THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Towering success for UK manufacturer

Hackbridge-based Monument Tools specialises in supplying the plumbing and roofing industries with the tools its needs to complete the job.

As all of its products are developed in-house, the company’s toolroom plays an important role in business success. Here, Monument requires the ability to efficiently create small batch quantities and be able to change designs quickly, hence the company’s willingness to invest in machine tools.
Monument’s most recent toolroom investment is an XYZ CT65LTY turning centre. The Siemens 828D ShopTurn conversational control, 70 mm of Y-axis travel and 400 mm swing, make for a highly versatile machine. Other standard equipment includes a 200 mm hydraulic chuck, 12-station VDI turret with live tooling capability, Renishaw tool setting/probing, swarf conveyor and fully programmable tailstock.
“We needed a machine that could produce parts in a single hit to reduce development time and labour costs,” says chairman John Collier. “The simplicity of the control on the XYZ, and our use of offline programming, means we can quickly produce batches of 10-off prototypes and confirm the design is suitable for our customers’ needs, as well as ensuring it is production ready for batches that are sometimes in excess of 1000-off. The one-hit capability of the XYZ CT65LTY generates much greater efficiency within the toolroom.”
Having installed the XYZ CT65LTY, an additional bonus arrived when a company local to Monument Tools heard about the investment. “We only took delivery of the machine in June, but word soon spread and we were approached to see if we would be interested in taking on some subcontract work for complex parts with tapers on the external and internal surfaces,” explains a pleased Jon Norton, engineering manager at Monument Tools.
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

Order intake surpasses £53m mark

In the UK, Trumpf has recorded an order intake of £53.3 million in 2017/18, with a preliminary operating profit of £951,239.

“We continued to see a high number of new customers in the past 12 months, while existing customers purchased more complex solutions with several taking their first steps into the digital revolution of machine tools,” explains managing director Lee Moakes.
“Trumpf is now providing its most comprehensive package ever to ensure customers get the best return on their investment,” he adds. “Moreover, we continue to grow our support team, increasing technical service capacity by more than 10% this year. As a result, we will be prepared for the further growth of Trumpf and its customers.” With the current order intake and the forecasted outlook into 2019, recruitment at the company is set to continue.
For further information www.uk.trumpf.com

Starrag meets Metalex’s big machining plans

In a significant investment for the future, Metalex Manufacturing located in Cincinnati, Ohio, has selected Starrag to supply a large-capacity, multi-axis Droop+Rein portal-type machining centre for its newly created Center for Advanced Large Manufacturing.

The machine – the largest ever installed by the contract manufacturer – will provide it with flexible production capacity to meet all foreseeable demands in terms of producing precision milled and turned workpieces in a single set-up. Indeed, the six-axis Droop+Rein T series machine – with its machining envelope of up to 19 m table length, 9.5 m between the columns and 7 m under the spindle – will also help attract new work.
Established in 1971, Metalex specialises in producing complex workpieces for a range of customers in the aerospace, energy, marine and consumer goods industries.
Metalex’s desire to source a machine that would not only satisfy current production needs but also meet all projected demands in the years ahead saw it make contact with a number of machine builders, including Starrag, which in the past has supplied it with a number of machines (a Dörries vertical turning lathe and two Starrag STC horizontal five-axis machining centres).
To help meet application demands at Metalex, Starrag added the two rotary tables and turning tool holders for in-cycle turning operations, and expanded the horizontal and vertical clearances of the Droop+Rein T series machine. Also included was Balluff tool identification, Renishaw probing, Blum laser tool measuring, video monitoring of the work area using four cameras, ARTIS tool and process monitoring, and Brankamp collision monitoring – all integrated via the machine’s Siemens 840 D SL CNC.
The machine is due for delivery in 2020 and production is scheduled to commence in 2021.
For further information www.starrag.com

CNC mill helps control tool-room work

Aylesbury-based motorsport specialist Goodfabs has invested in an XYZ SMX SLV turret mill to help it produce fabrication jigs.

“Because the exhaust systems we produce are bespoke, we either need the car here to fit the exhaust, which is impractical, or need a jig made to replicate the actual mounting points on the car,” says Paul Watson, process manager. “Prior to getting the XYZ SMX SLV we could only machine the smaller parts of jigs, with the rest being outsourced. And, while our subcontractor produced the quality and accuracy required, we suffered some loss of control. With lead times being short, control of production is vital to us.”
The XYZ SMX SLV is the largest turret mill available from XYZ Machine Tools (larger bed mills are available), with a table measuring 1473 x 305 mm that is capable of carrying components weighing up to 580 kg. This capacity is enhanced by axis travels of 1000 x 410 x 400 mm (X, Y, Z). The head can be tilted front to back by +45° to -45° and from left to right by +90° to -90°, with full 360° rotation of the turret possible. Customers have the option of a three-axis DRO (4th axis optional) or, can opt for the ProtoTrak control in either its two- or three-axis configuration. The latter being the choice
for Goodfabs.
“While we already have three- and five-axis machining capability to produce fittings for our exhaust systems, the addition of the XYZ turret mill has introduced an extra dimension to our machining capability,” says Watson.
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

EDM for aero-engine production

TEK4 recently introduced what it describes as a world first, an EDM machine dedicated to producing aerospace engine blades and vanes. As a specialist in cooling hole drilling technology for jet engines and gas turbines, TEK4 has launched its 6G FHD SA (Small Aerospace), a fast-hole EDM drill specifically for industrial turbine production.

The TEK4 6G FHD SA incorporates full six-axis simultaneous machining and intelligent probing, as well as pre-breakthrough and breakthrough tool detection. These features are essential for machine shops in this sector as it enables them to avoid the risk of back wall impingement. The machine is fitted as standard with an automatic electrode guide changer and automatic electrode changer, which can accommodate electrodes up to 600 mm long for extended autonomy.
According to TEK4, the EDM generator works in combination with the in-house developed software. This compatibility allows for excellent metallurgical results, says the company, which is another critical parameter for this high-tech industry. In addition, the TEK4 6G FHD can be integrated in an autonomous robot cell with automatic part loading for unmanned operation. A laser ablation head can be incorporated in TEK4 FHD machines for the removal of the ceramic protective barrier. Having the EDM head and laser head on the same platform avoids positioning issues and offers reduced capital investment.
The TEK4 5G FHD machine has an X, Y and Z axis of 300 x 300 x 400 mm, with 360° rotation in the A (±180°) and C axes (360° continuous), a 600 mm drill stroke, and a maximum work part weight of 20 kg. This flexibility enables the machine to process holes from 0.25 to 10 mm diameter, and up to 200 mm deep.
For further information www.tek4.co.uk