With more than 4000 employees in 10 countries, Bontaz-Centre has fully placed its trust in Tornos, accrediting much of its success to the machine-tool brand. In fact, the French firm has recently expanded its fleet of Tornos NC multi-spindle lathes and Swiss-type machines significantly.

Bontaz-Centre is a global success story on how to transform a bar-turning workshop into a worldwide automotive supplier. The history of the company is closely linked to that of its founder, Yves Bontaz, a man that formed the company with the aim of developing an innovative, dynamic and fully future-driven enterprise.
As a born entrepreneur from the Arve Valley, Yves Bontaz decided, together with his twin brother Florent, to join the National Clock-making School in Cluses. In 1958, the brothers were conscripted to maintain aircraft for the French army. After 30 months of military service, Yves realised that he wanted to go into business for himself. However, to purchase his first machine, his parents ended up selling their horse. He canvassed his first customers and soon began expanding his machine inventory, which rapidly increased from 5 to 30 machines.
For 10 years, the subcontractor manufactured for the big names of the Arve valley. However, this kind of bar turning was poorly paid, so productivity and quality became a keynote issue for Bontaz. Even today, these two aspects still form the basis of the company. After 10 years of contract manufacture, Bontaz bought his first three multi-spindle lathes and became a supplier to Peugeot and Renault. The margins were higher and the two customers ordered large volumes.
One day, the purchasing agent of a major car manufacturer gave him a part no other bar-turning company wanted to produce. The component was a cooling nozzle, entirely made of aluminum, and it was the main part of the engine cooling system. This contract marked the beginning of sustained growth for Bontaz.
Environmental protection became a central issue in the 1990s. The better the engine cooling system; the less polluting the engine. The result was a 20-fold increase in the demand for cooling nozzles, which was the start of globalisation for the Bontaz Group. In response to the constant pressure on pricing exerted by the purchasers, Bontaz established its first subsidiary in Eastern Europe, which was soon followed by a subsidiary in Shanghai. Today, over 400,000 new cars comprising a component manufactured by Bontaz will roll off a production line each month.

After China, Bontaz also gained foothold in the US, South America and then in North America. Today, the company has almost 4000 employees and branches in nine countries, with four sites in Tunisia and China respectively, plus manufacturing plants in Morocco, the Czech Republic, India, Brazil, the US, Japan and South Korea, and of course the company’s headquarters in Marnaz, France.
In short, Bontaz has become a major tier-one supplier to the automotive industry. Apart from the famous cooling nozzle, the company specialises in the assembly of various sub-assemblies, such as electro-magnetic handbrakes and all types of fluid control systems.
In Bontaz machine shops around the world, a large number of Tornos cam-type multi-spindle lathes can be seen. Just recently, various Tornos machines of different types have found their way into the workshops and this includes Tornos Swiss DT 13 machines.
“The Swiss DT 13 was chosen due to its competitive price, its productivity and its quality,” says Yannick Bontaz, nephew of Yves. Swiss DT 13 machines are a valuable alternative to cam-type lathes as they boast the flexibility of numerical control while being ultra-productive. Thanks to their L-type kinematic system, the machines can achieve highly competitive cycle times.
Additionally, the company has installed a series of Tornos Swiss GT 32 machines.
“With its B-axis facility, rigid structure, high performance and driven tools that can reach speeds of up to 9,000 rpm, the Swiss GT 32 machines are able to tackle machining tasks of high complexity,” says Yannick.
The company also reports that it now has four MultiSwiss 6×16 machines, although it was never a foregone conclusion that the machines would be Tornos models.
“Even if we trusted Tornos and their cam-type multi-spindle lathes for a great many years, we still decided to contact another manufacturer for NC multi-spindle machines,” Yannick reveals. “However, over time we realised that the MultiSwiss would offer a very high performance. We decided to take the plunge and purchase our first Tornos NC multi-spindle lathe.
“The machine is very easy to operate and set up,” he adds. “Set-up changes can be realised in no time and this is a major advantage. Furthermore, the MultiSwiss provides us with exceptional responsiveness. The quality of the parts and of the series produced is also excellent. That’s why we have already installed four machines and ordered a fifth.

