FEATURE ON CNC MILLS & MACHINING CENTRES

MACH Machine Tools goes top of the class

MACH Machine Tools, part of the Vigilance Group and a supplier of CNC and manual machine tools and machine shop equipment to UK and Irish component manufacturers and UK educational institutions and training providers, has recently supplied NETA Trainingin Stockton-on-Tees with three new CNC machine tools.The machines, all ordered at the same time, are equipped with the DynaPath control and comprise two MACH MDT-1 turret-type milling machines and a MACH MDL 1600 lathe.

Says Sean Johnston, NETA’s director:“Our MACH machine tools have helped elevate our status as an engineering training specialist with local and regional employers, schools and young people and the wider community. They have enabled us to further differentiate our offering in what is a competitive local training environment.”

NETA took the decision to invest in MACH machine tools for a number of reasons. Although initially considering a couple of machine tool manufacturers, a meeting between NETA representatives and MACH Machine Tools at the MACH 2022 exhibition meant a machine tool investment package comprising two mills and a lathe began to take shape.

“We liked the approach of MACH Machine Tools,”recalls Johnston. “In addition, we appreciated the build quality of the machines and, once the power and flexibility of the DynaPath control system was explained to us in more detail, we were convinced it was the right way to go.We were also particularly impressed with the control system’s 24/7 remote diagnostic capabilities. These factors, combined with the aftersales service and support, the competitive price, themachine’s availability, and the company’s desire to create a meaningful partnership, helped seal the deal.”
For further information www.machmt.co.uk

In-cycle FSW on CNC machining centres

Horizontal machining centre manufacturer Heller has introduced the capability to friction stir weld (FSW) non-ferrous components on itsfour- and five-axis CNC machines. It is possible to combine the FSW process with milling, drilling, turning and other metal-cutting operations in the same cycle, saving time by eliminating a separate operation on other equipment – and the expense of buying it.

The integration of FSW into a Heller machining centre requires an inexpensive tool in the spindle, activation of a Heller technology cycle and the adaptive control function in the Siemens Sinumerik 840D sl CNC. The machine operator can easily program the weld path at the control, or else transfer the data from a CADCAM system.

Before welding starts, it is necessary to ascertain two key parameters: axial tool pressure and feed rate along the joint. They depend, among other things, on material composition and the required type and depth of the weld seam. Determining these values can pose a challenge, but Heller’s applications support team are on hand to assist. Pilot projects have shown that customers’ machine operators are quickly able to master the process.

To weld, the tool plunges into the gap between the two parts that require joining with high axial force until it contacts the surfaces.The friction created by rotating the tool heats and eventually plasticises the component material, mixing it to form a bond in the joint gap as the tool, under constant pressure, continues creating a high-quality weld seam along the programmed path. Once the process starts, the Siemens CNC logs the entire workflow.
For further information www.heller.biz

Adams slides into three-axis machining

Although a predominantly sliding-head turning machine shop, Adams Engineering (Ilkeston) Ltd has just purchased a Dugard 1000XP three-axis machining centre. Initially founded in the 1950s and run as a single-cam auto machine shop for decades, the business has more recently been taken over by Scott Burrow. Since the takeover, the company moved to new and larger premises three years ago and continued its machine acquisition trail.

Discussing why Adams Engineering has invested in three-axis machining, Burrow says: “Our first venture into milling was down to one of our customers. They kept pressing us to do milling work, so eventually we took the plunge. With the first machine we bought, we were initially just drilling and tapping prismatic parts and putting steps in plates.”

As word got around that the company was undertaking milling work, more enquiries flowed in.

“Due to rising enquiries we bought a larger machine, the Dugard 1000XP three-axis machining centre,” explains Burrow.

The ISO9001-accredited company wanted a machine with a sizeable capacity and a robust platform, which is exactly what the Dugard 1000XP delivers. As standard, the machine has X, Y and Z-axis travel of 1050 x 540 x 560mm to accommodate large parts. It also offers a 27kW BT40 spindle motor, a cartridge belt drive spindle and pre-tensioned twin-nut ballscrews.

