Manufacturing companies invest considerable time, effort and resources designing, developing and refining their machining processes. The goal, ultimately, is process optimisation; effectively striking an acceptable and appropriate balance between manufacturing costs, quality and productivity.
But while optimising a machining process is clearly desirable, ensuring that it has longevity, remains reliable and predictable, and continues to deliver the expected results day-in, day-out, is also critically important. To achieve such process security requires vigilance and constant monitoring.

This need for process security can result in manufacturers investing in the latest automated condition monitoring technologies to enable them to intervene (in real time) in their processes, preventing in advance any deviation from pre-set process parameters (or restoring them as soon as possible, if and when any deviation has occurred).
In June 2017, a supplier of titanium stock and semi-finished titanium components to the aerospace sector, took the decision to invest in an Oracle fluid-management system from Jemtech UK. The move was designed to help improve process security and ensure a fail-safe method of delivering ‘right first time, every time’ parts to its customers.
VSMPO Tirus Ltd, the UK-based sales, distribution and service centre of the global giant and vertically integrated VSMPO – Avisma Corp (headquartered in Russia), supplies titanium stock and pre-machined/semi-finished products, in a variety of sizes, forms and quantities, to a diverse and growing range UK customers operating primarily in the aerospace sector.
The company’s operations in Redditch provide warehousing and stock management (over three months of stock is held at any given time) for major customers that include Rolls-Royce, Airbus, Bombardier and GKN.

Long-term agreements with numerous customers of VSMPO Tirus ensure security of supply. Many customers also rely on the company’s added-value ‘machining’ services, such as the supply of cut-to-size and part-machined titanium components.
Initially these added-value services mainly concerned sawing, profiling and shearing titanium ingots, bar, plate and sheet, using the company’s suite of bandsaws as well as a large-capacity dual-head waterjet machine and a high-speed shearing machine. However, in recent years the company has invested in three CNC machining centres, which are used for first-machining operations, such as producing fixture points and clamping holes prior to delivery to customers.
“Customers rely on our added-value machining services,” says VSMPO Tirus’ managing director Colin Whitehouse. “By supplying them with high-precision, pre-machined parts, the pressure is taken off their own machining operations. Our services help customers save production time by freeing-up their machines to perform more intricate machining and finishing operations.”
While titanium offers numerous strength and weight advantages compared with other materials, it does pose several manufacturing challenges. As titanium is a poor thermal conductor, heat generated during the cutting process does not dissipate. Instead, the heat intensifies in the cutting zone, sometimes reaching 1100°C, which can quickly dull cutting tools. Using dull cutting edges can generate even more heat, further shortening tool life. What’s more, titanium’s elasticity makes it spring away from the cutting tool, which causes edges to rub together (instead of cut), increasing friction and further raising temperatures in the cutting zone.
Faced with these challenges VSMPO Tirus, having decided to offer CNC part-machined components to customers, invested in ‘best-in-class’ and proven machining technologies.
The investments included rigidly-built three-axis machining centres, high-quality tooling and high-performance metalworking fluids. The company also began developing effective, efficient and repeatable machining processes in order to produce consistently high-quality parts and meet customers’ stringent delivery schedules.
The company currently has three machining centres at its disposal that include two large-capacity, box guideway Doosan Mynx 7500/50 machines for heavy-duty cutting operations.
All three machines use Blaser Swisslube metalworking fluids supplied by Jemtech, with the fluid of choice being Blaser Vasco 7000, a vegetable ester oil-based micro-emulsion designed specifically for the production of ‘difficult-to-machine’ materials.
“High-performance cutting fluids are a critical element in our machining processes,” says production manager Ray Flynn. “Vasco 7000 delivers improved tool life, longer sump life and reduced fluid consumption, which all help us achieve high quality and reduce our overall manufacturing costs. Furthermore, by using the coolant under high pressure, we have been able to increase cutting data [speeds, feeds and depth of cut] to improve cycle times and reduce lead times.”
Never a company to rest on its laurels, having optimised its machining processes, VSMPO Tirus began to investigate methods to help maintain its reliability. As part of this search, the company attended Jemtech’s recent launch of the new automated Oracle fluid management system at the MTC in Coventry, and liked what it heard and saw.
“We ultimately decided to invest in a multi-sump Oracle system and interface it with our two Doosan machining centres,” says Whitehouse. “The system automatically monitors [in real time] the condition of metalworking fluids in the sumps of these two machine tools, and adjusts the fluid’s volume, concentration and pH levels where and when required.”
When a machine tool needs topping up with metalworking fluid, a probe located in the sump sends an alert message to the Oracle unit signalling that more fluid is required. The Oracle system then measures existing fluid concentration levels in the sump and, operating within pre-defined fluid volume and concentration parameters, first calculates and then fills the sump to the required levels.
Simultaneously, the Oracle unit monitors and records existing pH levels by automatically adding correction fluid if required, as well as capturing and recording current fluid conductivity and temperature data, which can be acted on immediately or reviewed at a later date.
“Oracle removes the human dimension from metalworking fluid management,” says Whitehouse. “This delivers an obvious cost saving and, just as importantly, ensures that fluid management actually does occur. We operate tight production schedules and simply cannot afford operational downtime, which is something that can occur if machine tool sump levels are not topped up regularly.
“A particular strength of the Oracle system is that our processes are monitored in real time by Jemtech engineers,” he concludes. “If our processes move out of tolerance we are notified straight away, and if required, Jemtech can undertake remote diagnostics and rectify the issue. Our investment in Oracle has helped us improve process reliability, and that’s good news for us and for our customers.”
For further information www.jemtech.co.uk

