A patented part accumulator system gathers parts automatically allowing the turning centre to run unmanned for extended periods whilst eliminating part damage

Hydrafeed will show its Rota-Rack rotary part accumulator, the Hydrafeed V65 short bar feeder and the new Autofeed full length barfeed system at the UK’s MACH 2008 exhibition. These feeders will appear alongside established products such as the MultiServo 3-80 intelligent bar support unit, the MultiFeed MX1B system and the X-Tract CNC automatic part unloader.

Maximum capacity is ten 65mm diameter bars up to a stroke length of 1.2 or 1.5m.

The V65 is the ideal partner for unmanned production, said Hydrafeed to manufacturingtalk.com.

To maximise production the V65 has horizontal bar bandings that quickly and efficiently deliver the bar to the spindle, whilst an adjustable faceplate, Mitsubishi PLC controller and remote control pendant are included to enhance ease of use.

* Full length bar feeder - alongside the V65 will be the Autofeed full length barfeed.

It has a single guide channel set to deliver a wider range of bar diameters with models holding a 3mm to 32mm or a 5mm to 51mm bar diameter capacity.

With a standard length capacity of 3.2m with 3.7m option, the dimension range of the new Autofeed make it comfortably suited to fixed head lathes of sliding head turning centres.

The bar feeder can feed from left and right hand side of the lathe to give the end user greater flexibility with machine positioning.

With additional features such as automatic bar centre height adjustment, LED light displaying bar remaining length condition and patented bar anti vibration feature, the Autofeed is destined to be a major success at MACH, said Hydrafeed.

* Intelligent bar support unit - also on show at MACH 2008 will be the established MultiServo 3-80 intelligent bar support unit.

Driven by the lathe, the rotating bar support unit turns at the same rev/min as the turning centre to act as a virtual extension of the lathe drawtube bore.

Alongside the MultiServo 3-80 will be the MultiFeed MX1B bar support unit.

Like the MultiServo 3-80, the MX1B has a bar capacity from 3 to 80mm with a reduction linear system to eliminate vibration.

Utilising a standard bar support unit, the MX1B accommodates round bars up to 1650mm in length with special oilon bushings to control and support the bar in the lathe headstock.

These established products will be alongside the X-Tract CNC automatic part unloader that has been developed to safely and efficiently unload parts too long to be caught in standard part catchers.

The X-Tract removes parts through the sub-spindle of twin spindle machines and can accommodate 1.2 or 1.5m bar lengths.

Hydrafeed will be demonstrating its products from the stand by using a mock lathe to demonstrate bar feeding, part removal and part conveying/storage.

* Hydrafeed at MACH 2008, NEC, Birmingham, UK, April 21-25, Hall 5, Stand 5482.

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Three CNC turning centres installed at a motor sport Formula One’s workshop have produced a ten fold improvement over their previous manufacturing capability

Three Mori Seiki NT 4250 DCG machines and one NL2000Y installed at the Honda Racing F1 Team’s headquarters in Brackley, Northamptonshire, UK have produced a ten fold improvement on their previous manufacturing capability. Machine and fabrication manager, Honda Racing F1 Team, Richard Smith said that the complete refurbishment of the machine shop was driven by three factors.

1 - A need to cut work in progress (WIP or production inventory).

2 - To foster the creativity of the skilled engineers in the workshop.

3 - To manufacture more complex components in-house through migration to 5-axis machining.

Smith said, ‘We had already exceeded the capabilities of our existing Hitachi Seiki machines through the skills of our workforce.

As soon as our selection team saw the performance of the NT machines at Mori Seiki’s Paris Technical Centre we knew they were the right choice for us’.

* Eliminating hand finishing - during the evaluation, the Honda F1 Racing Team used the machining of an axle as a ‘benchmark’.

The roughing cycle was reduced from 8h to 3.5h on the NT.

Smith continued, ‘The mix of milling and turning in our components is a 75/25 split towards milling.

We needed to achieve this on one machine to reduce our WIP.

The power and rigidity of the milling head on the NT far exceeded that of the other machines we considered.’ The company has also seen the quality of its finished parts improve with the introduction of the three NT machines.

These turning centres produce the surface finish demanded by the industry, cutting rework rates down to 0.3% and eliminating the need for hand finishing.

