A Bermuda-based woodworking company’s CNC (computer numeric controlled) machine paid for itself after only nine months of operation by allowing the company to profitably handle jobs they would have turned away in the past. There is a great need on the island for complicated woodwork such as shutters and decorative pieces such as carved signs. Carpenters with traditional tools can’t do these jobs fast enough to make them profitable. As the only owner of a CNC machine on Bermuda, CNC Automated Carpentry has now captured this entire market. In the first nine months of using the machine, the company produced a variety of pieces including decorated rafter ends, signs with elaborate lettering and logos, arched door frames, and $30,000 worth of shutters. Most of these projects would have taken days or weeks to do by hand, if they could have been done at all. Yet they were finished in hours on the CNC machine. “Jobs that we would have turned away in the past have been done on the machine at more than a 30 percent profit,” says Rick Vesely, partner, CNC Automated Carpentry. “In less than one year of owning it, we’ve billed $450,000 worth of work.” CNC Automated Carpentry of Bermuda was started last year by three partners with many years of construction experience on the island. Having worked with traditional tools all of their careers, they knew there were certain jobs that were just too time consuming to be profitable. For example, nearly all houses on the island have shutters to protect against storms and also to provide shade in the heat of the day. “The demand for new shutters is huge but making them by hand is extremely difficult,” says Rick Vesely, one of CNC Automated Carpentry’s partners. “With our previous methods, we just turned away that work.” Other projects were also too labor-intensive to be profitable. These included any kind of highly detailed woodwork, such as decorative touches on rafters, or intricately lettered signs for homes or businesses. Since carpenters on Bermuda could not do this type of work without losing money, it was either sent abroad or just not done.

Finding the right machine

When the three partners decided to start their own business, they realized that the ability to take on the jobs that typically left the island would be a strong competitive advantage. One of the options they found was a louvre-groover machine, which is specific to producing shutters. At a cost of $35,000, it was ruled out because that was all it could do. “There was a lot of other work besides shutters that we wanted do and we couldn’t see tying up so much of our capital on one machine,” Vesely adds. So they looked into computer technology that could automate the production of intricate and difficult pieces. “We didn’t know a lot about computers, but we knew there were machines that could be programmed to cut wood automatically according to drawings in the computer,” says Vesely. “This would be preferable to a louvre-groover because it could perform multiple operations, such as routing, shaping, mortising, and so on.”

Quickly, they turned their search to the Internet. After some initial research, they were not thrilled. First, they found a heavy and expensive machining center designed mostly for metalworking. The enormous price tag of the machining center greatly exceeded their company’s budget allocation of $50,000. Next, they looked into an inexpensive router but it was also less accurate and wasn’t equipped to handle the highly intricate carving that they needed for their detailed artistic carvings. Then, they found the Techno CNC Machine from Techno-isel, New Hyde Park, New York, which offered the best of both worlds; the Techno router was affordable, accurate and versatile. Truly a great deal for the Bermuda woodworkers. The machine performs production routing and drilling on a wide variety of materials including wood, plastic, MDF, solid surfacing materials and nonferrous metals. The machine price included CAM software capable of creating designs as well as importing them from nearly every CAD system.

“After we studied these machines for a while, we learned why the Techno machine delivers higher accuracy compared to the low-end routers,” says Vesely. “One reason is that it is made of higher quality materials.” For example, the Techno machine is constructed on steel stress-relieved bases with hardened steel linear ways. Its shaft-and-bearing system produces very smooth, play-free motion and is an extremely rigid system that produces high-quality cuts. The machine also uses anti-backlash ballscrews. These screws have excellent power transmission due to the rolling ball contact between the nut and screws. This type of contact ensures low friction, low wear, and long life. The ballscrews also make it possible to produce wooden parts to the machine resolution of 0.0005 inch. “Instead of being ballscrew-driven, the less expensive machines use rack and pinion gearing, which has too much play to make accurate cuts in small areas.” Vesely adds. “Also this type of gearing wears out quickly in the dusty environment of a carpentry shop. The other main difference we found between the Techno machine and the others was that the Techno uses a servo motor to control cutting motion while other machines use stepper motors, which can give a stair-step cutting effect.” A servo motor gives the Techno machine a positioning accuracy of +1 mm in 300 mm and a repeatability of 0.01 mm.

