Sussex-based Sink Golf, a manufacturer golf putters, has invested in a Dugard 760 machining centre to produce its bespoke products.

Discussing how the Littlehampton business started, company founder Olly Longlands says: “Four years ago I was living in New Zealand and got into CNC manufacturing. I loved it so much that when I returned home to the UK, I bought a 2008 Dugard machine at auction – and I didn’t even know how to turn it on. I called Dugard and they were absolutely unbelievable.With their help and learning from YouTube videos, I managed to get my business up and running.”

Explaining the arrival of the latest Dugard 760 machining centre, Longlands adds: “When I decided to start running the business full-time it just went from strength to strength. I got so busy that I couldn’t keep up with orders using just one machine, so I bought a new one: it wasn’t going to be anything else other than Dugard.”

The company is machining two types of material, 303 stainless steel and mild steel. Now that Sink Golf has two machines, it is possible to perform the first operation on the new machine and undertake facing on the older machine.

“Some clubs have around four hours of machining time, although we also just produced a Damascus club [a process where multiple metals are joined in layers under extreme heat] that took more than 32 hours,” explains Longlands.“Although processing time varies, the rigidity of the new machine enables us to run the tools faster and harder while improving our surface finishes and tool life. This makes us 40% more productive and secondary manual finishing times are reduced.”

For further information www.dugard.com

MACH Machine Tools used the Southern Manufacturing exhibition in Farnborough earlier this month to showcase two DynaPath-controlled milling machines, including a new three-axis model.The MACH MDT-1 turret-type mill, one of the company’s best-selling models, shared centre stage with a new MDV 800 three-axis CNC vertical machining centre that only recently made its UK debut at the company’s open house in January.

While the MDT-1 turret-type mill, with its rigid design and build, powerful spindle and good-sized working envelope offered obvious appeal to visitors, large and small, it was the new production-oriented MACH MDV 800 vertical machining centre that pulled in the crowds.

The new MDV-series, comprising the MDV 800 and MDV 1100 machines, is a high-performance range of machining centres that MACH Machine Tools says delivers excellent cutting performance and improved process efficiencies.In addition to the DynaPath WinDelta CNC control, the machines featurea BT 40 air-cooled, high-torque (11-15kW) 8000rpm spindles as standard. Options includea direct-drive 12,000 rpm spindle with spindle chiller and through-spindle-coolant capabilities.

Other standard features include: Hiwin linear roller guides; 24-position swing-arm ATCs; and generous-sized worktables which, on the MDV 800, are 1000x 500 mm with a 500kg maximum load.

Both MDV machines are fast, boasting 36m/min rapids on all axes and, for improved process reliability, feature a full enclosure with armoured telescopic covers. The machines deliver precision resultsthrough the use of C3-class PMI precision ball screws, while laser interferometer dynamic lead screw compensation enables 6µm positional and 3µm repeatable accuracies across the work envelope.

The DynaPath WinDelta control, available on all new CNC lathes, toolroom mills and machining centres from MACH Machine Tools, was another main attraction on the company’ stand at Southern Manufacturing.

For further information www.machmt.co.uk