“Given the success of the MultiSwiss 6×16, we did not hesitate when Tornos presented us with the MultiSwiss 8×26. And we have to admit that the machine has already fulfilled its promises in terms of dimensional accuracy, thermal stability and surface finish. We owe the success of our company to Tornos’ expertise and their sophisticated machines. So, we are looking forward to the two new machines that will complement our MultiSwiss 8×26 fleet.”
The entrepreneur from the Savoy region, a colorful personality, concludes: “Tornos displays the same conscientiousness in everyday work as I do.”
For further information www.tornos.com

In 1979, Harlow-based TK Fabrications opened its garage door for business. Today, almost 40 years after the father and son company was conceived, the third-generation family business is filling its impressive new factory with high-end machine tools, the latest addition to which is a Fanuc RoboDrill D21MiA5 five-axis machining centre.

As a manufacturer that exclusively machines plastic and composite materials, TK Fabrications has a machine shop packed with high-end turning centres, machining centres and routing machines. These machines are tasked with manufacturing anything from prototype to 1000+ batch runs that are supplied to customers around the UK, Europe, China, Malaysia and the US. Fanuc has been supporting the growth of the subcontract company since 2002.
Recalling the introduction to Fanuc machine tools, company director Sam Howlett says:
“The first RoboDrill, a T14iB arrived in 2002 with a 4th-axis Nikken rotary unit, which was fantastic. We then bought a used Fanuc and had Fanuc engineers to do some work on the machine to keep it up to the required specifications. We kept that machine for five years. Now, we’ve invested in the new five-axis RoboDrill D21MiA5 and it’s outstanding.”
The reason that TK Fabrications has continually invested in Fanuc technology is two-fold: performance and reliability. Referring to the reliability of the Fanuc brand over the 16-year duration, Howlett says: “Throughout our ongoing growth period, Fanuc has helped our small business to save money, telling us we didn’t need a service contract because the machines don’t breakdown. They were 100% right. After all these years, the machines have never broken down. We’ve had Fanuc come in and do some work, such as lowering a machine after integrating a Microloc work-holding unit. They have also done some other retrofit work, but never attended a breakdown.”
This reliability is a critical aspect to any subcontract manufacturer, as Howlett confirms: “The ability to get finished parts out of the door to meet customer deadlines is a business-critical factor. Failure to meet deadlines has consequences; luckily we buy Fanuc machines so this isn’t an issue. Over the last year, we manufactured over 155,000 components with 98% on-time delivery and the remaining 2% delivered early. Fanuc machines played a considerable role in achieving these statistics by never failing us. Any machine tool failure would be detrimental to these statistics.”
From a productivity perspective, Howlett says that the Fanuc machines have always been streets ahead: “Even the older Fanuc machines have a 15,000 rpm spindle with 54 m/min rapid traverse rate.”

Despite the glowing productivity endorsement of the RoboDrill series, the latest five-axis RoboDrill D21MiA5 has taken TK Fabrications to the next level.
“The D21MiA5 is swallowing work from the other machines on our shop floor,” states Howlett. “It’s giving us more capacity throughout the factory and this is because the new RoboDrill is so much faster than our existing plant list.”
This factor is demonstrated with a plastic component that has a total machining time of 2 minutes 53 seconds, which includes drilling a 170 mm deep hole and then rotating the part to a secondary set-up for machining all faces. The component was previously machined in 6 minutes on an alternate machine, thus cycle times have been cut by over 50%.
Another rectangular plastic part machined on the new D21MiA5 is clamped with two Lang vices and drilled to a depth of 300 mm. This component is being machined in less than 5 minutes, whereas the previous total machining time was over 20 minutes.
The 3+2 configuration of the RoboDrill D21MiA5 is ideal for TK Fabrications as it has no specific requirement for full simultaneous five-axis machining.
“The process to configure the machine from 3+2 to full simultaneous five-axis is simple for Fanuc, and we thought we would have requested it by now,” says Howlett. “However, almost all our jobs only require 3+2 machining, and with the capability of the new Fanuc, it is increasingly close to capacity with no simultaneous five-axis work going through it. This is because it is drawing more work from less productive machines.”
The latest RoboDrill incorporates a Big Plus BBT spindle configuration and more than sufficient capacity in the X, Y and Z axes. In fact, TK Fabrications specified the new addition with a riser block at the rear of the machine to lift the five-axis unit by 50 mm. The purpose of this request was to give the company greater swing capacity, which facilitates the machining of larger components.
Primarily machining plastics and composite materials, TK Fabrications runs every machine without coolant. With the Fanuc RoboDrill, this concept has seen a central dust-extraction system fitted to remove airborne dust.