Established in Eschert, Switzerland in 1964, family-owned G&Y Leuenberger SA came under new management in 2014 with family member Boris Leuenberger, a young and enthusiastic engineer, taking the reins. This period was a particularly troubled time for Swiss companies, and even though pressure remains today, it has to be noted that the company responded to the situation with significant investment in a new Tornos MultiSwiss 8×26 machine.

Thanks to its flexible structure, the company processes orders ranging from 500 to several million parts with diameters from 1 to 65mm. Materials such as brass, steel, stainless steel, titanium and even plastics can be machined, and this shows the ability to adapt to the latest product developments and trends.
G&Y Leuenberger produces meticulously designed components that are used for the manufacture of luxury-brand products, including for the watchmaking and connector industries. By way of example, the company produces customised magnifiers for watchmakers.
“This is our sole finished product,” Boris Leuenberger emphasises. Invented in 1995 by the former managing director, Yves Leuenberger, the body and ring are made of aluminium, which makes the magnifier light and pleasant to wear. The range of colors and versions is virtually infinite; anodised and engraved models can be produced. They can even be used as high-end giveaways for any business active in the field of precision engineering.

In 2017, the company decided to apply for ISO13485 certification to extend its range of activities and make G&Y’s expertise available to other sectors. Boris Leuenberger is convinced that the company’s production experience and ability to work with its customers will appeal to broader industry: “We specialise in solving problems and push the limits of machining. I would like to invite any company having machining problems to contact us as we are amenable to new challenges.”
The 45-employee business offers comprehensive services ranging from assembly to roller burnishing, polishing and anodising, as well as watch decoration.
“Our strength is being able to free our customers from the need of subcontracting,” says Leuenberger. “In particular, we offer logistics solutions of all types. Upon request, we can implement Kanban stocking, consignment stocking and on-call delivery.”
To achieve all this, G&Y Leuenberger has a plant list that includes the new Tornos MultiSwiss 8×26, 23 Tornos Deco and EvoDeco machines from 10 to 32 mm capacity, a Tornos SAS 16, two machining centres and 10 fixed-headstock turning machines.

