FEATURE ON CNC MILLS & MACHINING CENTRES

Setting the course for high precision

Some 15 years ago, Ammann AG changed its strategic business orientation from a contract manufacturer for machined switch and track parts to Ammann Components, a system supplier specialising in complex, high-precision workpieces. Success and growth followed – thanks in part to the company’s high-quality machinery, which is dominated by several Heckert machining centres from Starrag. Now, the of Tägerwilen, Switzerland-based is expecting a further boost from its recently delivered Heckert H75.

The successor model to the successful Heckert HEC 500, the H75 comes with various improvements and promising options. The machine produces large aluminium gearbox housings for which the customer specifies centre distances with a tight tolerance.

Managing director Paul Ammann is especially enthusiastic about the machine’s spindle with its maximum torque of 950 Nm and speed up to 12,500 rpm. This capability makes the BAZ spindle equally suitable for aluminium and heavy machining. To maximise flexibility and keep set-up times to a minimum, the Heckert H75 features extensive tool storage: with its four coupled towers, the magazine has a capacity for almost 400 tools.

As the company plans long term for all its investments, the imminent move to a new location will have an impact on the Heckert H75, as Ammann explains: “At the moment, automation is neither necessary nor possible. At our new location, however, we’ll expand the Heckert H75 and our existing Heckert HEC 500 with a pallet system to create a low-manpower production system. It was therefore important to us that the H75 is fully compatible with the Heckert HEC 500 so that a second set-up station is not needed. As expected, our partner Starrag was extremely flexible and made the necessary adjustments to the Y-axis travel and pallet changer.”

More information www.starrag.com

Double power for machining large light parts

Schwäbische Werkzeugmaschinen (SW) is strengthening its portfolio of multi-spindle CNC
machining centres with the introduction of the BA space3-22 two-spindle machining centre.
This further development of the ‘space’ series is for machining particularly large, light metal
workpieces in sectors such as automotive and aerospace.
SW launched the single-spindle version of its BA space3 in 2020. Since then, the machine
has found use primarily in e-mobility applications. To achieve even greater efficiency, SW’s
R&D team subsequently began developing the two-spindle version for demanding
manufacturing processes such as giga-casting or machining other complex components in
the automotive and aerospace industries.
The BA space3-22 is currently the largest machine in the SW portfolio. Its independent
horizontal spindle arrangement enables two machining scenarios: simultaneous machining
of two parts by two spindles, or the use of both spindles on one large workpiece. This
flexibility is particularly valuable in series production, where maximum machine utilisation is
crucial. The benefits are clear: parallel machining significantly reduces production times and
increases output.
Markus Löhe, aerospace key account at SW, explains: “In a nutshell, two-spindle machines
double output. The BA space3-22 can be used as a conventional two-person machine or, for
very large components, can easily be configured as a one-person machine with an even
larger machining area.”
At the heart of the BA space3-22 are powerful linear and torque motors. In this
combination, the advantages of both motor types are exploited to the full: linear motors
guarantee fast and precise linear movements, while torque motors provide dynamic rotary
movements. This capability allows the machine to achieve maximum acceleration, not only

minimising machining time but also downtime during tool change and positioning. The rapid
feed rate of the BA space3-22 is 120 m/min.
More information www.sw-machines.com

Filtermist increases up time at Tooling 2000

One of the biggest challenges for any machine shop is workshop air quality and the impact
coolant mist has on staff wellbeing. To prevent coolant mist from impacting the air quality in
the workplace, Tooling 2000 installed on-machine mist extraction systems from Filtermist.
In addition to COSHH-compliant clean air, the Birmingham-based automotive subcontract
manufacturer is also benefitting in other less obvious ways, as senior business development
manager at Tooling 2000, Iain Bubb, explains: “Filtermist systems firstly protects our
workforce, which is of paramount importance. However, they also allow us to open our
machine doors sooner, providing more machining uptime.”
 
If the doors of the machines are opened immediately after a cutting cycle without Filtermist
system in place, oil mist enters the air. This results in a film on the machines, tools, floor and
anything else in the vicinity, causing a health and safety concern.

“With Filtermist, we’re removing all airborne particulates from the machine tool
atmosphere, which not only keeps the inside of the machine clean, but also also helps to
remove the swarf as it does not stick to any tacky coolant residue on the machine bed.”
 
With the Filtermist FX5002 mist extraction systems fitted to its range of Hurco machining
centres, Tooling 2000 finds maintenance of the technology easy to manage.
“We have a TPM [Total Productive Maintenance] system in place so, after a set number of
production hours, we change and clean the Filtermist filters. Productivity is also very
important to us as it cascades down to the bottom line. With the Filtermist technology we
get more uptime from our machines, giving us better productivity and profitability.”
More information www.filtermist.co.uk

Window plant sees clearly with Filtermist

Steel window manufacturer Crittall has adopted the FX series of compact oil mist collection systems from Filtermist within the busy machining department of its production plant in Witham, Essex.

When making the transition to CNC machining from older punching and stamping technology, the company encountered the problem of coolant mist and fumes from the machine tools.

“We rapidly found that the factory was starting to mist up, making for an unpleasant workplace environment,” explains production director Darren Joyce. “Additionally, there was far too much coolant on our parts, which was creating even more fumes during downstream welding operations.”

He continues: “We wanted to revise the way we work with coolant and cutting fluid. One of the biggest challenges was moving away from the paper-type filters used on our type of machine tools. We needed to find something that would take the oil out of the air and deliver a cleaner working environment.”

Alluding to how the company started working with Filtermist, Joyce recalls: “We did a lot of investigation and spoke to several machine tool manufacturers, which brought us to Filtermist. Filtermist manufactures what is effectively a drum that centrifugally spins and removes oil from the air. We’ve now installed them in all of our CNC machining centres. Although the Filtermist FX5002 unit is successful in spinning oil out of the air, we’ve taken it a step further. With modification, we’re now recycling the oil and using it on our flood-based coolant machines, extending the service life of the oil.”

Crittall has gone from not knowing Filtermist to having 12 of its FX5002 units installed on its machining centres in less than a year.

More information www.filtermist.co.uk

Danfoss UK invests in three-machine FMS

A flexible manufacturing system (FMS) comprising three Makino A61nx horizontal four-axis machining centres is now in place at the Warwickshire factory of Danfoss UK. The machines are served by an AGV (automated guided vehicle) running on a linear track along a storage and retrieval system housing 32 machine pallets that are loaded and unloaded at two workstations. The company is a subsidiary of the global, Danish-owned manufacturer of mobile hydraulic and electro-hydraulic products, compressors and speed controls for electric motors.

Following its turnkey installation by NCMT, sole UK and Ireland agent for Makino, the FMS replaces stand-alone production centres used in the manufacture of prismatic components from steel and aluminium. The components are part of integrated manifolds for the mobile hydraulic industry.

The Makino machines offer a rigid, robust spindle capable of delivering both high speed and torque. Each HMC features a 313-tool magazine, minimising the need to replenish cutters between batch runs, despite the throughput of both high-mix and high-volume production. Danfoss can route any pallet with a fixtured component to any machine, limiting the amount of movement necessary and providing considerable flexibility and productivity. Machine utilisation is close to 100%, as there is always a part waiting for immediate presentation to one of the spindles.

The automated system allows the manufacturer to run the facility 24/5 and at weekends when necessary. Two operators manage the cell during each of two day shifts, followed by unattended operation from midnight until 06:00.

NCMT supplied applications engineering support throughout the project, ensuring the efficient transfer of programs from the previous machines to the new Makino models.

More information www.ncmt.co.uk