“The airborne particles are collected via the extraction unit and the machine base is cleaned every 30-40 parts to remove chips,” explains Howlett. “Swarf is automatically blown from the work area as we have a through-tool air blast. This capability keeps the cutting tools at an optimal temperature, clears the work envelope and improves processes such as tapping and deep-hole drilling. The air blast works at 6.2 bar and has been a revelation for us. It stops the tapping process from binding-up, is more productive and delivers extended tool life.”
In conclusion, Howlett says: “Fanuc have been an outstanding machine tool partner. The reliability and machine uptime is amazing, while the service and applications team are extremely helpful and supportive. In short, the technology, speed and capability of the RoboDrill series is perfect for our business.”
For further information www.fanuc.eu

Almost 78 years after Tenable Screw was founded by a Swiss watchmaker as a manufacturer of screws, the company has become one of the UK’s largest subcontract producers of turned parts.
With three manufacturing sites in Marlborough, Coventry and its headquarters in Wimbledon, Tenable has more than 250 machine tools that include 71 coil-fed Escomatics, 26 multi-spindle machines, 56 sliding-head turning centres and four fixed-head turning centres. The machines produce millions of components every month.

Committed to an ongoing culture of quality-assured engineering, Tenable Screw invests 10% of annual turnover in the latest technology to support its live base of over 250 customers. Part of this investment strategy has seen the arrival of a Tornos MultiSwiss 6X14.
The modern face of Tenable Screw sees the company manufacture everything from connector pins and sockets through to bolts, screws and much more for the electronics, instrumentation and control, automotive, aerospace, medical, defence, transport and telecommunications sectors in quantities that range from prototypes and small batch production up to runs of more than 100,000. With London property at a premium and the 45,000 sq ft Wimbledon headquarters packed with machine tools, the philosophy behind the MultiSwiss 6X14 purchase was to add flexibility and capacity to a business with limited floor space.
Commenting upon the arrival of the Tornos MultiSwiss 6X14, Tenable Screw commercial director Nigel Schlaefli says: “We initially acquired the MultiSwiss to alleviate capacity issues on our single-spindle sliding-head machines, while having the production capacity of multiple single-spindle machines in a floor area significantly smaller than five-to-six single-spindle machines. Although we initially used the MultiSwiss as a flexible centre that was supporting our single-spindle machines, like any subcontract manufacturer that has a fluid workflow, customer base and component types, the MultiSwiss is now dedicated to producing just one component family. Despite being restricted to a single family of parts, the productivity, precision, cost reduction and floor area benefits are evident.”
Just a few months after installing the MultiSwiss 6X14, Tenable Screw won a long-term automotive contract. The family of parts comprises stainless-steel pins that require numerous external turning processes, as well as knurling, drilling and parting off. The UK contract demands 1,500,000 parts every year, a quantity equal to 30,000 parts per week. Tenable Screw trialled the automotive part on one of its sliding-head turning centres and the cycle time was 1.5 parts per minute. In stark contrast, the MultiSwiss 6X14 was capable of producing 9 parts per minute – an output equal to six sliding-head turning centres.
“We calculated that we would have needed to run six single-spindle turning centres for 24 hours a day to meet the contract capacity level,” says Schlaefli. “In comparison, the MultiSwiss 6X14 hits the same output by just running for 17-18 hours a day. This means we can run the machine during a day shift, change tools and re-stock the barfeed at the end of the shift, and then run for an extra 8-9 hours unmanned.

