UK NEWS

GM CNC launches Victor VMT turn-mill

When it comes to one-hit machining, the new VMT series of multi-tasking turn-mill centres from Victor has a lot to offer. Available in the UK from GM CNC, the VMT range features 15kW twin built-in turning spindles and a 22kW swivelling B-axis milling spindle. Available in four variants – the VMT-X200, VMT-X260, VMT-X360 and VMT-X400 – the series is suitable for everything from the unmanned machining of small complex parts to the heavy-duty machining of large components.

As standard, the VMT range features a FANUC 0i-TF CNC, hydraulic chuck with soft jaws, chip conveyor, a Renishaw automatic tool presetter, through-spindle coolant and a hybrid lubrication system. Optionsincludes a steady rest, bar-feed interface, part catcher, automatic doors, sub-spindle and more. A Meehanite cast base provides a platform for elevated cutting parameters and improved tool life.

From a specification perspective, the VMT-X200 and VMT-X260 are 8 and 10-inch chuck machines with a 660mm swing-over-bed and a maximum turning length and turning diameter of 1376and 1075mm respectively. Serving the spacious work envelope are two 15kW/4200rpm turning spindles on the VMT-X200 and a 22kW/3500rpm main spindle and 15kW sub-spindle on the 75mm bar capacity VMT-X260.

For larger components, GM CNC offers the 12-inch chuck, 3000rpm VMT-X360 and the colossal 15-inch chuck VMT-X400.Both provide 30kW spindle power and a bar capacity of 91mm (106mm optional). The largest machines in the range provide an 1120mm swing-over-bed and a maximum turning length and turning diameter of 2148and 2100mm. All machines demonstrate flexibility through the 12,000rpm 15/18.5/22kW high-winding B-axis milling spindle that can rotate through -30/+210° with an indexing resolution of just 0.001°.

For further information www.gm-cnc.com

OUT WITH THE OLD; IN WITH THE NEW

Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of machine tools from DN Solutionsand Zayer in the UK and Ireland, recently supplied Surrey-based mechanical and fluid power transmission specialist JBJ Techniques with a new FANUC-controlled vertical turning lathe.The machine, a DN Solutions 24” chuck Puma V8300M was installed at the company’s 669 sq m facility in Redhill in January 2024, replacing an older Doosan VT750M vertical lathe acquired by the company back in 2012.

JBJ’s new machine, with its compact footprint and box guideway construction, features a powerful, high-torque spindle (30 kW/2000 rpm/3153 Nm) making it suitable for machining hard and difficult-to-machine materials and for heavy-duty turning operations.The V8300M also has driven tooling (18.5 kW/4000 rpm) to increase the machine’s flexibility, enabling the production of complex parts in one set-up without the need for component transfer between machines.Furthermore, the integration of a 12-tool position, side-mounted ATC, in addition to its existing 12-tool station turret, increases the machine’s productivity potential by reducing downtime caused by tool-change operations.

Says Ben Stubberfield, JBJ Techniques’ works director:“Our new V8300M is a fast and flexible machine andhas significantly increased and improved our in-house vertical turning capacity and capabilities.The new machine has replaced a previously-acquired VT750M vertical lathe which, although serving us well over the past 12 years, didn’t have a big enough turning diameter to produce some of our larger components.This resulted in us having to use an older and much slower lathe for these applications which, on occasion, affected our process efficiencies and lead-time fulfilment.”

With its reputation built on quality, service and speed of response JBJ Techniques, as part of its company-wide continuous improvement programme, decided back in 2023 to replace the VT750M with a new vertical turning lathe offering a larger turning diameter.

“We approached Mills CNC with our requirements and were introduced to the new DN Solutions V8300 series which, as well as having a bigger working envelope than the VT750M, also featured the additional side-mounted ATC and the advanced FANUC 0iTP control,” explains Stubberfield.

As a consequence, the company invested in a compact Puma V8300M, a machine with live tooling, an 830mm turning diameter and 690mm turning height. Since its arrival, the V8300M has been put through its paces machining a diverse range of components made from an equally varied range of materials that include stainless steel (304 and 316 grades), super duplex stainless steel, carbon and alloy steels (EN8, EN24), and cast iron.Parts machined on the V8300M are typically largeand heavy. Machined in small batches, component cycle times can often be long, depending on the specific application.

JBJ Techniques has come a long way since its formation in 1974. The family-owned business currently employs 25 members of staff and is a specialist manufacturer and supplier of high-quality products for the mechanical power transmission and fluid power sectors.Originally located in Carshalton, some 15 miles from its current location, the company first started life as a stocking distributor for a range of other manufacturers’ mechanical and hydraulic power products.

Over the years, following the move in 1984 to its current site, the company has significantly developed and augmented the products and services it provides to a growing number of customers located primarily in the UK.In addition to holding a huge selection of products in stock, JBJ provides customers with a high level of in-house expertise i.e., integrating and combining in-depth product knowledge and specification ability with technical consultancy and parts’ manufacture (through its well-equipped machine shop, which was first established in 1984 when the company moved to Redhill.

Now in its 50th year and celebrating its anniversary in September 2024, everything that JBJ Techniques provides is underpinned by a range of responsive and customer-focused support services delivered centrally at its Redhill facility through a UK-wide team of technical sales engineers.

JBJ Techniques can assist manufacturers in a number of different ways: assistance in the design of new and/or replacement (application-specific) power transmission systems (from simple to complex, and from standard to customised); next-day delivery on hundreds of products from the company’s warehouse; high-quality machined components for bespoke products and systems; and condition monitoring of existing transmission systems via the AIQ DETECT (for elastomeric couplings) and AIQ CORE (gearboxes) sensor systems.

