the Z-axis travel with the milling rotation. Previously, the maximum synchronising rotation speed during rigid tapping was around 3000rpm, but with ‘V’, it is now possible to synchronise up to 8000rpm.

For further information www.engtechgroup.com

Okuma presented CNC innovations at NORTEC

Earlier this month, Okuma exhibited at NORTEC in Hamburg, presenting its high-performance Multus B300II multi-tasking machine, which features an optimised machine design and efficient specifications. Visitors to the production and manufacturing technology trade fair could also see the intelligent OSP-P500control. Okuma machines are available in the UK from NCMT.

At Okuma’s stand, visitors could witness for themselves the extensive range of solutions offered by the Multus B300II in detailed demonstrations and live machining sessions. In addition to turning and milling, the machine is also capable of high-speed inclined-axis machining.

Okuma says that the machine delivers the high-performance machining of entire small and medium batch sizes with its two-spindle design and a main spindle speed of up to 5000 rpm. The integrated multi-tool function maximises time savings, while the fully redesigned machine provides more possibilities for ergonomic working.

The Multus B300II has a 225° B-axis range. The base offering features a 40-tool ATC, with an optional 60-tool ATC available upon request. Notably,the H1-turret has a 0.001° Baxis and compound-motion Yaxis for machining flexibility. The main spindle is equipped with a full-contouring Caxis.

Okuma’sMultus B300II uses the company’s proprietary collision avoidance system for optimal machining quality and performance. This function prevents collision-related damage to machines and workpieces during process simulation, even before production begins. Potential collisions are detected early and processes stopped if necessary.


Okuma also showcased the new version of its OSPCNC at the trade show. It provides users with even greater ease of use, incorporates sophisticated precautions against cyberattacks, and ensures maximum efficiency and precision thanks to intelligent upgrades. The OSP control also helps to reduce CO2emissions due to its energy efficiency.

For further information www.okuma.eu

Mazak to display latest multi-task machining

Yamazaki Mazak will be hosting a stand focused on maximising productivity and profitability for manufacturers throughout the supply chain at the Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2024exhibition (Farnborough, 6-8 February). Taking centre stage on stand F180 will be the Integrex i-200H S multi-tasking machining centre, which is suitable for a broad range of sectors, from automotive and aerospace through to general subcontract machining. The machine forms part of Mazak’s i-H series, which culminates 40 years of multi-tasking innovation and learnings.

As with all models in the i-H series, the i-200H S features a flat-fronted design with rear-mounted tool magazine to accommodate the growing requirement for automation while maintaining accessibility for the operator. It is possible to fit the i-200H S with a variety of automation solutions, including bar feeders, robotised machine tending and gantry loading systems.

The 5000 rpm main spindle enjoys support from a compact 12,000 rpm milling spindle with versatile B-axis range of -30 to +120° for the complete machining of complex components. An equal 65 mm diameter bar capacity across both spindles allows for a balanced cutting process while maximising component rigidity.

Control is courtesy of Mazak’s SmoothAi CNC, which incorporates a suite of software packages to deliver the practical application of AI, digital twin and automation technology. The model on display at Southern Manufacturing will feature the new ‘Smooth Oscillation Cutting’ program, which is built into the SmoothAi CNC. It provides chip control for further process stability, even when cutting challenging materials.

Mazak will also be using its presence at Southern Manufacturing & Electronics to highlight its Mazak iCONNECT remote service and support package, which now has over 1500 active users across Europe.

For further information www.mazakeu.co.uk