Wiltshire-based Rotron Power, a specialist designer and manufacturer of rotary engines, has purchased a Lehmann T1-510520 CNC rotary table to support its machining activities.
“As we need to efficiently machine parts with demanding levels of precision, we have invested in a range of machine tools from XYZ,” explains production manager Sam Bellefontaine.

“When the need arose to purchase a rotary table, we were happy to take advice from XYZ’s technical staff and invest in a Lehmann unit. The machining flexibility and speed that our new rotary table delivers is now proving invaluable.”

Given the complex nature of many of its parts, Rotron Power would need to perform two or three separate machining operations prior to installing the rotary table.
“Now, thanks to the ‘all-round’ machining capability delivered by our Lehmann solution we can complete the same machining work in a single hit,” says Bellefontaine. “In addition, we no longer have problems related to the accurate relocation of workpieces for secondary machining operations. These factors have helped us to maintain our high precision standards and slash the machining time of many components.”

The relatively small footprint of the Lehmann rotary table means that, when mounted inside the XYZ machine, it occupies a minimum area of its bed.

“As well as leaving room for the fitting of additional work holding on the bed, the compact size of the rotary table means that – even when it’s not required – we can leave it inside the machine while other milling and drilling work takes place,” says Bellefontaine. “Also, when we are not using it, the rotary table’s low profile helps to increase the available working volume of the machine.”

For further information
www.lehmann-rotary-tables.com

Two German firms, five-axis vertical machining centre manufacturer Wenzler (Heller group) and work-holding equipment specialist Roemheld, have developed a process that allows a casting or other component to be secured, while at the same time checking it for accuracy of form and position before machining starts. The solutions avoids adding value to defective workpieces that will later be scrapped, increasing process reliability, raising productivity and lowering manufacturing costs.

Wenzler conceived the idea as it wanted to offer customers, particularly those in the automotive industry, turnkey production centres for the reliable machining of aluminium chassis and suspension components, 24/7. The company’s technical manager Sebastian Knaus says: “We wondered how work-holding technology could contribute to making our customers’ production even more stable and efficient.”

Already familiar with Roemheld’s work-holding equipment, which he describes as “sophisticated, reliable, and sturdy”, he contacted the supplier’s key account manager Benjamin Nagel.

Development of the innovative clamping technology was based on a cast aluminium rear axle frame secured in a test fixture at Wenzler’s technical centre. The pilot phase ended in 2020 and this year it will find use assisting the series production of aluminium structural components at a German automotive supplier.

In more detail, the concept features swing clamps from Roemheld with integrated pressure sensors able to detect cost-effectively and easily the accuracy of the workpiece about to be machined. Intelligent clamping technology checks the parts for defects and contour variations, detects fixturing errors and provides information on the position of the component and the applied clamping forces during machining. Part quality is subject to continuous monitoring with seamless documentation.

For further information
www.roemheld.co.uk

A recently installed CNC rotary table from PL Lehmann is enabling a Bostomatic high-speed milling machine belonging to Billingshurst-based Thomas Keating Toolmaking, a specialist in scientific ground and satellite-based THZ instruments, to perform highly efficient five-axis machining.

“When judged against the alternatives that we considered, the Lehmann TF 507510 rotary table best met our exacting technical criteria and represented excellent value for money,” says managing director Dr Richard Wylde. “Now installed on our rebuilt Bostomatic machine, it is in daily use.

“In addition to the advantages that the rotary table provides to our tool-making activities, it proves extremely useful when we manufacture high-precision scientific instruments,” continues Wylde. “For example, we’re currently involved in the production of next-generation, satellite-based weather prediction instruments. The precision 3+2 axis capabilities provided by our Lehmann rotary table are invaluable when undertaking this challenging work.”

He adds: “Equally, when recently manufacturing thin, metal film coated dielectric mirrors for use in dynamic nuclear polarisation instruments, the rotary table enabled our complex five-axis machining tasks to be performed with ease. In addition to delivering five-axis capabilities, our new Lehmann rotary table has considerably increased our manufacturing speeds. So successful has it been that we are currently in the process of purchasing another Bostomatic that will be fitted with a second Lehmann rotary table.”

Estimates suggest that 90% of machining procedures carried out by five-axis machining centres are basic five-sided processes. Therefore, the fitting of a CNC rotary table (which costs a fraction of the price of a five-axis machining centre) to an existing three-axis VMC, represents an cost-effective way of achieving five-axis capabilities.

For further information
www.lehmann-rotary-tables.com

The Stark division of the Roemheld group has developed a robotic gripper with zero-point clamping for automated pallet exchange on machining centre tables without their own media supply. The new clamping solution is available in the UK and Ireland through subsidiary company Roemheld UK.

Using Roemheld’s latest zero-point solution, the services needed for clamping and releasing the workpiece, whether hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical, are all transferred to the clamping plate via a multiple coupling integrated into the robot’s pallet gripper. The company can supply the system to suit a user’s specific requirements, representing a cost-effective, entry-level solution to automated production that is suitable for retrofit at any time.

Implementation is short owing to the system’s standardised coupling and flexible modularity.

Furthermore, the air-blow removal of swarf and automatic checking of correct component seating, clamping and release, means that customers can rest-assured of safety at all times.

For further information
www.roemheld.co.uk

As a work-holding specialist and precision machining subcontractor, Brown & Holmes relies on coolant solutions from Rocol to keep its machine shop running at optimum levels.

Brown & Holmes CNC programmer Michael Gulliver says: “We are a global precision work-holding company, but we also work closely with prestige companies like Rolls-Royce. We’ve been using Rocol fluids for almost 10 years now and their products are excellent. We have a great relationship with Rocol and, if we have any concerns regarding the fluids, they are immediately on-site to solve any problems.”

The company deploys the UltraCut Evo 250 long-life soluble cutting fluid throughout its Tamworth site.
Gulliver says: “UltraCut Evo has made a significant improvement to our tool life. We’ve used various other products in the past, but the performance and longevity of UltraCut Evo 250 are significant. The cutting fluid also demonstrates a noticeable difference with evaporation. Previous coolants would easily evaporate within the machine envelope and wider work area, but this is not the case with the Rocol fluid. In addition, our operators have noticed that there is no longer an odour in the machine shop.”

Suitable for use with a diverse range of ferrous and non-ferrous materials, UltraCut Evo 250’s prolonged sump life and low odour is down to several factors. Firstly, the cutting fluid rejects tramp oil which, when removed/skimmed-off, eliminates the main food source for bacteria. Furthermore, the fluid itself is inherently resistant to degradation thanks to its bio-stable constitution, while the absence of biocides or skin sensitizers makes it very operator friendly.

For further information
www.rocol.com