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