Citizen Machinery UK has supplied six of the sliding-head CNC lathes currently operating at turned parts subcontractor Swissmatic’s Wishaw factory near Glasgow. According to Ian Corbally, son of founder Jim, the Japanese-built, bar-fed turn-milling centres combine reliable unattended productivity with low power consumption. 

A key enabler of lights-out machining is Citizen’s low frequency vibration (LFV) chip-breaking technology. Integrated into the Mitsubishi control, LFV breaks stringy swarf into manageable chips, reducing the risk of workpiece and tooling damage and eliminating the need for operators to periodically clear accumulated swarf. 

Energy efficiency is equally important to Swissmatic, with Corbally confirming it is ‘100%’ at the forefront of purchasing decisions. In October 2023, the company installed 319 solar panels, reducing grid electricity consumption by approximately 25% over 12 months. 

The latest arrival is a Citizen Cincom Series 2 L32-XII B5 LFV, the first of its type installed in the UK. Featuring a swivelling B-axis tool carrier and upgraded four-axis LFV capability, the nine-axis machine enables full five-axis simultaneous machining and superimposed machining to reduce cycle times. 

It replaces an older 32 mm capacity sliding-head lathe and joins previous Cincom M32-VIII and M16-VIII LFV models, alongside two L12-VII LFV machines acquired for medical component production. 

Swissmatic processes materials including plastic, stainless steel, aluminium and copper, producing everything from prototypes to batches exceeding two million components. 

“We manufacture components ranging from one-off prototypes to production runs of more than two million and the versatility of the Cincoms suits this activity perfectly,” says Corbally. 

Operating 24/7 with minimal attendance, the machines achieve a scrap rate below 0.25% while maintaining tolerances down to four microns total. 

More information www.citizenmachinery.co.uk 

17D, a precision subcontractor specialising in machining rolling stock replacement and spare parts, has increased its in-house turning capabilities with a new DN Solutions Lynx 2600M lathe from Mills CNC. 

The investment addresses growing demand from main-line, heritage and miniature and narrow-gauge rail customers for small, high-precision, quick-turnaround machined parts. 

Installed in February 2026 at 17D’s 2500 sq ft machine shop in Matlock, the three-axis, 10” chuck Lynx 2600M features a C axis, driven tooling and FANUC i Plus control.  

“Since Covid, we’ve experienced strong growth year-on-year,” says owner and managing director Tristan Dengate. “Our sales turnover increased 35% in 2025 from what it was in 2024 and we’ve doubled our headcount in just a couple of years.”  

With main-line rail customers now accounting for 80% of annual turnover, compared with 20% in 2020, 17D’s two older CNC lathes were creating production bottlenecks and putting pressure on customer lead times. 

Having researched the market and created a detailed machine checklist, 17D initially considered a smaller Lynx 2100M. However, when Mills CNC offered a larger, more powerful Lynx 2600M from stock for immediate delivery, the company placed its order. 

The new machine features an 18.5 kW spindle, 460 mm maximum turning diameter, 658 mm maximum turning length and BMT 55P turret with driven tooling. Supplied with a swarf conveyor, auto tool setter and Filtermist extraction unit, it has already machined shafts, housings, cylinders, couplings and other components in batches from one-offs to 200-off. 

“Opting for the Lynx 2600M with driven tooling enables us to machine larger parts in a single set-up,” concludes Dengate. “The investment has helped us significantly improve productivity and process efficiencies and, more importantly, meet our production schedules and hit customer lead times.” 

More information www.millscnc.co.uk