Good vendor support

None of the partners had ever used CNC equipment before. “Our only computer experience was with PCs,” says Vesely. “When we got the machine, we didn’t even know how to turn it on. That’s another big reason we’re happy we went with Techno,” he adds. “They have provided us with excellent support. They walked us through all the issues we were unfamiliar with, from creating drawings in the CAM program to setting up parts on the table. They have never failed to help us when we had a question.”

Since installing the Techno machine CNC Automated Carpentry has found it to be “the most versatile tool in the shop,” according to Vesely. The wide range of projects that the machine has been used for certainly bears this out. One of its main roles is for producing shutters. “Now we are meeting this huge demand,” says Vesely. The partners have also used the machine to create large pieces such as templates that were cumbersome to do by hand. “Another construction company needed these really large templates for arched doorways,” Vesely explains. “With traditional tools, they would have had to lay out three or four sheets of plywood or MDF board on the ground and cut these 180-inch radiuses with a jig saw. Then they would have spent a lot of time hand sanding to their marks but even so, templates would not have been accurate enough.” He estimates that the job would have taken six or seven hours to do by hand. Instead, the other company asked CNC Automated Carpentry to make the templates on the CNC machine. Vesely was able to program the arch shape and have templates ready to cut in an hour. Total time to produce five templates, including programming and cutting, was two days. “They were perfect half rounds, which was far more accurate than they ever could have been by hand,” he adds.

On another job, the machine was used to create scrollwork for the exposed ends of rafters. This was a big job involving about 60 15-foot rafters. Normally, the scrollwork would have been hand cut from plywood templates. “This job would have been very labor-intensive by hand because after all the time you spent cutting, you would have to go back and sand each rafter as well. It would have taken at least two days,” explains Vesely. “We programmed the scroll work in the CAM program, put these large rafters on the machine and cut each one in less than 20 seconds. We did all 60 in one hour. As fast we could put a rafter on the machine and press ‘Start,’ it was done.” After evaluating the labor hours and the cost of the materials, the company determined that it made a 35 percent profit on that job.

The company also used the machine to create a menu box for a restaurant. It could have been just a basic wooden box, but knowing how easy it would be to do more elaborate work with the Techno machine, Vesely decided to embellish the box. “The restaurant is called Robin Hood Pub and their sign has little Robin Hood hats on it,” he explains. “I programmed a few of those hats and some arrows in the CAM software and used the Techno machine to carve those features into the wood. It made it a more interesting than just plain wood.” He also used the machine for an unusual job involving a BMW convertible. The owner wanted speakers mounted in the trunk an had left some oval holes for access to the wiring. He wanted to cover these holes with something that he could see through but wouldn’t break due to vibration from the speakers. Vesely used the Techno machine to cut one-inch thick pieces of acrylic to fit the holes precisely. Then he took the additional step of carving the BMW and speaker vendor’s logos in acrylic. “When people see these, they don’t think they were done on this island,” Vesely adds.

The purchase of a CNC machine was an excellent way for the three partners of CNC Automated Carpentry to start their business. It ensured a competitive edge and has enabled the company to handle a great deal of work with only four people. And the machine paid for itself so quickly that its use in the future will be even more profitable.

The Traub TNM 42 multislide CNC automatic screw machine offers faster cycle times, accuracy, flexibility and short set-up leads because it combines the best capabilities of both cam automatics and CNC lathes.

Because it is a full, CNC fixed-headstock automatic screw machine, the Traub TNM 42 is said to be the ideal solution for medium to large lot sizes.

A 1 5/8[inches] bar machine, the TNM 42 has been designed to replace conventional cam-operated automatic screw machines. It is a compact unit designed to integrated easily into existing operations. Cycle times are not sacrificed, simultaneous machining operation can be programmed and existing screw machine tooling can be used. Production output is increased, and changeover time is reduced significantly.

The TNM 42 is equipped with a two-axis CNC, eight-tool turret, and four cross slides and an integrated magazine barfeed, both of which are CNC-based. Cross slides have the rigidity to handle forming work. The main drive features a heavy-duty 14 3/4-hp AC motor, which delivers up to 4000 rpm. Water soluble coolant can be utilized on this machine. A large volume of coolant (26.4 gpm) is supplied to the workpiece via directional nozzles.