Alluding to the arrival of the MultiSwiss, Leuenberger says: “As a Swiss company, the economic environment we are operating in is rather complex. We compete with enterprises based in the Eurozone with a different cost structure. With the uncoupling of the Swiss Franc from the Euro in 2015, our prices rose 15% overnight. We had to tackle the crisis and reinvent ourselves. All these constraints brought us to utterly rethink our strategy; we were looking for a means that enabled us to quickly respond to peaks in demand, a means to accelerate our production and a means of making us competitive.
“And that’s how we came across the MultiSwiss 8×26 machine,” he continues. “Until then, our machine inventory consisted of single-spindle machines only. Of course, we could face demand peaks by using several Deco or EvoDeco machines, but this would be at the cost of the production schedule. Furthermore, with its eight spindles and multiple back-machining functions, the MultiSwiss 8×26 unites the productivity of up to eight machines while using minimum floor space.”
G&Y Leuenberger recognised that the MultiSwiss 8×26 is far more compact than competitor machines and does not need much more space than a single-spindle lathe designed for 20 mm diameter parts with an associated bar feeder.
“The machine is also extremely user-friendly,” says Leuenberger. “Programming is performed using TB-Deco software that we have been familiar with for many years. It can be set up in no time and is therefore not only profitable for large series runs but ideal when responding to urgent demands comprising several thousands of parts.”
“In terms of ergonomics, when entering the machining area, there is no need for the operator to worry about oil dripping on his head,” he adds. “What’s more, the tool holders are easy to install and everything is close at hand. The MultiSwiss can be set-up as quickly as a single-spindle lathe – only the replacement of the nine collets takes a bit more time, although adjustment from the front makes this comparatively easy.”
The fact that the MultiSwiss 8×26 makes multi-spindle technology available to users of single-spindle lathes certainly poses some challenges as the operator enters a new dimension. For instance, the wear of inserts is proportional to production output and chip management therefore becomes more important. However, hydrostatic technology within the MultiSwiss 8×26 is designed to offer a considerable reduction in insert wear.
“Moreover, we can now achieve surface finishes we never thought possible,” says Leuenberger. “The machine has an accessible machining area and is equipped with a conveyor that can efficiently discharge both long and short chips. With its low-, medium- and high-pressure pumps boasting a high flow rate, and its 2000 litre coolant tank that is heat-stabilised, the machine has the cooling capacity needed to tackle virtually all machining challenges.”
Leuenberger concludes: “It should also be noted that the Tornos service is simply excellent, especially with regards to the MultiSwiss 8×26. Commissioning the machine was easy and we feel that the technicians are fully receptive and ready to support us. They are doing an excellent job.”
For further information www.tornos.com

By calling in Mollart Engineering’s tooling specialist, a move that led to the introduction of a Steiner Autofacer back-counterboring tool, Atherstone-based precision subcontractor Lunn Engineering has been able to introduce a fully automatic production cycle, significantly reducing production lead-time and operational routines when machining cast iron flywheel housings for off-road vehicles. Previously, due to access difficulties and the design restraints of certain features, a separate counterboring operation had to be set up in an adjacent machining bay that not only introduced logistical problems and additional work-handling, but also significantly extended lead-times.

“We have produced some 1400 of these components on our horizontal, twin-pallet machining centre, which was installed specifically to manufacture these castings,” says works foreman Martin Sharpe. “However, we have always had to run an additional operation on a horizontal borer located in another bay just to produce three counterbore features that were very difficult to access as they were set back behind the main location flange of the housing.”
He follows on to explain that the effect of combining operations from three into two has been relatively marginal on overall cycle time, but importantly it has enabled a fully automatic production cycle involving A and B fixtures on the twin-pallet machine that has considerably reduced lead times, work handling, setting, operator attendance and inspection times. As a result of the change, Lunn Engineering has also been able to concentrate production and sub-assembly of the flywheel housing in one area of the works.

