FEATURE ON CNC MILLS & MACHINING CENTRES

Kiwa HMCs exclusively at Dugard

Dugard recently announced that it is the new exclusive agent for Kiwa Machinery throughout the UK and Ireland. Based in Nabari, Japan, Kiwa is renowned for offering affordable yet state-of-the-art technology based on a strong R&D background.

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Specialising in horizontal machines, Kiwa says that its expandable tool and pallet technology sets the company apart from the competition, allowing for tailor-made designs to meet specific customer requirements. The tool changer and multi-pallet systems are upgradable on a retrofit basis, from a two-pallet, 120-tool machine, to a six- or eight-pallet machine with 220 tools. This gives customers the flexibility to meet any future expansion requirements without having to buy a completely new machine.
Kiwa machines feature high speed rapids (up to 80,000 mm/min on the KH-400 model) as well as direct-drive (up to 15,000 rpm) and built-in (up to 20,000 rpm) spindle options. What’s more, the patented hybrid slideway design of the machines, which combine roller and boxways, gives Kiwa horizontal machining centres both speed and rigidity.
A compact footprint is yet another distinctive attribute, at just 1.6 m wide for a 400 mm cube HMC with 500 x 500 x 500 mm travels in the X, Y and Z axes (Kiwa KH-4100). Cost-effective multi-pallet options are available on most models, as well as horizontal 5 or 4+1 axis configurations for optimum chip clearance.
For further information www.dugard.com

Rigid yet compact machining centre

Burkhardt + Weber (B+W) has incorporated the stiffness and power of its heavy-duty MCX horizontal machining centres into a new, smaller model, the MCC 630. In so doing, the company says it has created one of the most rigid and powerful machines in its class for producing prismatic components weighing up to 1.5 tonnes (including the fixture). Availability in the UK and Ireland is through Geo Kingsbury Machine Tools.

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The four-axis machine (including C-axis rotary table), has twin 630 mm (optionally 630 x 800 mm) pallets and a nominal 1 cu m working envelope. External dimensions are 8 x 3.3 x 3.5 m.
B+W’s MCC 630 can deliver 1300 Nm of torque continuously if a 41 kW gear-driven spindle is chosen instead of a 30 kW/300 Nm motor spindle. There is a further alternative of a +45/-110° tilting spindle of identical power (also new), which adds a fifth CNC axis.
Spindle speed is up to 6000 rpm, optionally 10,000 rpm, while an ISO50 tool interface can be specified instead of the standard HSK-A100 with a tool clamping force of 45 kN. The tool changer serves a tool magazine with 64 pockets that can be doubled in size on request.
Productivity is promoted by a cutting feed force of 17.5 kN and 7 m/s2 acceleration to 60 m/min rapids in the linear axes, which are fitted with linear scales for feeding positional data back to the Siemens Sinumerik 840D sl control. B+W integrates a high level of Industry 4.0 monitoring and networking capability into its machines, offering data acquisition and communication for efficient production, process safety and timely maintenance.
For further information www.geokingsbury.com

Wele HMC500 launched in UK

The latest addition to the Wele range of machining centres is the HMC500 horizontal spindle model, which offers positioning accuracy of ±0.005 mm in the X, Y and Z axes, and a repeatability of ±0.003 mm over the full working strokes of 640 mm in X, 610 mm in Y and 680 mm in Z. With 60 m/min rapid traverse rates in each axis, positioning times are reduced, contributing to shorter cycle times and higher levels of productivity.

Launched in the UK by 2D CNC Machinery, the 500 mm twin-pallet machine (optional 400 mm pallet size) has a maximum workpiece capacity within a cylinder diameter of 750 x 900 mm high with a full B axis. The B axis has 1600 Nm of torque and a positioning accuracy of 10 arc-secs (with a repeatability of 6 arc-secs). Also featured is a zero-point clamping system via four radial pre-tensioned tapers to ensure alignment. Index times are 1.5 seconds with a pallet interchange time of 7 seconds.
The built-in 22 kW, Big-Plus dual-contact spindle has a speed range between 40 and 15,000 rpm with up to 167 Nm of torque available through a low and high-range transmission. Spindle acceleration and deceleration is 3.3 seconds. In order to minimise any deformation caused through variable cutting forces or thermal effects, the spindle head is mounted between twin box-type gantry columns, while the cast-iron bed is supported via three-point levelling.
There is a 60-tool magazine, providing 3 seconds chip-to-chip time, which is capable of carrying tools up to 80 mm diameter (or 160 mm with adjacent pockets left empty). Maximum tool length is 400 mm. Control is via Fanuc 0i-MF.
For further information www.2dcnc.co.uk

Kafo machine chosen for defence parts

Rotherham-based Newburgh Precision Ltd, a contract manufacturer of project-critical component parts and assemblies, has acquired a new Kafo KMC-4140 double-column CNC machining centre from sole UK agent, TDT Technology. The machine has been purchased to produce high-value components for the defence industry.

“We recently secured a long-term defence contract for large stainless steel components and needed extra capacity,” explains managing director David Greenan. “Initially, we began producing the parts on an existing bed mill, but this machine already had a busy workload and it was apparent we needed a new resource.”
Assessing the various options online, Newburgh Precision shortlisted two machines, including the Kafo KMC-4140, which met the company’s requirements of size, capability, build quality and price.
“As luck would have it, we were aware of a company in France that had both of the machines on our list,” says Greenan. “One of our team paid them a visit and, upon discussion, discovered they had a preference for the Kafo. In my opinion you cannot beat personal recommendation when you are making machine tool investments.
“To be honest, the Kafo is not the most expensive machine in the world, but its build quality – in terms of strength and rigidity – belies its price tag,” he adds. “This is good news for us because the free-issue material for the stainless steel defence part carries a value of £80,000 per workpiece. As a result, high build quality is paramount in ensuring precision and repeatability.”
Newburgh also says the speed of the Kafo machine means the company can process parts around 25% quicker than using its bed mill.
For further information www.tdt-technology.co.uk

Valve producer has preference for Heller

The manufacture of braking systems for rail vehicles is the specialism of Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems UK, which says that its patented EP2002 distributed brake control is recognised as the best in the world and the de-facto standard on all new trains for London Underground as well as metros in Bangkok, Dubai, Manila and throughout China.

Designed at the company’s engineering and manufacturing facility in Melksham to a very high specification, which includes 25 µm dimensional tolerances and a mirror finish of 0.2 CLA in the valve bores, the products comprise eight main prismatic parts. They are machined at a production facility in nearby Knorr-Bremse Corsham from solid aluminium on six Heller twin-pallet HMCs. The latest was installed in July 2017, fitted with a four-pallet pool.
Paul Ranford, improvements manager at Corsham, says: “Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems UK inherited four Hellers when we took over the subcontractor in Corsham that was previously manufacturing the parts for us on this site. We have since considered a couple of other potential suppliers of HMCs, but we saw no reason to change, as Heller’s UK headquarters is only two hours away. They also have a manufacturing operation there, so the technical expertise and service capability available in this country are more in-depth than would otherwise be the case.”
Ranford regards the working relationship with the supplier and the service back-up as first rate, which translates into minimum spindle downtime at the factory and the all-important high levels of manufacturing output that are needed.
For further information www.heller.biz