By combining operations on the NT, the team has been able to reduce the number of secondary operations and move towards ‘one hit’ machining.

Additional operations are now mainly confined to manual and EDM, which has a significant impact on WIP.

Furthermore, the company is changing the profile of its subcontracting, putting out low cost items and bringing high cost items back in house, thanks to the 5-axis capabilities of the machines.

Compatibility and flexibility were also important factors for the company.

Having three identical machines with a common fixturing system allows jobs to be allocated to the next available machine.

Each machine is fitted with a 100 pocket automatic tool changer (ATC).

By loading it with families of cutters, the team can manufacture its range of components without switching tools in the ATC, thus minimising the setup and changeover times between jobs, further adding to flexibility.

Smith added, ‘Batch sizes are small and normally less than 20.

We record metrics for setup cycles and run cycles which suit the reactive nature of our business.

Commonality of tooling reduces setup times and we currently average 87h utilisation per week on each machine across the workshop’.

* Short learning curve - the learning curve was far shorter than expected, giving the Honda F1 Racing Team’s skilled machinists an opportunity to develop new production methods to take full advantage of the capabilities of the NT, said Mori Seiki to manufacturingtalk.com.

Smith said, ‘We are migrating to 100% 5-axis machining on our jobs.

The capabilities of the NT will give our machinists the scope to develop their skills without being limited by the machine tool.’ Routinely, the company is reporting that it can take heavier cuts, achieve much better repeatability with the NT’s rigid box in box construction and the massive V shaped slideway on the Y-axis.

Collaborative working with suppliers is important to the Honda F1 Racing Team, so the support available to the company from Japan and the Paris Technical Centre was crucial to its decision to select Mori Seiki as its preferred supplier.

Smith concluded, ‘The biggest driver for us was the milling capability of the NT, it is as substantial as a 5-axis milling machine.

Mori Seiki was able to supply machines to fit all our needs.

Their performance is critical to us, enabling us to respond to the demands of the racing circuit and manufacture a greater range of components as well as parts which, previously, we could not make ourselves.

http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/fre/fre176.html

To provide simple and cost effective machining of more complex components CNC turning centres combine operations in one set-up, offering faster cycle times and automatic parts handling

CNC turning centres will be among many machine tools to be shown at MACH 2008 by the 600 Group. Its member companies will be demonstrating their ability to provide a solution to virtually any machining problem. The Group will be manning five stands at the show - a triple stand in the machine tool area of Hall 5, a stand in the Tooling Village in Hall 4 and another in the Laser Marking area in Hall 4.

600 Group will have many new machines and equipment available to enhance a customer’s performance.

The 600 Group said it is well placed to offer manufacturing solutions from its extensive range of own- manufactured products as well as its principals, distributed through the 600 Centre in Hall 5.

The triple stand construction allows 600 Group to demonstrate its three product ranges (600 Solution products, Colchester- Harrison CNC products, and Dalian value products) in a single area of the exhibition.

Group Marketing director, Stephen Le Beau, said: ‘The intention is to assist customers achieve greater productivity, higher efficiencies and improved profitability by installing the correct machine, appropriately engineered, for specific applications.

I believe 600 Group is the only machine tool company to offer three distinct ranges of products across such a wide spectrum.

This means we can provide exactly the right solution for the customer, without compromise’.

He added: ‘Working in partnership with customers, using their knowledge of their requirements in conjunction with our profound understanding of machine tools, we will be illustrating how manufacturing companies can be successfully competitive at a commercially realistic cost at the show’.

* CNC turning and mill/turn centres - Colchester-Harrison said it focuses on driving technology forward to make the quantum leaps which keep the Colchester-Harrison lathes at the forefront of the world market for turning machines.

Demonstrated on the stand will be the new lathes and new VMCs.

The new machines are designed to provide simple and cost effective machining of more complex components by, for instance, allowing multiple operations in one set-up, faster cycle times, minimal tool change times, automatic loading and parts handling.

Standard machines can be readily customised to produce machines for specific applications, developing special workholding systems, alternative ejection systems, etc, to give the customer exactly what he wants in the shortest lead times possible.

Standard machines designed to accommodate the requirements of those customers who still need relatively simple CNC machines will also be demonstrated at the show.