Sharpe adds how the customer has gained from improved control over quality by eliminating a third relocation of the workpiece, while tool life has been increased to achieve some 120 counterbores per insert corner. This improved performance is largely due to the combination of the inherent rigidity of the machining centre and the Autofacer tool set-up, as opposed to the previous method with varying tool life and the workholding arrangement of the borer.
Lunn Engineering produces two types of housing for two- and four-wheel drive off-road vehicles at a rate of 15 per week. Following machining, the housings are cleaned, painted and then sub-assembled for the customer, which includes the insertion of bearings. The revised fully automatic machining sequence, following Mollart’s change to the application, now involves just two operations on the machining centre that incorporate considerable milling, boring, drilling, counterboring and tapping sequences.
Following the approach by Sharpe, Mollart’s tooling specialist came on site to assess the operation. He found that with access to produce the three counterbores being severely restricted, the objective could only be achieved by back counterboring through three 18 mm diameter holes. These holes are drilled through from the outer face of the housing directly opposite the main flange face that is used for initial first operation location on the fixture. It was this main flange that partially covered each counterbore position.
Adding to the problems was a steep draft angle around each of the three features which meant any back counterboring tool had to cope with progressive material build-up, creating a variable interrupted cut. Indeed, this draft angle aided the failure of previous attempts to back-counterbore using competitor tooling, resulting in chatter and inconsistent tool life.
According to Sharpe, following the visit and assessment by Mollart’s tooling engineer, it was recommended that the Steiner Autofacer tool be employed because of its high rigidity and being well-proven in applications of this type. Both Sharpe and the engineer then worked together to develop the process and set the speeds and feed rates whereby the spindle is now run at 810 rpm at a feed rate of 0.04 mm/rev.
The Steiner ‘bump style’ Autofacer spotface/counterbore tool is activated from contact with the datum face of the workpiece as it passes through the previously drilled 18 mm holes. Each drilled hole is used to support a pilot bearing on the Autofacer tool that is positioned behind the insert pocket on the body of the tool. By reversing the machine spindle, an internal friction clutch mechanically opens and locks the cutter blade to the set dimension of 36 mm diameter.
The tool is then fed in reverse back into the casting, and when a programmed depth of 32.5 ±0.05 mm is reached from the machined datum face, is fed back before a cone positively drives the cutter blade to its closed position into the tool head. It now takes just 6 minutes and 20 seconds to complete the three holes.
Lunn Engineering was originally formed as a general engineering and subcontract business in 1938 under the name of the Rotary Pump Company. In 1952, the firm changed to Lunn Engineering Co, when it became a principal supplier to the UK’s very active, at that time, machine tool sector. During 1960, the company moved to its current 16,000 sq ft site in Atherstone, producing five-speed gearboxes for the mining industry and safety clutches for conveyor systems.
In 1969 the company obtained manufacturing rights for Lunn Davis keyseater machines, which the company updated two years ago to include its own design of control system. Since commencing production, Lunn Engineering has built over 200 machines with demand now increasing following the introduction of the new control.
Lunn also specialises in design, development and prototyping for customers and employs 22 people. The company designs, builds and re-engineers equipment such as special rotary table chucks used in ultrasonic testing, and produces test rigs and fixtures for leak testing products such as domestic showers. In addition to its design and build operations, Lunn’s subcontract production supplies sectors such as metrology, machine tool, off-road and specialist aerospace and automotive related industries with batches of work that vary between 40 and 300 parts. Over 70% of the order book is repeat business.
Says owner and managing director Fred Lunn: “We had such a recent success producing a one-off bespoke gold-plated desk fitted with an Onyx top for one of our customers – a leading UK aircraft interior specialist – that we were then asked to make a smaller version to accommodate a printer.”
Following the success of the application engineering and trials of the Mollart-supplied Autofacer, the engineering team is now working on further process improvements to replace twist drills used on specific deep holes in the two housing types with Botek gun-drills. This strategy will provide improved efficiently to produce certain special holes within ±0.2 mm geometrical tolerances.
For further information www.mollart.com

Technoset has built a strong reputation for supplying complex components to the aerospace industry over a number of years. More recently, the company has steadily increased its manufacturing capabilities and staff skills to move further up the industry’s tiered supply chain. At this level every detail counts, which is why a Wogaard Coolant Saver is playing a notable part in ongoing business development.

