FEATURE ON CNC LATHES AND TURNING CENTRES

Latest turning machines mitigate high operating costs

With electricity bills, raw material costs and company taxes at record highs, SME manufacturers like 13-person subcontract turn-milling subcontractor C&M Precision are looking to technology to help it maintain profitability.

That is why the firm’s owner and managing director, John Cable, continues to buy Japanese-built lathes from Citizen Machinery UK. Modern versions have proprietary LFV (low frequency vibration) chip-breaking software in the operating system of the controls, helping to maximise a manufacturer’s earnings by ensuring the reliable production of added-value components, while reducing scrap rates to virtually zero.

“We were an early adopter of this technology, buying our first L20-VIIILFV Cincom sliding-head lathe in 2017, the first year the function was available on Citizen turn-mill centres in Europe,” says Cable. “I would never buy another lathe without LFV. We only source machines from Citizen and nearly half of our 13 lathes on the shop floor have the chip-breaking functionality: five Cincoms and a fixed-head Miyano.”

Four of the lathes arrived in the past two years, representing an investment of nearly £750,000 and indicating Cable’s desire to maximise C&M’s use of the technology at its modern production facility in Maldon, Essex. 

The most recent Citizen Cincom to be delivered, in June 2025, was a Cincom L32-XIILFV sliding-head lathe of nominal 32 mm bar capacity, with B-axis live tool carrier and long parts collection unit. The B-axis option on these machines is essential for milling an angled flat on a titanium ball joint, a feature that is impossible to realise on other Citizen lathes at C&M and would otherwise necessitate a second operation.

More information www.citizenmachinery.co.uk

Star to debut SP-32 at October open house

Star Micronics GB will showcase the new SP-32 sliding-head lathe for the first time in the UK at its annual open house event, taking place on 7-9 October 2025. The SP-32 follows the launch of the SP-23 in 2023, expanding the capability of the series to bar diameters up to 32 mm (35 mm optional).

Designed for versatility, the SP-32 offers a wide tooling capacity and extensive software functions, making it well-suited to a broad range of sectors that include automotive, hydraulic and pneumatic equipment, and general subcontract machining.

The machine is equipped with the FANUC 0i-TF Plus CNC, which includes a range of advanced features such as a program data batch input/output function to streamline daily operation. In addition, a new deburring cycle has been added to the Star command system.

Incorporating various technologies to minimise heat generation, the SP-32 includes Star’s thermal displacement correction technology to optimise accuracy, stability and machining performance. The machine is compatible with the latest software developments including Step Cycle Pro chip-breaking technology and Star’s new ECO Mode, an energy saving function that saves power during machine standby.

The SP-32 incorporates a zero-shaped tool post with a six-station platen on the front and a six-spindle cross-drilling unit at the rear. Four of the cross-drilling unit’s spindles are cartridge-type positions where a wide variety of tool units can be mounted to suit complex applications. In addition, a five-spindle sleeve holder (drilling arm) is provided with three positions at 22 mm and two positions at 32 mm diameter.

The back-working platen is specified with a five-spindle tool post with driven-tool capability as standard, enabling up to four rotating tools for efficient (overlapped) back machining and reduced cycle times.

More information www.stargb.com/open

Setting a new benchmark in universal turning

With its new UniversalTurn 50, Emco says it is setting the next milestone in the complete machining of bars and chuck parts. Developed for maximum precision, dynamics and process reliability, the compact, high-performance turning centre offers powerful drive systems, an integrated Y axis for extended milling and flexible automation concepts.

Whether complex turned and milled parts for mechanical engineering, the automotive industry, medical technology or defence – the UniversalTurn 50 impresses with its rigidity, intuitive operation and scalable equipment, reports Emco. Thanks to established Emco technologies combined with progressive new developments, users are said to benefit from efficiency, high cost-effectiveness and high levels of manufacturing quality.

