Running on 6-9 December, Yamazaki Mazak’s ‘Discovery Week’ open house aims to help machine tool and laser processing users find solutions that overcome a host of productivity-led challenges to improve efficiency and minimise downtime. The event, which will be hosted at Mazak’s European manufacturing plant and technology centre in Worcester, will be supported by over 25 partners with expertise in tooling, tool management, swarf management, CADCAM and finance.

There will be more than 20 machines on display, including live cutting demonstrations on a range of five-axis, horizontal, vertical, CNC turning and laser processing machines, many of which will be equipped with third-party automation systems. Among the technology highlights will be Mazak’s newest vertical machining centre, the VCN-700. Designed and manufactured in the UK, visitors will see live production of the VCN-700 as part of the factory tours.
For further information www.bit.ly/3t4YHDX

As a manufacturer of high-performance electric and hydraulic sewer pipe rehabilitation robot systems, Pipetronics GmbH utilises two in-house CNC machining centres fitted with a wide range of Big Kaiser tools and tool holders that are available in the UK from Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC). With headquarters in the South German town of Stutensee, Pipetronics uses the Big Kaiser range of products for the production of its robots’ turned and milled components.

To ensure complete coverage of all production processes, Pipetronics purchased a Grob G350 five-axis machining centre and a Mazak i400 ST turn-mill centre. Both feature robot automation.

“To mill very close to the clamping device along the spindle, a slim, stable and precise tool holder is required, which is where tool-holder specialist Big Kaiser comes into the picture,” says Rolf Dettinger, head of CNC manufacturing at Pipetronics. “From my previous job, I have significant experience with Big Kaiser spindle tools and Big Daishowa tool holders. After being repeatedly disappointed by the quality of the default chucks used on the Grob, I finally contacted Big Daishowa and they kindly provided us with the Mega Double Power Chuck for testing.”

Seeing the impressive results during the test phase, Dettinger was so impressed that he ordered several Micro collet chucks from the Mega Chuck series for the Mazak machine in addition to the tested power chuck.

“For our application, the Big Micro Chuck collet chucks offer optimal performance characteristics for machining hard-to-reach workpiece areas, where conventional collet systems fail to deliver,” he says. “Thanks to its groove-free collet nut, vibration at high speeds are prevented. The key is that this Big Kaiser micro-collet system is slim enough to implement in all our machining operations.”
For further information www.itc-ltd.co.uk

To strengthen its position even further in the area of stationary systems, Hainbuch, a manufacturer of high-precision clamping devices, has acquired the Docklock zero-point clamping system from Vischer & Bolli AG in Switzerland.

The Docklock system has been on the market for more than 20 years, while its features and user benefits match perfectly with Hainbuch’s product philosophy. Hainbuch has been offering quick change-over systems or zero-point clamping systems for lathes for many years, and now it is expanding its capabilities in the area of stationary systems. The four variants of the Docklock system now have Hainbuch branding. Both pneumatic and hydraulic variants are available for either manual or automated change-over.

According to Hainbuch, the Docklock zero-point clamping system has two decisive advantages over other systems. The first is form-fit clamping with a collet or clamping segments, ensuring stiff clamping and higher repeatability. This also means that there are no pressure marks on the clamping bolt compared with systems featuring balls or slides, which lead to inaccuracies and consequently the need to replace the clamping bolts. Secondly, it is impervious to dirt and swarf, which means less wear and less maintenance. The base plate, which screws on to the machine table, provides the base for a quick change-over.

Notably, it is possible to change the clamping device combined with Docklock in just two minutes. The zero-point clamping system thus produces savings in terms of production time and cost. Using the interface, users can perform set-up outside the machine, thus avoiding lost production. The collet chuck lock ensures the trouble-free insertion and removal of workpiece pallets, while direct installation on machine tables, pallets or fixtures can be implemented cost-effectively by means of flanged cylinders.
For further information www.hainbuch.com

Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of DN Solutions’ machine tools (formerly Doosan machine tools) in the UK and Ireland, has recently supplied an automated machining cell to a precision aerospace subcontract specialist. The cell was delivered and installed at ASG Arrowsmith’s machine shop facility in Coventry and is being used, at present, to machine a range of pre-production, high accuracy aero-engine parts for the new, ultra-efficient Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 business aviation engine.

Says Jason Aldridge, ASG Arrowsmith’s managing director: “We’re gearing up for full production and, since the cell’s installation, have been focused on designing, optimising and proving-out the machining processes for eight Pearl 700 engine parts ready for PPAP, a standardised aerospace industry process for the design and manufacture of new and revised parts.”

The parts being machined by ASG Arrowsmith are all made from aerospace-grade titanium alloys and other exotic materials. They are machined to exacting tolerances and super-fine surface finishes, and are characterised by their complexity and intricate features – many of which can only be produced economically by using simultaneous five-axis machining technology.

DN Solutions’ DVF 5000 machining centre provides ASG Arrowsmith with full five-axis simultaneous machining capabilities and, as such, enables the company to machine complex, high-precision parts to completion in a single set up. To improve productivity and process efficiencies the machine is integrated with a compact eight-station automatic workpiece pallet changer: each pallet is 350 x 350 mm in size and has a 250 kg maximum load.

ASG Arrowsmith regularly invests in advanced machine tools and automation systems from Mills CNC.

“We are advocates of the advanced technologies they supply and the applications and technical support they provide,” says Aldridge.
For further information www.millscnc.co.uk