UK NEWS

Chester and Blum on show

Keen to build an association with local manufacturing companies and support British business, Chester Machine Tools and Blum Novotest joined forces at the recent Manufacturing & Engineering show, North East.

Drawing the attention of visitors, Chester Machine Tools performed live machining demonstrations on its V6L CNC machining centre, which at the show featured a Blum ZXSpeed universal 3D probe for tool setting and breakage monitoring.
The Chester VL6 offers a simple entry to CNC machining and is suited to education and training environments, tool-room workshops, mould making and R&D departments. Importantly, the cast-iron construction of the machine is tempered for stress relief to promote structural stability, while C3-class ballscrews enhance accuracy and durability. The machine houses a 10,000 rpm spindle and can be supplied with a Siemens or Fanuc control.
For further information www.chestermachinetools.com

New MD named at Guhring Ltd

Guhring Ltd has appointed Chris Weston as its new managing director with effect from 1 July 2018.

The appointment will see the replacement of Mike Dinsdale, the outgoing managing director, who is set to retire at the end of 2018 after 40 years’ service. Weston will call upon his 19 years of Guhring employment to further develop and grow the company. Since joining Guhring, he has been involved in all aspects of the business, including sales, project engineering, production management and, more recently, as general manager. The company has also announced the opening of a new in-house training academy, which includes capacity for customer trials and demonstrations.
For further information www.guhring.co.uk

Patternmaker buys second five-axis machine

Birmingham-based Summit Patternmaking has acquired a Hurco VMX42SRTi B-axis machining centre that will double the pattern and tool maker’s five-axis machining capacity, although the firm also operates four three-axis VMCs.

The production of models and patterns for vehicle interiors is a particular specialism, accounting for two-thirds of turnover. Gauges, jigs, fixtures and tools for the automotive and aerospace supply chains are also found regularly on the shop floor.
Summit Patternmaking director Duncan Willetts says: “We carry out a lot of five-axis machining of automotive replication gauges, and of Formula One race car parts. Apart from needing more capacity, we were looking for a bigger working volume to cope with larger parts and a more robust machine to process denser model boards, as well as alloys.”
He believes that the 7.5 tonne Hurco machining centre with its 35 kW/119 Nm spindle is ideal for these applications. Provision of the fifth CNC axis via a ±90° swivelling spindle head rather than a trunnion was favoured, as it provides a larger working volume, right up to 1,067 x 610 x 610 mm for three-axis work.
Tolerances held at the Birmingham factory are typically ±0.05 mm. These are easily achieved on Hurco five-axis machines, which the company says are considerably less expensive than many models on the market that Willetts researched before placing the order.
For further information www.hurco.com

Cell makes airbus engine pylons

A tier-one aerospace supplier in the UK has been awarded the contract to produce the pylon box assembly that attaches the engine to each wing of an Airbus A319, A320 and A321 neo (new engine option) single-aisle jetliner.

After extensively researching the market, the subcontractor installed a new, dedicated machining and assembly cell at one of its production facilities. The process is now fully developed for manufacturing the left- and right-hand pylons at a rate destined to rise to 50 pairs per month by 2019 to meet current aircraft production rates.
The cell includes a German-built Hermle C42UP twin-pallet, vertical-spindle, five-axis machining centre for finish-milling a titanium rib that forms part of the pylon’s construction. A pair of three-axis vertical machining centres for initially roughing material from the titanium billets, along with a large pylon assembly area, complete the equipment devoted to this project.
Choice of the five-axis machining centre was key, as it was a significant tranche of the investment. The Hermle option was selected based on suitability for purpose, value for money and an established, successful association with the UK sales and service agent, Geo Kingsbury.
Other factors in favour of the supplier’s equipment were the Heidenhain control, the high-torque spindle necessary for machining titanium 24-7 and Hermle’s database of machining knowledge at its production plant in Gosheim, which included information directly relevant to the application.
While all other ribs in an Airbus neo jetliner are made from aluminium, the pylon rib must be machined from titanium to withstand the higher temperatures generated by the new engine – either Pratt & Whitney’s PW1000G or the LEAP-1A from CFM International.
For further information www.geokingsbury.com

Five-axis HMC is built in the UK

Heller has introduced a new model to its five-axis, horizontal-spindle machining centre range. The HF 3500 is one of the models being built in the new manufacturing flow line at its Redditch factory, along with the larger HF 5500 and numerous sizes of four-axis machine for global markets.

Intended for five-sided or simultaneous five-axis machining of medium to large batches of complex prismatic parts, the HF 3500 can process small workpieces to heavier components up to the 550 kg maximum table load. An optional ‘Speed Package’ enables 10 m/s2 acceleration and rapids of 90 m/min to be achieved, reducing chip-to-chip time by approximately 10% compared with the standard machine.
Working volume is defined by X, Y and Z travels of 710, 750 and 710 mm. Feedback of axis position to the control is via linear scales for maximum precision. The machine can be equipped with a lift-and-rotate pallet changer for series five-sided production, while pallet automation solutions are also available.
With regard to configuration, the fourth and fifth axes are provided by a rotary table on a +30 to -120° swivelling trunnion, both with direct drive, which moves towards the spindle rather than vice versa. According to Heller Machine Tools’ managing director Matthias Meyer, this configuration minimises vibration of the spindle and hence of the cutter for better component accuracy and increased tool life.
Four motor spindle options are available with speeds up to 18,000 rpm and torques up to 354 Nm. Heller says that the lift-and-swivel tool changer has two NC axes for short idle times and consistent operation. Chain-type tool magazine capacities are: HSK-A63 with 54, 80 and 160 pockets; or HSK-A100 with 50, 100 and 150 pockets.
For further information www.heller.biz