Part of the Techno Group, Rugby-based Technoset is a precision engineering company specialising in one-hit manufacturing of precision turned and milled components. Having continually invested in the latest fixed- and sliding-head CNC machine tools with up to 13 axes, driven tooling and full turning and milling capabilities, the company is able to offer a high degree of flexibility to its customers.
Continued success for the company means investigating and evaluating every potential business advantage, as managing director Kevan Kane points out: “Even at the high-end of the sophisticated parts we produce for our customers there is still a need to look for efficiencies and enhancements. We are under constant pressure to improve the operation of our business. These pressures can be financial or environmental, or a combination of these key drivers. There can even be peer-pressure from other members of the Midlands Aerospace Alliance, or Coventry and Warwickshire Aerospace Forum, to do better.”

One of the most recent improvements on the shop floor has come from the installation of a Wogaard Coolant Saver. The simplistic design and execution of both the Wogaard Coolant and Oil Saver is said to belie the potential benefits it can provide to manufacturing companies. Using very few component elements, the system efficiently collects the normally wasted cutting fluid which is dragged out of the machine by the swarf that is evacuated by the automatic chip conveyor or swarf auger. The neat oil or water miscible (soluble oil) cutting fluid is reclaimed by siphoning it from the chip container and returning it to the machine tool’s main coolant tank for reuse.
Using a vacuum generated within its body to draw the fluid out of any container, the Wogaard unit is powered by the machine’s coolant pump, so no additional power source is required and fitting remains a straightforward operation requiring just a few pipe joints that can be specified in an optional fitting kit available for most popular machine tools.

“You must consider with coolant that you are not only buying the fluid, but you need to pay to dispose of it, so waste is a great consideration,” explains Kane. “We initially tested the Coolant Saver on one machine, and the benefits were both clear and immediate. It was then a case of fitting a unit to all of our milling machines and all of the fixed-head turning centres. We also fitted the new Oil Saver to our sliding-head machines, where the savings on neat oil and disposal of waste have an impact on the business bottom line that is even more dramatic.
“The downtime for any machine tool waiting for coolant levels to be replenished has been reduced to a minimum, and the operators appreciate not having to fill the sump so often,” he continues. “We run a core day with overtime. The nature of the material we machine, plus the tight tolerances required, do not lend themselves to running lights out. However, we often leave the batch running on the machine at the end of the day, which we can now do confidently knowing that the sumps will not alarm out because the coolant level is low.”
Each of the Coolant and Oil Savers has been installed in-house by Technoset staff.
“In a year or so we will have the accurate figures on the savings achieved, but right now it is just making life much simpler for all of us,” says Kane. “Today, except for one, each of the machine tools on our shop floor has a Wogaard unit fitted and our housekeeping is much improved. We like to think that we are a forward-thinking company. As such, no stone should be left unturned; you should look at your business from every facet.
“There is simply no way we would go back to a shop floor without the Coolant and Oil Savers fitted to the machines,” he concludes. “Walk around now and the swarf bins are dry with material that is ready to be responsibly recycled. And we know the coolant, be it oil or water-based, is getting reclaimed and recycled quickly and efficiently back into the same machine tool’s sump, so there is never any worry about cross contamination.”
Technoset was founded in 1978 and moved into its present modern factory, which occupies 1600 sq m, in 1988. The company can offer scheduled deliveries, Kanban systems, small (single figures) to large batches, assembled components, and will undertake the management of subcontract processes such as heat treatment and plating. Technoset manufactures turned products from 0.4 to 65 mm and milled components up to 800 x 400 mm. A wide range of common and more exotic materials can be machined, including titanium, Colsibro, Berylco, Arcap, high-temperature alloys, ferretic stainless steel and precipitation and austenitic stainless steel. Technoset also guarantees the traceability of products throughout the process.
For further information www.wogaard.com

Bay Engineering is a precision engineering company based in Weymouth, Dorset on the Lynch Lane Industrial Estate. The company is committed to providing high-quality CNC machined components while providing prompt and efficient customer service. Established in 2001 by directors Steve Balem and Darren Taylor, Bay Engineering has been going from strength-to-strength.