The machine is delivered complete with chip conveyor, parts catcher and parts conveyor. Its control panel features a Traub TX 8F 32-bit CNC with a 14[inches] color monitor for easy programming and fast command response.

Two significant options are a back end working attachment for drilling and tapping and a polygon turning or thread milling attachment.

Mini BOSS 322 is compatible with Swiss-type and fixed headstock CNC lathes. It feeds 12 ft bar stock in diameter range from 3-32 mm. Magazine capacity is twenty-six 10 mm dia bars. Quick-change elastic guide channel permits rotation of round, square, and hex-shaped bars with minimal noise and vibration. Setup time between bars of different diameter, without guide channel changes, is less than 10 min. Maximum adjustable feeding speed is 750 mm/sec

Compatible with Swiss-Type or fixed headstock CNC lathes, the Mini BOSS feeds 12′ bar stock in a diameter range from 3 mm to 32 mm. Magazine capacity is twenty six 10 mm diameter bars. It is equipped with a quick-change elastic guide channel, permitting

the rotation of round, square and hex shaped bars at increased RPM with minimal noise and no vibration. Setup time between bars of different diameter, without guide channel changes, is less than 10 minutes. If channel changes are necessary, setup can be done in less than 30 minutes. Bar change time: 25 seconds for 12′ bars.

Patented double pusher system reduces the overall length of the feeder by a full 4 feet over previous models. The Mini BOSS feeds 12′ stock regardless of the machine tool spindle length. An oil-lubricated Vulkollan front guide bushing automatically opens to allow the bar pusher to pass through, reducing stock vibration at the spindle and providing excellent part finishes and maintaining tight tolerances. In many cases, the Vulkollan front guide bushing allows for a greater size range of bar diameters to be machined without a guide channel changeover.

The Mini BOSS 322 is complete with a headstock synchronization device allowing rapid backward/forward movements on sliding headstock lathes without forward feed pressure from the bar pusher. The result: no bar distortion. Maximum adjustable feeding speed: 750 mm per second. Maximum adjustable return speed: 800 mm per second. The bar feeder cycle and lathe interconnection are entirely controlled by a reliable, flexible CNC with integrated PLC designed by IEMCA .

All operations are monitored in detail, and a display identifies any process deviations before they are problematic. Functions now routinely monitored, include: thrusting clutch adjustment during bar feeder cycle; continuous adjustment of feeding speed; checking feeding length; position on lathe fixed stop without any stroke; easy automatic loading of any shaped bar; rear extraction or front ejection of bar remnant; and quick, easy electrical interface with all lathe models.

For more than 40 years, IEMCA has been an industry leader in the design and manufacture of automated feeding systems for both single- and multi-spindle lathes, and has built a reputation for innovation and unparalleled service and support. The company continues to offer the most comprehensive product range in the automated feeding systems marketplace. Hydromat, Inc., is the exclusive North American distributor of IEMCA Advanced Feeding Systems.

For many people in metalworking, the term training evokes a Norman Rockwell-type image of a white-haired old timer showing a young, somewhat attentive apprentice how to run a machine on the production floor. If you are a machine operator, you probably received your training on the job working under the watchful eye of an experienced operatorThat kind of training may have been adequate a generation or two ago. However, as machine tools have become more sophisticated (and expensive) and as tolerance for errors of any kind in the machining process approaches zero, more formal training programs are becoming a more attractive training alternative for small shops as well as large manufacturing concerns. One reason is that they provide a more complete and comprehensive coverage of the material; the trainee benefits from a complete, well-thought-out program, presented and reinforced in ways that help him or her retain the information presented. Another reason is that formal training programs include tests that confirm whether or not the trainee is learning the material. Still another reason is that they provide an alternative to tying up operators and machines for basic training.