As with all manufacturers with relentless quality standards, Tenable Screw has a dedicated quality control department and its production adheres to ISO9001. With regard to production, Tenable applies SPC and CPK procedures to its manufacturing processes. The CNC manager responsible for more than 60 CNC machine tools at Tenable Screw, Paul Kelley, says: “If we were producing this automotive part on six machines there would inevitably be a variation in CPK values between them. Although the part has an average tolerance band of ±20 µm, the MultiSwiss easily maintains a band of less than ±10 µm, and this improves our CPK and SPC values considerably.
“What we have also found is that each spindle on the MultiSwiss works independently, unlike conventional multi-spindle or CAM-auto machines. This allows us to change the spindle speeds for each spindle and operation, which in turn considerably improves surface finishes and contributes to extended tool life compared with other production machines.”
Contributing to both quality and tool life is the hydrostatic spindle technology integrated into the Tornos MultiSwiss 6X14.
“Over an extended period of time, roller bearing technology on machine tools will generate wear and this results in diminishing component quality,” explains Kelley. “However, the hydrostatic spindle technology on the Tornos eliminates wear; this means precision and consistency will not reduce. The hydrostatic spindle also eliminates vibration in the spindle head and this enhances component quality and surface finishes.”
Referring to the tool life on the machine, Kelley says: “The MultiSwiss will run for two days without any need for tool changes. Even then, we are only changing inserts as a precautionary measure. The only tool we change on a daily basis is the knurling tool. To put this in context, we are producing 18,000 stainless steel parts before we change inserts. The MultiSwiss is achieving at least double the tool life of the single-spindle machines.”
The MultiSwiss at Tenable Screw has demonstrated how it can lower floor-space requirements and reduce power consumption, tooling and general running costs compared with five or six single-spindle machine tools offering a similar production output.

Concluding upon the CNC control and ease-of-use characteristics of the MultiSwiss, Kelley says: “The MultiSwiss has 14 linear axes and seven C axes with up to 18 tool stations. Despite the number of axes and tool positions, the machine is significantly easier to program than single-spindle sliding-head machines. We apply G-code programming and determine the number of operations for each spindle. Combining these features with a well-lit and easy-to-access work envelope, the MultiSwiss is easier and faster to set-up than single-spindle machines.
“This ease-of-programming is certainly beneficial; but one equally important factor is the operator,” he adds. “There is a distinct lack of skilled CNC machine operators and programmers in the UK. Combining the ease-of-use characteristics with the facility to be as productive as six alternate machines, the MultiSwiss reduces the reliance and requirement for highly-skilled staff.”
For further information www.tornos.com

R&M Assembly, part of the R&M Electrical Group, has over 20 years’ experience in the assembly, modification and distribution of specialist power distribution and control systems for use in hazardous (explosive) environments.

The company supplies a diverse range of customers across the oil and gas, nuclear, rail and marine sectors, to list but a few. A major advantage of R&M Assembly is its ability to provide bespoke systems in short lead times. This brings its own challenges as the company must overcome production bottlenecks caused by some manufacturing processes. Investment in new machining capacity has not only overcome these bottlenecks, but enabled R&M Assembly to generate new business from existing and new customers.
“Our business model is a reactive one in which we have to respond quickly to demand from our suppliers and customers,” says R&M Assembly division manager Martin Goodall. “One of our main tasks, therefore, is to iron out peaks and troughs in production to deliver a managed service and, where possible, avoid any unexpected issues. The limited machining that we have to do is one of those areas, as on a major project we may have over 2000 holes to drill and tap, and we can only do that at a certain speed with our existing equipment. The option to outsource this work was considered, but the loss of control over deliveries and quality saw us look to expand our in-house capability.”
In order to justify the investment in new machining capacity, Goodall had to identify efficiencies through in-depth time and motion studies, and with limited machining experience he called on XYZ for assistance in the form of area sales manager Keith Ellis. The initial thought for Ellis was to double-up on an existing XYZ SMX 2500 bed mill as the control was familiar and easy to use. However, talking through the needs of R&M Assembly, it became clear that to achieve the necessary versatility and productivity, a machine with a tool changer and fourth-axis unit would bring greater benefits.
“If we had gone with another SMX we wouldn’t have required any training and so it would have made our life easier initially, but in conversation with Keith it became obvious that a step-up was required and the new XYZ 500 LR vertical machining centre would have a significant impact on how we do business,” explains Goodall.

