Hydraulic Projects (Hy-Pro), a Dawlish-based manufacturer of hydraulic control valves, pumps and marine steering systems, has increased production capacity significantly over the past decade, turning repeatedly to work-holding specialist 1st Machine Tool Accessories (1st MTA).
Following the initial installation of a US-made Chick Multi-LOK tooling column on an Okuma horizontal machining centre in 2016, a second flexible manufacturing cell was installed in 2021. Six Chick Multi-LOKs now support production across the two cells, enabling unattended machining 24 hours a day, six days a week. Components are set up offline at pallet-pool loading stations, minimising spindle downtime.
Paul Vicarage, Hy-Pro’s quality engineering manager, says: “We’re getting about six 24-hour days’ worth of machining for about four and a half days of single-shift operator input.”
Hy-Pro maintains around 20 compact, multi-part fixtures, each fitted with in-house-machined soft jaws or other work-holding equipment. Fixtures can be changed in just six minutes, providing flexibility without the expense of dedicated systems for every component.
For aluminium components, Abbott Tenzaloy tooling columns supplied by 1st MTA accommodate 60 parts per cycle across four sides. Combined with OK-Vise work-holding and Mitee-Bite clamps, the arrangement completes two machining operations in just over 70 minutes. The rigid set up delivers gear-pocket accuracy within a few microns, consistently across each face.
“The excellent work-holding rigidity means there is no variation,” says Vicarage.
A separate set up handles heavy machining of grade 250 cast iron, using hardened fixtures and low-profile clamps to prevent tool interference. Even aggressive 4 mm cuts and 11.5 mm diameter drilling remain stable, without workpiece pull-out.
Vicarage concludes that 1st MTA’s solutions provide manufacturing efficiency, flexibility and precision, with equipment longevity contributing to cost-effectiveness as Hy-Pro expands its use of pallet-based production.
More information www.1mta.com