A formal training program became an important part of a long-term strategy for modernization and growth at Eaton Corp.’s Aeroquip Fluid Conveyance plant in Jackson, Michigan. The plant produces aerospace hoses and fittings for fuel lines, hydraulic lines and other applications. It supplies hoses, fittings and quick-disconnect couplings for military aircraft programs such as Lockheed Martin’s Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) and F-35 supersonic multi-role fighter, the U.S. Army’s new RAH-66 Comanche helicopter, Boeing’s C-17 cargo transport, and for commercial aircraft programs such as the Airbus

The company says it has re-engineered its flagship Alpha U range of CNC/manual lathes. The two-axis, slant bed lathe now features a Fanuc 21i-T-based touchscreen to provide simplicity, cutting performance and production flexibility, the company says.

The 1000 Series control features a 10.4″ color touch screen, keypad and system selection key said to provide simple and effortless mode selection and cycle input

It is said to offer enhanced production flex HPG handwheel/DRO (manual) control, Alpha System, ISO programming and the Manual Guidance System. The Manual Guidance System is a touchscreen-accessible cutting program enabling the full generation of simple cutting profiles and complex automatic programs directly at the machine. A teach facility is available, allowing hand wheel initiated moves to be recorded as a program and re-run automatically after completion of the first component.Four models of the Alpha U with 1000 series control are available: the Alpha 1330U (330 mm swing over 0.76 m bed); Alpha 1400U (400 mm swing over 1.25m bed); Alpha 1460U (460 mm swing, with choice of 1m, 1.5m or 2m bed); and Alpha 1550U (550 mm swing over 1m, 1.5m, 2m or 3m bed

Designed with rigid cast iron H bed and 114.6 x 74.8 in. footprint, Model M27 features rapid traverse rates of 394 and 295 ipm in X and Z axes, respectively. Belt-driven, cartridge-style gearless headstock is equipped with 30 hp AC GE Fanuc spindle motor with variable speed drive. Spindle is supported by angular contact ball bearings at nose and double-row of cylindrical roller bearings at rear. GE Fanuc 21i-T control includes 10.4 in. color LCD and full keyboardERLANGER, KY - Romi Machine Tools, Ltd, an industry leader in turning machine technology, has built a reputation on providing customer-driven solutions to a broad array of precision turned-part challenges. The M Series of Combination lathes is yet another step in providing these solutions ever-more flexibly and is ideal for mixed volume, short run operations as well as dedicated high-volume applications.

With a swing of 26.97″, the M27 couples high performance turning with large machining capacity within a compact 114.6″ x 74.8″ space-saving footprint. Rapid traverse rates of 394 imp (Xaxis) and 295 (Zaxis) mean accelerated machine cycle times and reduced non-cut time which increases overall throughput. Also increasing cycle time is an optional electric automatic drum turret offering a fast 0.48 second station-to-station indexing time. The turret holds eight tools with pockets for square tool holders and bolt-on I.D. tool blocks.

Mini BOSS 322 is compatible with Swiss-type and fixed headstock CNC lathes. It feeds 12 ft bar stock in diameter range from 3-32 mm. Magazine capacity is twenty-six 10 mm dia bars. Quick-change elastic guide channel permits rotation of round, square, and hex-shaped bars with minimal noise and vibration. Setup time between bars of different diameter, without guide channel changes, is less than 10 min. Maximum adjustable feeding speed is 750 mm/sec.

ST. LOUIS, MO - The IEMCA Mini BOSS 322 automatic bar feeder combines proven IEMCA design features with the flexibility and reliability of CNC Control.

Compatible with Swiss-Type or fixed headstock CNC lathes, the Mini BOSS feeds 12′ bar stock in a diameter range from 3 mm to 32 mm. Magazine capacity is twenty six 10 mm diameter bars. It is equipped with a quick-change elastic guide channel, permitting

the rotation of round, square and hex shaped bars at increased RPM with minimal noise and no vibration. Setup time between bars of different diameter, without guide channel changes, is less than 10 minutes. If channel changes are necessary, setup can be done in less than 30 minutes. Bar change time: 25 seconds for 12′ bars.

Patented double pusher system reduces the overall length of the feeder by a full 4 feet over previous models. The Mini BOSS feeds 12′ stock regardless of the machine tool spindle length. An oil-lubricated Vulkollan front guide bushing automatically opens to allow the bar pusher to pass through, reducing stock vibration at the spindle and providing excellent part finishes and maintaining tight tolerances. In many cases, the Vulkollan front guide bushing allows for a greater size range of bar diameters to be machined without a guide channel changeover.