Says JBJ Techniques’ managing directorMike Davis:“Everything we do is geared towards helping customers optimise their production processes.From working in partnership with them to design and develop new mechanical power and/or fluid power solutions, through to supplying replacement stocked or machined parts for existing systems – our focus is on helping manufacturers avoid/reduce downtime, improve safety and sustainability, and maintain productivity levels.”

The company’s customer baseis large and diverse. Its products and solutions are used extensively in the power generation, oil and gas, renewables, motorsport, food and beverage, transport, environmental, materials handling, and marine sectors to name but a few.Indeed wherever mechanical power and fluid power transmission systems are in use, there is a good chance that JBJ Techniques’ products are operational in some capacity.

Seven CNC machine tools adorn the machine shop alongside a range of manual machines and equipment.The latest DN Solutions V8300M vertical turning lathe significantly increases the company’s machine shop capabilities and, by doing so, also improves its ability to respond quickly to customers.

The V8300M arrived at JBJ Techniques’ machine shop in January 2024 and a number of company employees have already undergone an intensive three-day machine and CNC/iHMI control familiarisation training programme delivered on-site by Mills CNC’s Training Academy staff. A further three-day training course took place at the Training Academy’s facility in Leamington last month.

For further information www.millscnc.co.uk

Flexxbotics presents robot compatibility with Hexagon

Flexxbotics, which delivers work-cell digitalisation for robot-driven manufacturing, presented robot connectivity compatible with the entire range of Hexagon inspection products at Hexagon’s Sixth Sense Summit in London last month.

The company’s patent-pending FlexxCORE technology enables the robots to connect and communicate securely with Hexagon machines to provide closed-loop feedback and real-time updates to the inspection equipment for autonomous process control. With Flexxbotics, manufacturers can enable advanced robotic machine tending with CNC machinery and Hexagon inspection technology to achieve Six Sigma quality for increased yields with improved margins. Flexxbotics compatibility includes Hexagon’s PC-DMIS CMM for bridge and gantry CMMs, NC measuring software, the full Q-DAS product line for SPC and intelligent machine control.

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division selected the company from hundreds of applicants across 27 countries to join the elite Sixth Sense programme. The initiative is designed to nurture high-growth companies within the manufacturing industry by supporting them with Hexagon’s extensive resources.

Flexxbotics says that its robotic work-cell digitalisation is the backbone of the smart factory, delivering robot-driven manufacturing at scale with autonomous process control for advanced machining operations. Its SaaS/hybrid architecture runs both online and offline so that production continues with or without internet access. Flexxbotics also works with existing systems such as CADCAM, DNC, SCADA/HMI, IIoT, MES, ERP, PLM and others for enterprise-wide synchronisation.

“We believe that inspection equipment in the smart factory effectively becomes the ‘eyes and ears’ of robots running lights-out production,” says Tyler Bouchard, co-founder and CEO of Flexxbotics. “By connecting Hexagon’s inspection capabilities to robots with Flexxbotics, companies are able to achieve continuous operations through robot-driven manufacturing and autonomous process control.”

For further information www.flexxbotics.com

Renishaw grows five-axis multi-sensor CMM range

Renishaw now offers an extended range of Agility CMMs featuring the company’s Revo five-axis multi-sensor system.

Nathan Fielder, Renishaw’s product manager for Agility, says: “We took Revo and asked ourselves: how can we turn this into an even better solution to meet the challenging demands of high-end manufacturers? The result is the Agility range – CMMs that deliver the advantages of Revo where they matter most: close to the point of manufacture. Our Agility series now includes CMMs for the measurement lab, offering high throughput platforms capable of using any one of seven dedicated Revo sensors.”

The CMMs enable manufacturers to carry out multiple measurement processes and report results on a single device. The full range of Revo sensors is available to Agility CMM users, including tactile touch-trigger and scanning, surface roughness, temperature, ultrasonic thickness measurement and non-contact probes.

The machine’s structure combines granite and anodised aluminium to provide strength, stability and accurate metrology throughout the measuring volume. Critical elements such as bearing design and placement, the innovative cable track arrangement and frictionless linear motors, ensure a stable and repeatable platform when Revo is scanning at high speed. Minimal contact parts prevent friction and thermal instability, while also reducing wear and maintenance requirements. In addition, the elevated and protected Y-axis drive system minimises the moving structural mass and prevents contamination.

Agility L machines, designed for the metrology lab, are specified for a temperature range of 18-22°C to provide high-performance, multi-sensor five-axis measurement in cleanrooms. The single-sided raised Y-axis design with an outrigger leg expands accessibility for manual part loading when automation is not required. Agility L frames are available with working volumes ranging from 500 x 500 x 500 mm up to 1600 x 3500 x 1200 mm.

For further information www.renishaw.com/agility

Future engineers get busy

Young students got hands-on with crawler robots, drone simulators and 3D printers at a state-of-the art engineering centre to celebrate British Science Week. More than 50 children were treated to an immersive experience at Sellafield Ltd’s Engineering Centre of Excellence, shining a light on the exciting careers available in automation, AI and more. The visit from Distington Community School to the centre at Cleator Moor saw children aged seven to 11 set a series of engineering challenges. They enjoyed a host of activities led by the team at the centre, each set up to show the diversity within engineering.

For further information www.bit.ly/3IBtEaG