THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

MACH Machine Tools goes top of the class

MACH Machine Tools, part of the Vigilance Group and a supplier of CNC and manual machine tools and machine shop equipment to UK and Irish component manufacturers and UK educational institutions and training providers, has recently supplied NETA Trainingin Stockton-on-Tees with three new CNC machine tools.The machines, all ordered at the same time, are equipped with the DynaPath control and comprise two MACH MDT-1 turret-type milling machines and a MACH MDL 1600 lathe.

Says Sean Johnston, NETA’s director:“Our MACH machine tools have helped elevate our status as an engineering training specialist with local and regional employers, schools and young people and the wider community. They have enabled us to further differentiate our offering in what is a competitive local training environment.”

NETA took the decision to invest in MACH machine tools for a number of reasons. Although initially considering a couple of machine tool manufacturers, a meeting between NETA representatives and MACH Machine Tools at the MACH 2022 exhibition meant a machine tool investment package comprising two mills and a lathe began to take shape.

“We liked the approach of MACH Machine Tools,”recalls Johnston. “In addition, we appreciated the build quality of the machines and, once the power and flexibility of the DynaPath control system was explained to us in more detail, we were convinced it was the right way to go.We were also particularly impressed with the control system’s 24/7 remote diagnostic capabilities. These factors, combined with the aftersales service and support, the competitive price, themachine’s availability, and the company’s desire to create a meaningful partnership, helped seal the deal.”
For further information www.machmt.co.uk

Adams slides into three-axis machining

Although a predominantly sliding-head turning machine shop, Adams Engineering (Ilkeston) Ltd has just purchased a Dugard 1000XP three-axis machining centre. Initially founded in the 1950s and run as a single-cam auto machine shop for decades, the business has more recently been taken over by Scott Burrow. Since the takeover, the company moved to new and larger premises three years ago and continued its machine acquisition trail.

Discussing why Adams Engineering has invested in three-axis machining, Burrow says: “Our first venture into milling was down to one of our customers. They kept pressing us to do milling work, so eventually we took the plunge. With the first machine we bought, we were initially just drilling and tapping prismatic parts and putting steps in plates.”

As word got around that the company was undertaking milling work, more enquiries flowed in.

“Due to rising enquiries we bought a larger machine, the Dugard 1000XP three-axis machining centre,” explains Burrow.

The ISO9001-accredited company wanted a machine with a sizeable capacity and a robust platform, which is exactly what the Dugard 1000XP delivers. As standard, the machine has X, Y and Z-axis travel of 1050 x 540 x 560mm to accommodate large parts. It also offers a 27kW BT40 spindle motor, a cartridge belt drive spindle and pre-tensioned twin-nut ballscrews.

“We just thought, why not go big.Today, we are doing work that takes up almost all the entire bed.”

The Dugard 1000XP has X, Y and Z-axis rapid feed rates of 44, 44 and 25m/min, with a cutting feed rate of 20m/min credit to the Mitsubishi CNC control system. Positional accuracy is 0.01mm, while repeatability is ±0.003 mm.
For further information www.dugard.com

Recycling initiative supports circular economy

Metal cutting expert Sandvik Coromant, together with the wider Sandvik Group, is launching an upgraded tool recycling scheme. Building on the success of its existing buy-back programme, the new scheme will make the process of repurposing worn carbide tools easier for customers, while also boosting material circularity across the supply chain.With the scheme, customers can sell their worn-out tools to Sandvik Coromant, which then extracts and reuses the materials in the production of new cutting tools. It is possible to recycle up to 95% of a used carbide insert. Rollout to all customers will take place by 2025.
For further information www.sandvik.coromant.com

Renewable electricity for Renishaw UK

To further help meet its ambition of achievingnet zero by 2050, Renishaw has signed a two-year contact with the world’s first green energy company, Ecotricity, which will now supply the company’s main UK sites with 100% renewable electricity.As part of its ambitious climate transition plan, Renishaw aims to reduce emissions relating to its business activities and purchased energy – Scopes 1 and 2 – to net zero by 2028.

Renishaw’s partnership with Ecotricity is the latest move towards exclusively using green energy across the world, with company sites in India, Japan, Mexico and the US among those already running on 100% renewable electricity. The global businessself-generates 11% of its electricity consumption and most of the electricity itacquires is certified renewable.By the end of 2024, 100% of what Renishaw purchases globally will meet its sustainability requirements.
For further information www.renishaw.com

ITC unveils Widia seven-flute milling line

The Widia VariMill range of solid-carbide end mills, available in the UK from Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC), is seeing yet another evolution with the arrival of the new high-performance machining line of VariMill Chip Splitter end mills.

Suitable for cutting materials in ISO groups P, M, K, S and H, the new series is a high-performance tool that ITC says delivers exceptional material removal rates. The Chip Splitter series is for high chip control in dynamic milling, ramping, helical interpolating and side milling at high speeds and feed rates. This capability enables the tool to run with a longer axial depth of cut while diving into deep pockets in high-temperature alloys, steel and stainless steel. The Chip Splitter series is available as a five- or seven-flute variant with Widia’s WP15PE and WS15PE carbide grades to accommodate the machining of various materials.

Widia’s VariMill Chip Splitter offers features that improve chip evacuation by breaking the chips into small segments. This simplifies swarf removal from the work area and significantly improves cutting speeds and feeds when processing small pockets up to 5xD, or when machining at full depth of cut.

The seven-flute end mills are available with a straight or Weldon shank in 3xD or 5xD variants. Straight-shank 3xD end mills are available in 10, 12 and 16mm diameters with the Weldon shank designation also offering a 20 mm diameter variant. The 3xD tools have a flute length from 32 to 50mm with an overall length of 80 to 110 mm. Similarly, the 5xD plain shank variant is available from 10 to 16mm diameter with the Weldon shank also offering a 20mm diameter variant.
For further information www.itc-ltd.co.uk