FEATURE ON CNC MILLS & MACHINING CENTRES

Crossen invests in another Hurco machine

Based in Newtownards, Northern Ireland, Crossen Engineering produces precision mould tools mainly, but not exclusively, for the medical industry. Prismatic machining on-site is via numerous vertical machining centres (VMCs) from Hurco Europe, predominantly its own machines but also an RXP500 VMC supplied under Hurco’s sole agency agreement with German manufacturer, Roeders.

As a long-term user of Hurco machine tools, Crossen is aware of the capabilities of the supplier’s range and sometimes needs to produce parts to slightly higher accuracy and surface finish. That notion was behind its recent investment in a Hurco BX40i, which is of bridge-type design and has an HSK63A 18,000 rpm motor spindle. Direct drives and linear scales in all axes provide dynamic motion and accurate positional feedback.

Crossen toolmaker Colin Morrow says: “We require a super-fine finish for shut-off faces in moulds and the BX40i is able to produce them with little or no subsequent hand finishing.
We’re also looking for accuracy throughout the whole job, as well as high feeds and speeds. With it being a double-column VMC, it’s very rigid and gives us the required productivity and precision.”

The Roeders RXP500 high-speed machining centre on site has a 42,000 rpm spindle, linear motors in the X, Y and Z axes, and travels of 550 x 450 x 240 mm. According to Hurco, the machine is able to achieve levels of accuracy and surface finish superior to almost any other machine on the market. Although often used to machine electrodes, the VMC also mills detailed cavities directly into hard metal, reducing the number of operations needed to produce a mould and shortening turnaround times.

For further information www.hurco.co.uk

New Machine Dimension for HACO

Haco A/S, has taken delivery of a huge Droop+Rein portal milling machine from Starrag to meet the needs of next-generation offshore turbines with rotor diameters that exceed 220 m. The special features of this 870 T colossus include its XXL size and unusually large basement section across two storeys.

“Never before have we built such an extensive tunnel system for a production plant; it’s reminiscent of ancient catacombs and even I’ve never seen anything like this anywhere else,” explains Starrag’s senior consultant sales/renewables Hubert Erz. “This expensive and elaborate investment for our customer facilitates service access and day-to-day collaboration.”

Laying the foundation involved processing 850 m³ of concrete and 100 T of steel.

“The foundation forms the base for the machine tool, and its stability and design help determine the level of precision that’s achievable with the machine,” says

Henning Albrechtsen, owner of Danish family-owned company. “In addition, the tunnel system within the foundation provides good access to all relevant machine assemblies and thereby ensures optimal ease of servicing.”

The company already owns five Dörries vertical turning lathes, helping it grow to become one of the leading Danish manufacturers of large components for the wind power and offshore industry. With the new machine, Haco and a Danish partner will machine front and stator sheets, and brake discs for wind turbines. The companies will also produce other, primarily welded, components and multiple steel rotor housings with weights of between 50 and 90 T and diameters of almost 11 m.

The machine has a clearance of 12.6 m between stands, while the gantry axis travels over a distance of 14 m and the tool slide allows a maximum stroke of 3.5 m.

For further information www.starrag.com

Five-axis productivity flows For Rivercircle

As a manufacturer of purpose-built leak testing machines, process automation and special purpose machines, and multi-cavity mould tools, Rivercircle Ltd produces and appreciates high-quality machines. That is why the Peterborough-based company says it now has two Axile G8 five-axis machining centres from the Engineering Technology Group (ETG). Specifically, it is the machining of pre-hardened tool steel and larger tool components that led to the addition of the Axile machines.

Jonathan Theobalds from Rivercircle says: “The important thing for our business regarding the selection of the G8 was the need for something with power, strength and rigidity. We’re machining hardened and pre-hardened tool steel, so we require that capability to remove a lot of metal quickly at the beginning and then move into the fine cavity work.”

Discussing one of the big advantages of investing in Axile G8 machines, he says: “With a five-axis machine we’re not doing multiple set-ups, so if we can strap the billet to the machine once and do all the heavy-duty coring-out before using the same machine for delicate finishing, there’s a huge efficiency advantage.”

The ability to hold 1350 kg on the moving bed of the five-axis Axil G8 is very important for Rivercircle.

“As machine builders ourselves, we really appreciate how the Axile machines are built,” says Theobalds. “The Y axis has twin spindles and twin drives, while the tilting B axis features a motor on each side. This design gives the machine excellent rigidity and accuracy. Furthermore, the Axile has a 20,000 rpm spindle and high-pressure through-spindle coolant for both heavy-duty roughing and high-speed finishing.”

For further information www.engtechgroup.com

Soraluce launches high-rail gantry machines

Soraluce, a manufacturer of milling, boring, multi-tasking and automated solutions, is launching its Dynamic Line, featuring the company’s new high-rail gantry machines. The Dynamic Line comprises three machine models tailored to applications in sectors such as aerospace, mould and die, and mechanical engineering, with solutions designed for specific materials like composites, light alloys and steel. The machines are available in the UK from TW Ward CNC Machinery (Ward CNC).

Dynamic Line machines can feature either five-axis contouring fork-type or high-torque milling heads. This versatility ensures the handling of intricate and complex shapes. The machines also come with a splash guarding system to uphold cleanliness and safety standards. Moreover, diverse dust extraction systems, both within the enclosure and integrated into the heads, facilitate the removal of dust and debris generated during machining.

A key feature of the high-rail gantry machines is axis speeds up to 60,000 mm/min and acceleration up to 4 m/s². The five-axis contouring heads offers speeds up to 30,000 rpm.

From a precision perspective, thermal stability ensures that performance remains consistent even in the face of fluctuating temperatures and rigorous machining tasks. Highly calibrated kinematics further support accuracy.

Heavy-duty mechanical heads deliver power up to 73 kW for challenging cutting tasks. Moreover, Soraluce’s new offer delivers a diverse range of mechanical five-axis contouring heads with torque up to 2000 Nm.

Integrated intelligent damping solutions such as DAS+ and DWS, complemented by a full cast-iron structure, augment stability and performance. These features work in tandem to minimise vibration under demanding cutting conditions.

Soraluce’s global business development director Oier Elguezabal says: “These machines embody our commitment to innovation and excellence, empowering manufacturers to achieve unparalleled levels of productivity and quality in their operations.”

For further information www.wardcnc.com

Subcontractor takes up five-axis machining

Based in County Cork, Maas Precision Engineering performs its CNC milling on seven Hurco vertical machining centres. The first arrived more than 20 years ago and is still running today. Mass Precision caters for all quantities, with the company manufacturing anything from one-offs and small batches up to 20,000 or more.

Managing director Tadhg Hurley says: “We owe our business success to Hurco and are confident in the machines. I know we can turn parts around quickly, making prototypes in one day or a maximum of two days. Every person here can program every machine. Whether it be a 20-year-old machine or a new five-axis model, we usually program directly at the machines and can process orders quickly because we know they’re going to be right.”

The machines play their part, but Maas Precision sets out to make the right investment at the right time. In 2018 the company purchased its first five-axis VMC, a Hurco VMX42SRTi with swivelling B axis and rotary C axis set in the table. The main benefit was the ability to complete more operations in a single set-up.

The transition to five-axis machining was clearly a success as a second five-axis model is now in place: a Hurco VMX30Ui of more compact design with a swivelling trunnion carrying a rotary table. Mass Precision can easily transfer programs between the Hurco machines, new and old, to balance capacity utilisation. The company must respond quickly to changing customer demands, so being able to swap production runs between machines helps to build confidence in attaining challenging targets.

For further information www.hurco.co.uk