The Mini BOSS 322 is complete with a headstock synchronization device allowing rapid backward/forward movements on sliding headstock lathes without forward feed pressure from the bar pusher. The result: no bar distortion. Maximum adjustable feeding speed: 750 mm per second. Maximum adjustable return speed: 800 mm per second. The bar feeder cycle and lathe interconnection are entirely controlled by a reliable, flexible CNC with integrated PLC designed by IEMCA .

All operations are monitored in detail, and a display identifies any process deviations before they are problematic. Functions now routinely monitored, include: thrusting clutch adjustment during bar feeder cycle; continuous adjustment of feeding speed; checking feeding length; position on lathe fixed stop without any stroke; easy automatic loading of any shaped bar; rear extraction or front ejection of bar remnant; and quick, easy electrical interface with all lathe models.

For more than 40 years, IEMCA has been an industry leader in the design and manufacture of automated feeding systems for both single- and multi-spindle lathes, and has built a reputation for innovation and unparalleled service and support. The company continues to offer the most comprehensive product range in the automated feeding systems marketplace. Hydromat, Inc., is the exclusive North American distributor of IEMCA Advanced Feeding Systems.

For many people in metalworking, the term training evokes a Norman Rockwell-type image of a white-haired old timer showing a young, somewhat attentive apprentice how to run a machine on the production floor. If you are a machine operator, you probably received your training on the job working under the watchful eye of an experienced operator.

That kind of training may have been adequate a generation or two ago. However, as machine tools have become more sophisticated (and expensive) and as tolerance for errors of any kind in the machining process approaches zero, more formal training programs are becoming a more attractive training alternative for small shops as well as large manufacturing concerns. One reason is that they provide a more complete and comprehensive coverage of the material; the trainee benefits from a complete, well-thought-out program, presented and reinforced in ways that help him or her retain the information presented. Another reason is that formal training programs include tests that confirm whether or not the trainee is learning the material. Still another reason is that they provide an alternative to tying up operators and machines for basic training.

A formal training program became an important part of a long-term strategy for modernization and growth at Eaton Corp.’s Aeroquip Fluid Conveyance plant in Jackson, Michigan. The plant produces aerospace hoses and fittings for fuel lines, hydraulic lines and other applications. It supplies hoses, fittings and quick-disconnect couplings for military aircraft programs such as Lockheed Martin’s Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) and F-35 supersonic multi-role fighter, the U.S. Army’s new RAH-66 Comanche helicopter, Boeing’s C-17 cargo transport, and for commercial aircraft programs such as the Airbus A380.

The Aeroquip Fluid Conveyance plant includes a machining department that machines aerospace hose fittings from stainless steel (primarily), titanium and aluminum. It also has a fabricating department for welding and tube bending, and an assembly department where the machined fittings are added to the hoses and tubing.

Years ago, the plant machined the fittings on multi-spindle screw machines, for inventory. Lot sizes averaged about 500 pieces–much smaller than jobs usually run on multi-spindle machines. However, the machines provided the capacity for large jobs when needed, and the machining department was staffed by skilled and experienced multi-spindle screw machine operators and setup people who knew how to get the best from their machines. The system met the No. 1 goal of producing quality parts, for which management was willing to accept a little production inefficiency.

Eventually, however, the plant began to adopt lean manufacturing practices, and a decision was made to reduce finished product inventories. Lot sizes for machined fittings became smaller, necessitating more frequent setups, resulting in a situation where the multi-spindle machines were idle for setup changes more often than they ran. As lot sizes continued to shrink, the inefficiency of running the small jobs on multi-spindle screw machines could no longer be tolerated. Management began looking for a new machining strategy.

At the time, the plant had a small NC machining department built around two four-axis, CNC lathes made by Mori Seiki USA, Inc. (Richardson, Texas). The machines combined the ability to produce complex parts complete in one setup with more efficient production of small lot sizes, so the company made the decision to replace its multi-spindle cam machines with more four-axis CNC lathes. (Four chuckers would be retained for large jobs.)