In 2012, the company moved into a new purpose built 6000 sq ft factory and invested in new machining centres with a prospect to increase its workforce of 13.
“We have expanded our team to 20,” states Taylor. “Our highly skilled staff are augmented by external specialists in their respective fields. This has enabled us to continue our steady growth while making improvements across the company. Ultimately, this lets us deliver an ever-improving service and quality of work to our customers.”
But it doesn’t stop there.
“In 2010, we turned over £320,000. Since then we have steadily grown and have every confidence in reaching our forecast of £1.7m for 2017.”
Adds Balem: “Our culture of continuous investment should see us soon surpass the £2m mark. This will undoubtedly include the procurement of more Haas five-axis CNC mills. We have a long-standing tradition of using Haas. We find them to consistently deliver solid, long-lasting machines, which are great value for money and output quality components.

“Our commitment to quality has always been at the forefront of our current and future plans,” he continues. “We have just received our certification of the latest ISO standard, ISO 9001:2015. We are duty bound to ensure all components we manufacture are fully traceable. From the material purchased, to programmer, to operator, to inspection, through to goods-out.”
More five-axis machining has been an essential part of Bay Engineering’s long-term investment plan for increasing both capacity and machining capabilities.
“We were looking for a five-axis machine to expand our capabilities and had a list of specific requirements,” says Taylor. “Our search for a ‘perfect-fit’ machine began and ended with a call to Haas. They suggested the 12,000 rpm version of the Haas UMC-750 universal machining centre.”

Investing in a CNC machine tool should not require nerves of steel. But, for owners of SME machine shops with a need for high-productivity five-axis machining that is exactly what used to be the case. High purchase cost and complexity were usually enough to put-off those with anything less than cast-iron composure. Until, that is, Haas released its UMC-750 in 2015.
The UMC-750 is designed for both 3+2 and simultaneous five-axis machining. Travels of 762 x 508 x 508 mm and an integrated dual-axis trunnion table are featured. An inline direct-drive, low-heat 40-taper spindle (8100 rpm standard, or optional 12,000 or 15,000 rpm) is offered, while the machine comes as standard with a 40+1 tool side-mount tool changer. The machine provides +35 and -110° of tilt and 360° of rotation for suitable tool clearance and large part capacity.
According to Haas, the UMC-750 is a high-performance CNC machine tool for a fraction of the usual cost associated with machines of such capability and quality.
A wide selection of high-productivity options is available for the UMC-750, including a belt-type chip conveyor, high-pressure through-spindle coolant systems, high-speed machining control software, the Haas Wireless Intuitive Probing System and expanded program memory.
“With 762 x 508 x 508 mm travels, an integrated dual-axis trunnion table and 40+1 tool changer, we knew we had found the right machine for our needs,” says Taylor. “Since taking delivery in March, it has become the most popular machine in the workshop.”
Such an advanced machine requires a similar step up in CAD software. Fortunately, Bay Engineering’s CAD package of choice was ahead of the game.
“We’ve been using OneCNC for over 10 years now,” says Taylor. “It has always worked seamlessly with our existing Haas machines. We have a CAD station attached to each mill for programming and file transfer. This year we’ve upgraded all our CAD stations to Windows 10 Pro and OneCNC-XR7 3D Expert to fully complement our new five-axis machine. We’ve also added modules to OneCNC that provide us with optimum five-axis control while maintaining our existing workflow.
“We have a strict 5S strategy in place, but we take the spirit beyond the obvious tooling and marking,” he adds. “All our CAD stations are configured with the same software connected to a central server providing access to all files at any time. Our ERP software is bespoke and accessible throughout the building. It provides the latest information from the shop floor as required by those who need it, including production status, resource planning and delivery performance.”
Bay Engineering has also started running a night shift, allowing continuous manufacturing around the clock.
“We were looking for a way to increase utilisation of our growing range of machining centres to meet customer demand,” says Taylor. “Adding 24-hour skeleton staff has allowed us to realise and leverage the full potential of our machines.”
Concludes Balem: “Our long-term investment plan since moving to new premises in 2012 has already paid off. We will continue putting our collective expertise, our machines, and our teamwork into ensuring our customers receive the highest quality components with customer service to match.”
For further information www.haas.co.uk