The high-precision turning centre is designed for the efficient and complete machining of bars up to 51 mm diameter bore. An integrated Y axis supports extended milling and helps to maximise machining versatility, while dynamic drive systems deliver fast machining cycles and high accuracy.

A compact counter spindle means users benefit from precise rear-side machining without additional re-clamping. Furthermore, a powerful tool turret with up to 12 driven tool positions adds to a list of further advantages provided by the UniversalTurn 50 that include: a stable cast machine bed for rigidity, damping and process reliability; an absolute measuring system for repeat accuracy without reference point homing; intuitive operation with the SINUMERIK ONE control (optionally available with FANUC 0i plus control from 2026); and access to scalable automation solutions that range from integrated swivel loaders to gantry systems.

Emco says the new machine is a fully co-ordinated machine concept – made in the heart of Europe – for applications in mechanical engineering, automotive, medical technology, defence and more.

More information www.emco-world.com/en

EMO 2025: Highlights in turning machines from Index

Among the machine highlights on the stand of Index at the EMO 2025 exhibition last week was the Traub TNK40 production turning machine, a pure short-turning machine developed on the basis of the Traub TNL32 compact Swiss-type turning machine. Instead of the sliding-head for Swiss-type turning, the TNK40 has a fixed headstock with a spindle diameter of 40 mm. Thanks to the low-vibration and simple bar feed, the machine achieves higher overall rigidity than the Swiss-type turning version, which is reflected in increased dynamics and component quality.

Another new addition to the portfolio on show at EMO was the Traub TNL12 lean Swiss-type turning machine. This cost-effective entry-level model is configured with only one turret and one rear unit. The driven guide bush is adjustable but not programmable. Optional extensions are of course still possible.

Complete machining and automation are of course setting a trend across all industries. Index demonstrated what a practical solution can look like at EMO 2025 using the example of the Index G200.2 and G320 turn-mill centres with the iXcenter robot cell.

Among the technological innovation on show was High Dynamic Turning (HDT), which Index has further developed into HDT 2.0. In this process, the setting angle of a turning tool is continuously adjusted using the C axis of a motorised milling spindle. Index has developed a new input mask for HDT 2.0 that allows this process to be programmed easily and efficiently directly at the machine. This capability eliminates the need for numerous tool changes, as even very complex turning contours can be machined with just one tool.


Index also presented a solution that enables HDT on a turret and even on a multi-spindle automatic lathe.

More information www.index-group.com

Transforming production capabilities with Hanwha

Machined Component Systems (MCS) is a subcontract machining specialist with a reputation for delivering precision components to sectors including automotive, petrochemical, environmental, transport technologies, marine, healthcare and white goods. Founded by Warren Gray’s father, MCS has been under Warren’s leadership for the past decade. During that time, the company has transformed from a traditional engineering firm into a sophisticated manufacturing hub, a move made possible with investment in the latest manufacturing technologies, including three Hanwha sliding-head turning centres from Dugard.

By 2022, MCS faced a critical decision regarding its sliding-head capability.

“We’d had some very good sliding-head machines from another manufacturer over a number of years,” says Warren. “Those machines were beginning to age, so we went out to three or four sliding-head manufacturers with the same suite of parts. We asked them to tender and provide a complete turnkey proposal for those components, and Dugard won.”

The selection process was not simply about specifications or price comparisons; Warren insisted on a comprehensive evaluation that would reveal real-world capabilities.

“Dugard invited us down to Brighton. I took my lead setter and a senior sliding-head machine setter. The three of us spent the whole day reviewing Dugard as a company and looking at the Hanwha machines in action. On the back of the quotation provided, they won our business.”

The company now has three Hanwha machines, the XD20II-V NHY, XD26II-V NHY and XD38II-R NHY. These six-axis turning centres have a diameter capacity from 20 to 38 mm with an ability to turn parts up to 545 mm long.

Warren’s assessment of the partnership is overwhelmingly positive: “The Hanwha machines are very good machine tools and we’re extremely happy.”

More information www.dugard.com