UK NEWS

Single-opmachining of heavy-duty chains

Precision Chains in Dudley makes heavy-duty roller chains for use in quarrying, agriculture andescalator applications, to list but a few. The smallest chain link is 2” and the biggest can weigh as much as 25kg.

Ian Thomas, general manager of Precision Chains, says: “Our challenge was to find a better way of manufacturing therollers, pins and bushes required for the chains. Previously, we had to turn, mill, cross-drill, drill down the centre, counterbore and deburr them. All these operations were very labour intensive and time consuming with set-ups on up to three machines, not to mention all the handling involved. Furthermore, moving between these machines has an impact on accuracy.”

Precision Chains chose an XYZ TC320 LTY with parts catcher, swarf management and Hydrafeed bar feeder. The XYZ TC320 LTY has a Siemens 828D control with ShopTurn for easy programming of the Y axis and live tools. It can chuck up to 300mm diameter and has a bar capacity with the bar feeder of up to 78mm diameter. The machine features Ceratizit tooling with two sets of live tools for cross drilling, milling flats and machining lubrication spirals. The company also doubles up with some tools performing both turning and facing operations.

“We run the XYZ TC320 LTY from 07:30 to 21:30, making a complete part in one operation with one operator checking the machine from time to time while completing other tasks,” says Thomas. “We’ve also been able to dispose of two machines which we no longer need.”

Four people underwent training on the XYZ TC320 LTY at XYZ Machine Tools’ Nuneaton office and, working from drawings, the trainees were quickly confident in using the machine and Siemens control.
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

New machine investment adds-up for Adnet

Located in Brockworth on the outskirts of Gloucester, Adnet Precision Engineering is a subcontract manufacturer that continually grows its business. Operating in the defence, pharmaceutical, aerospace, metrology, medical, telecommunications and semiconductor industries, the company has ramped up its investment in machine tools to support ongoing growth. The latest investments include an array of turning centres and sliding-head lathes from Dugard.

Caroline Day, director at Adnet Precision,says: “We already had one sliding-head machine, but we were running out of capacity, so we invested in the Hanwha XD20-IIV. This new machine is running parts more than 30% faster than our existing sliding head.”

With a maximum speed of 10,000rpm on the main spindle and 8000rpm on the sub-spindle, the machine has a spindle motor power of 2.2/3.7kW. A FANUC 32i-B CNC drives the Hanwha XD20IIV, which provides precise machining through its high tool adaptability, minimised thermal displacement and driven-tooling capabilities. The Hanwha XD20IIV is supplied material via a 3m bar feed.

Most recently, the company purchased a SMEC SL2000SY twin-spindle turn-mill centre from Dugard. This workhorse has an 11/18kW spindle motor that provides high torque for maximum material removal, while the heavily ribbed Meehanite cast and structural design provide high levels of surface finish, repeatability and precision. The 8-inch chuck machine has a sizeable capacity with a swing over bed and cross slide of 650 and 540mm respectively,alongside a maximum machining diameter of 395mm and a maximum machining length of 450mm.

“With the twin spindles we can achieve a lot more work; it’s probably 30% more efficient than the two machines it replaced,” says Day. “The machine also has far more capability.”
For further information www.dugard.com

WorldSkills UK finalists use Doosan machines

The recently-held WorldSkills UK 2023 CNC turning and CNC milling competition finals, which took place at Tameside College, Manchester, saw students and apprentices put through their paces using machine tools supplied by Mills CNC.The finals took place at the college’s £10m advanced technologies centre in Ashton-Under-Lyne.

Both CNC machining finals utilised machine tools from Mills CNC, comprising a Doosan DNM 400 machining centre and a Doosan Lynx 220 lathe. These machines were installed at Tameside College’s engineering facility in 2016 as part of a six Doosan machine investment package.During the three-day competition, Gavin Dixon, a Mills CNC applications engineer, was not only onsite providing technical support and advice to the college and the finalists, he was also on the judging panel.
For further information www.millscnc.co.uk

Mills CNC supplies MCS with two more machines

Mills CNC has supplied precision subcontract specialist – Machined Component Systems (MCS) – with two newFANUC-controlled multi-tasking turning centres.The machines, a 10” chuck Puma 2600SY II lathe with sub-spindle and Y axis, and an 8” chuck TT 1800SY twin-spindle, twin-turret turning centre, both featureHydrafeed MSV80 bar feeders.

The latest arrivals have significantly strengthened the in-house machining capacity and capabilities at MCS, taking the total number of machine tools at the company’s disposal to 40, five of which are DN Solutions and Doosan machines supplied by Mills CNC.

Says MCS managing director Warren Gray:“The Puma 2600SY is fast, accurate, powerful and reliable. With its integrated Y axis and sub-spindle the machine is capable of processing high-precision, complex parts in one-hit and, in a relatively short period of time, has proved its worth.It was these capabilities, in addition to its immediate availability, which clinched the deal.”

The investment in the TT 1800SY turning centre arrived as a direct result, back in early 2023, of an existing customer dramatically uplifting its requirements for high-quality mill-turned machined parts. While obviously great news for MCS, the increase in demand, if not addressed quickly and decisively, would have swallowed up a significant proportion of the company’s existing turning capacity.

“The TT 1800SY allows simultaneous machining on both spindles and enables us to perform high-precision milling, drilling and tapping operations in a single set-up,” says Gray. “Byintegrating the machine with a bar feeder we have a ‘de facto’ flexible automated manufacturing cell at our disposal.”
For further information www.millscnc.co.uk

ITC introducese-commerce website

Industrial Tooling Corporation Ltd (ITC) is launching a new company website with enhanced accessibility to growing product lines and, importantly, an e-commerce platform where manufacturers can create an account and place orders, browse through stock and see everything the cutting tool manufacturer has to offer. By creating an account, customers will be able to return to their designated portal where they can check order history and review the status of existing orders, as well as pay invoices.ITC says it is fast and simple to sign up for an account.
For further information www.itc-ltd.co.uk