“We just thought, why not go big.Today, we are doing work that takes up almost all the entire bed.”

The Dugard 1000XP has X, Y and Z-axis rapid feed rates of 44, 44 and 25m/min, with a cutting feed rate of 20m/min credit to the Mitsubishi CNC control system. Positional accuracy is 0.01mm, while repeatability is ±0.003 mm.
For further information www.dugard.com

Five-axis machining centre is automation-ready

A new, horizontal-spindlefive-axis machining centre is now available from DMG Mori that the company says can maximise productivity when machining complex workpieces weighing up to 1 tonne. The robust INH 63 has a working volume of 1070 mm diameter x 1000 mm high and a maximum pallet size of 630 x 630 mm. Due to its compact dimensions, it offers easy integration into automated production systems.

Dies, moulds, battery boxes for electric vehicles and aerospace valve bodies are typical components that the machine might produce. Its stable design with a symmetrical structure optimised by FEM and twin ballscrews in all orthogonal axes, promotes precise and dynamic milling. Magnescale linear encoders result in high positioning accuracy, while reliable cooling of the ballscrews and other sources of heat suppresses thermal displacement and changes in the machine structure.

Compared with the previous model, the INH 63 offers 65% more cutting capacity. For five-axis machining, the INH 63 swivels the rotary table from + 45 to -195°, with direct-drive motors providing speeds of 90 and 30 rpm respectively. The PowerMaster spindle delivers 12,000 rpm, 808 Nm and 85 kW, while a version with up to 16,000 rpm or 1414 Nm at 8000 rpm is optional for heavy-duty cutting. For Master spindles, DMG Mori provides a warranty of 36 months with no run-time limit.

The wheel magazine, which offers 63 tool positions as standard, is expandable to six wheels, providing space for 363 tools up to 320 mm in diameter by 700 mm long and weighing 35 kg (optionally 50 kg). The high capacity allows long periods of autonomous operation if integrating a large pallet storage solution.
For further information www.dmgmori.com

Toolmaker diversifies into five-axis machining

Located in the centre of Birmingham, press toolmaker Tooling 2000 began trading more than 50 years ago. Since 1996 it has focused mainly on the design, production and try-out of tools for the automotive industry, notably for Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan and Rolls-Royce/Bentley.

With a view to strengthening its position in the industry and breaking into the provision of subcontract machining services to other sectors, such as power generation and renewables, the company has invested £1.8m in the past two years in new plant and hiring extra people.

A significant proportion of the spend has gone on acquiring new machine tools from Hurco, including the toolmaker’s first two five-axis machining centres, VMX60SRTi and VMX42SRTi models.The SRTi configuration is rapidly becoming Hurco’s most popular five-axis model. The torque motor-driven, swivelling B-axis spindle head and 600 mm diameter Caxis set flush into a fixed machine table create a compact, high-capacity platform that can serve as a large-capacity three/four-axis machine whenever required.

Tooling 2000’s manufacturing director Brian Abbott says: “In recent yearswe’ve seen growing demand from customers for the supply of more complex components that require five-axis machines to produce them cost effectively.The technology was a step into the unknown for us, so the availability of support from the machine supplier was paramount. As an existing Hurco user, we were comfortable with sourcing our first five-axis machines from them, particularly in view of the user-friendly, twin-screen controls.”

Machine operator Dean Henning adds: “Hurco machines are best suited to our type of work because the conversational control with WinMax software is easy to use and we can program most jobs on the shop floor. Even on the 5-axis models we can use the Hurco control to program 3+2-axis cycles.For more complex work, the option of inputting a DXF file from CAD into the Hurco control and using the drawing as the basis for creating the part program is especially useful and fast.”
For further information www.hurco.co.uk