R&M Assembly’s projections, based on a major customer project valued at £1m, suggested that the addition of the XYZ 500 LR would generate savings of up to six weeks in labour, or £64,000, based on which the machine would have a payback period of just 16 weeks.
“Our projections also indicated that the addition of the tool changer would allow much greater unmanned operation, freeing-up operator time every day by as much as 6.5 hours, during which they could be doing other tasks,” says Goodall.
These projected savings were enough to justify investment in the machine, however, they must then be delivered upon. By maximising the capability and capacity of the XYZ 500 LR, with its 13 kW, 8000 rpm spindle, 12-position tool carousel and 510 x 400 x 450 mm of axis travel, combined with the agility of the linear rail technology on all axes, an immediate positive impact on efficiency was seen. Typically, a batch of 200 electrical junction boxes would take 2-3 weeks to produce, with drilling and tapping multiple holes being the bottleneck. Now, by utilising the XYZ 500 LR, machining is completed in two days and the batch fully processed within a week. Machining efficiency has seen gains of up to tenfold by reinventing the processes to match the machine’s capabilities.
The benefits of investing in new machining capacity for the R&M Electrical Group go beyond simple cycle-time savings and efficiencies; the machine is being used as a sales tool to drive new business for the group and typical of this is its partnership with Hawke International, a manufacturer of cable glands and electrical enclosures.
“With investment in the XYZ machine, Hawke has recognised our commitment and is supporting us as an extension to their manufacturing capability, allowing us to gain EAC certification, which will differentiate us from our competitors – all from buying an XYZ machine tool,” says Goodall. “The investment in the machine, along with our relocation to new premises, has allowed us to review many processes and techniques. This is seen as a sign of confidence, especially for customers servicing the oil and gas sector, which is coming out of its downturn.”

The XYZ 500 LR is part of the recently introduced range of linear rail machining centres from XYZ Machine Tools. LR series machines make use of the latest developments in linear rail technology, while providing a cost-effective entry into the world of vertical machining centres, says the company. These machines provide a natural progression or complementary solution for customers moving from manual or XYZ ProtoTrak-controlled machines. The LR range is in addition to XYZ’s recently extend HD range of vertical machining centres, which continue to make use of the box slideway construction, offering greater capability and capacity when required.
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

In engineering, a lot of focus is centred on complex systems and assemblies. Every manufacturer has a signature approach, or systems that help to define a brand. However, from a logistics point of view, every component is of equal importance. A shortage of a single, small bolt over an entire assembly can cause a production shutdown. Optimas, a global industrial distributor and service provider of C-class components, employs fastener experts on the ground at its partner manufacturing facilities to combat this issue.

“The first step of any fastener relationship must be to gain familiarity with the customer’s operations,” states Ian Larkin, customer application engineer at Optimas. “Past experience in an industry can be important here, but leading manufacturers will enact varying approaches to achieve a finished product, so gauging specific customer requirements is important. Hence the advantage of having a fastener expert on the ground. In contrast, someone operating off site would not be able to reach the level of understanding required to accurately address specific fastener issues.
“As a fastener partner, we have to fit an ‘ideal standard’,”
he continues. “We are working with big global customers who are driven to succeed, so we have to respect current processes and enhance the component policy to the specific requirements of the manufacturer.”
The easiest way to gauge these requirements is during a line walk. An Optimas expert will travel the entire production line looking at points of use, while asking basic questions to see what can be tweaked or possibly improved. This way, the expert can meet key figures on the line, while also taking a focused approach to tackling fastener problems on the ground.
“We don’t want to tear up the customer’s rulebook, but if we can point out a cost saving or alternative option to production staff, we will do so,” says Larkin.
A good example of the benefits this strategy can provide to manufacturers is highlighted by one particular Optimas customer in the US.
“We noticed a washer was being added to a flange screw even though it wasn’t particularly necessary,” says Larkin. “These washers were identified at multiple points of use, so we posed the question to the assembly team. It turned out that during the design of the product, the head engineer had requested the inclusion of washers to improve the aesthetic of the overall product. We were able to demonstrate that the washers were unnecessary for the application, and as a result, delivered an annual cost saving of $30,000.
“You can utilise engineering expertise as part of a sales function, but it also adds value to our customers. By making sure that we don’t make presumptions, we start an open relationship with the customer in close proximity. This builds trust and lessens the impact of implementing new methodologies. By getting involved with the product and seeing how it is used, people on the ground can get a deeper insight into possible solutions.”