Four Mori Seiki four-axis lathes were added to the two from the plant’s NC department. Randy Smith, senior manufacturing engineer for the machining department, explained the company’s selection of the Mori Seiki CNC lathes: “Our parts require a lot of machining on both ends,” he notes. “With most four-axis CNC lathes, the sub-spindle has less horsepower than the main spindle. Our lathes have the same horsepower on both spindles, permitting side two of the part to be machined in the secondary spindle at the same speeds and feeds as side one in the main spindle. Since most of our parts are stainless steel, and since that second side frequently needs as many operations as the first side, we need equal horsepower on both spindles.”

The company says it has re-engineered its flagship Alpha U range of CNC/manual lathes. The two-axis, slant bed lathe now features a Fanuc 21i-T-based touchscreen to provide simplicity, cutting performance and production flexibility, the company says.

The 1000 Series control features a 10.4″ color touch screen, keypad and system selection key said to provide simple and effortless mode selection and cycle input

It is said to offer enhanced production flex HPG handwheel/DRO (manual) control, Alpha System, ISO programming and the Manual Guidance System. The Manual Guidance System is a touchscreen-accessible cutting program enabling the full generation of simple cutting profiles and complex automatic programs directly at the machine. A teach facility is available, allowing hand wheel initiated moves to be recorded as a program and re-run automatically after completion of the first component.

Four models of the Alpha U with 1000 series control are available: the Alpha 1330U (330 mm swing over 0.76 m bed); Alpha 1400U (400 mm swing over 1.25m bed); Alpha 1460U (460 mm swing, with choice of 1m, 1.5m or 2m bed); and Alpha 1550U (550 mm swing over 1m, 1.5m, 2m or 3m bed).

Equipped with 300 mm, sloping plane, multi-bar magazine, TAL 65 feeds bars from 5-65 mm at 250-500 mm/sec. Dual bar support principle uses hydraulic immersion and dynamic support in elastic guide channel to provide high-speed feeding, even when bars are slightly bent. Closed-loop re-circulating oil system feeds oil into elastic guide channels, eliminating bar vibration. Mechanical traction-designed system with hydraulic clutch allows total adjustment of force.

ST. LOUIS, MO - The IEMCA TAL 65 bar feeder is designed for feeding high-speed automatics and is particularly well suited for CNC lathes. The TAL 65 is the ideal choice for feeding bars from 5 to 65 mm. Particularly well suited for high-volume production, the TAL 65 is equipped with a uniquely designed 300 mm sloping plane multi-bar magazine for continuous automatic feeding - a feature that can dramatically increase the productive output of conventional CNC equipment.

A dual bar support principle utilizes hydraulic immersion and dynamic support in an elastic guide channel to provide high-speed bar feeding even when bars are slightly bent or irregular (bar straightness requirement is typically 0.5 mm/m).

The TAL 65 is designed for quick bar changes - as little as 25 seconds for 12 ft bars - and ease in setup. Feeding speed is 250 to 500 mm/second. Return speed is 500 mm/second. A patented system of double feeding reduces overall bar feed length - to just 350 mm longer than bar length. Ultra-quiet, virtually vibration-free operation results from patented elastic guide channels made of tough, wear-resistant spring steel incorporating a special elastic polymer for unprecedented mechanical endurance. A closed-loop re-circulating oil system feeds oil into the elastic guide channels, eliminating bar vibration. A front vibration dampening device bushing between the feeder and lathe is equipped with a Vulkollan bushing whose diameter is very close to the bar size being machined. The system is lubricated by continuous oil bath and opens to allow the pusher through. This system stops bar vibration from passing into the lathe spindle and improves component machining accuracy. By changing just the bushing, the need to change channels, even outside their normal bar range, is most times unnecessary.

A mechanical traction-designed system with hydraulic clutch allows total adjustment of force, thus feed pressure is supplied only when required at the collet opening. A special track system allows the feeder to be easily retracted along the loading axis to provide maximum access to the lathe spindle for maintenance or repair. The feeder then can be moved quickly and easily back to its original position and secured without loss of alignment to the lathe.

For more than 40 years, IEMCA has been an industry leader in the design and manufacture of automated feeding systems for both single- and multi-spindle lathes, and has built a reputation for innovation and unparalleled service and support. The company continues to offer the most comprehensive product range in the automated feeding systems marketplace. Hydromat, Inc., is the exclusive North American distributor of IEMCA Advanced Feeding Systems.