Another customer application engineer at Optimas, Gerry Abraham, adds: “A key aspect of integrating with a manufacturer’s operations is responsiveness. Such businesses work to exacting timeframes in all aspects of their work, whether full scale production or prototyping a new product. Fastener suppliers who simply supply components can leave manufacturers with the impression that if a component problem arises, they alone must solve the issue. Optimas aims to differentiate itself by working together with purchasing, design and engineering teams to aid problem solving.
Abraham says that one project comes to mind, which was in relation to design engineering activity for a new diesel engine. A bolted joint for the turbo mounting was backing off during testing. As a result, the turbo itself was coming loose, producing excessive noise in operation. The manufacturer approached Optimas for a solution.
“We connected the customer with a number of suppliers to help rethink the situation. The customer trialled three or four recommended locking-type fasteners to replace the problem part, before selecting a preferred option. Ultimately, we wanted to give the customer choice and a chance to improve performance, so they could be confident in the part going forward.”
Another key element in providing an integrated approach is cross-departmental communication, as engineering program manager Chris Sterner, points out: “By starting this dialogue from the beginning, efficiency and response is improved. In addition, close contact means that specific fastener solutions can be enacted across multiple projects. Open dialogue regarding each other’s projects allows wider implementation of identified solutions, instead of starting from scratch every time a potential problem arises. By standardising solutions, you also deliver cost and efficiency benefits.”
Consistent presence is clearly important for these customers. Optimas tries to breed familiarity by being present at design reviews, which is a lot more beneficial to the manufacturer than simply being on the end of a phone. It also allows Optimas to share solutions, as each fastener problem solved allows the company to convince these varied groups within a business that it can be trusted to deliver.
“Providing guidance on fasteners affects the activities of the purchasing, design, engineering and assembly teams – so being able to balance the requirements of each of these groups is paramount,” says Sterner. “Regular face-to-face contact is the optimum method, helping to build relationships between teams and delivering a fast response. Ultimately, a fastener expert must communicate across each department to achieve the perfect balance.”
Becoming a fully integrated fastener expert means taking the emphasis on component knowledge away from the manufacturer. Manufacturers therefore are not required to brush up on standard parts, availability, material standards or overall usage – enabling time to be spent on other areas of the business.
“One story really fits this philosophy,” says Sterner. “An Optimas expert was asked to demonstrate some fasteners that were mentioned during a customer meeting. As he didn’t have these samples readily available at the meeting, he took pictures of the fasteners that were installed on his own car. He even took out a number of fasteners from the vehicle so he could share samples with the customer and demonstrate their usage. While quite an extreme approach, it was certainly effective in demonstrating the solution to the customer.

“The capabilities of the service also go a long way,” he continues. “Our access to failure mode analysis and full technical studies means we can provide exact answers to tackle fastener application issues. If we don’t have an answer ready for the customer immediately, this capability means we can react as fast as possible with a high technical proficiency. If it’s a unique problem, as fastener experts we can also learn from similar experiences, so the benefits of shared knowledge are also available.”
Fasteners are the only assets on a production line that are used uniformly, but with engineering typically focusing on landmark innovations, the emphasis upon them can be diminished. As a fastener expert, challenging this preconception is all part of the job.
“Fasteners may be the most inexpensive components that a manufacturer utilises on a production line, but they are one of the most critical,” concludes Sterner. “A lack of fasteners will shut down production just as much as complicated components, so we must demonstrate to our customers that the expertise we deliver can provide reliable service, no matter the challenge.”
For further information https://global.optimas.com