Flanking the Group’s own Colchester-Harrison products in the ‘Solutions’ section, will be machines from Toyoda Mitsui-Seiki, Fanuc, Fuji and Okamoto.

In the ‘Value’ section of the stand, a comprehensive range of Dalian conventional and CNC lathes, mills and machining centres will be on show.

* Work holding - on the stand in Hall 5, West Yorkshire based Pratt Burnerd International and Crawford Collets will also be demonstrating their bespoke and modified workholding equipment designed and manufactured to provide customers with improved profitability.

Preferred suppliers of workholding systems for complex parts to the German automotive industry, the companies will be demonstrating ’second-to-none’ ability to resolve workholding problems.

In addition, new chucks and collets will be launched at MACH.

* Laser marking - more companies are concerned with traceability and are demanding products to be marked.

The ability to mark the machined components cost effectively and efficiently is becoming more critical.

Letchworth-based Electrox will be demonstrating the ways customers’ productivity is improved by the quantum leaps forward it has made in laser technology.

Designing and manufacturing standard and bespoke laser marking systems for a wide range of industries, it will be showing its new laser marking systems, including the ground-breaking and proprietary EF Technology and practical workstation designs.

‘Through our extensive research, Electrox has been able to take applied laser marking technology into a completely different arena, providing customers with exceptionally easy to use and extremely reliable laser marking systems - for instance EF Technology comes with a four year warranty, the longest available on any laser marking system,’ said Le Beau.

* Machine precision bearings - completing the demonstration of the 600 Group portfolio will be Gamet Bearing The company will be exhibiting its range of super high precision taper roller bearings.

Used in every industry where rotational accuracy is critical, the company will have a selection of its bearings on display at the show.

Le Beau concluded: ‘Eighteen months ago, we announced a forceful new business strategy, focussing our attention on a customer-orientated provider of manufacturing solutions.

MACH will be a visible demonstration of our abilities to provide customers with appropriate, application led solutions to virtually any manufacturing requirement’.

* 600 Group, 600 Centre at MACH 2008, NEC, Birmingham, UK, April 21-25, Hall 5, Stands 5128, 5130 and 5136.

* Electrox at MACH 2008, Hall 4, Stand 4510.

* Pratt Burnerd Intrnational/Crawford Collets at MACH 2008, Hall 4, Stand 4110.

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Turning small parts on a large lathe usually isn’t the most efficient use of a company’s assets, and actually may have an adverse effect on the bottom line. The SL-10 CNC lathe from Haas Automation, Inc., provides an economical solution for small parts turning in a compact package that is loaded with full-size features.

The SL-10 takes up only 6.5′ x 4.5′ of floor space, yet provides a generous 11″ turning diameter, 14″ turning length and a 16.25″ swing over the front apron. This compact machine is a valuable addition to any shop needing a “second-op” machine, or wanting to add a lathe where space is at a premium. It is also the perfect lathe for start-up shops, or as a first step into CNC turning.

The SL-10 comes standard with a 6.5″ hydraulic chuck and a 12-position bolt-on tool turret. A 15-hp (peak) vector dual drive spindle provides speeds to 6,000 rpm for high surface feedrates, and an A2-5 spindle nose accepts bar stock up to 1.75″. A host of high-productivity options, such as a tool presetter, parts catcher, automatic chip auger and tailstock, are available for the SL-10 to further boost productivity, and the Haas Servo Bar 300 bar feeder may be added for unattended operation.

Far from a stripped down machine, the SL-10 features the same user-friendly control found on every Haas CNC machine, and with a compact base price, it’s friendly to the bottom line as well.

http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/509674

Pick-up horizontal turning centre is fitted with a bar feeder and/or component loading unloading system and gives ease of access for manual loading

At MACH 2008, UK manufacturers can see the Monforts MHC Pick-up horizontal turning centre and Kitamura HX400ialpha machining centre. Leader CNC is now the UK Monforts agent. At the exhibition, alongside the Kitamura HX400ialpha machining centre and a new model DMC CNC lathe, the Monforts MHC Pick-up horizontal turning centre is available with Fanuc or Siemens CNC and is usually fitted with a bar feeder and/or component loading unloading system.

The horizontal design gives ease of access for manual loading and allows the MHC Pick-up to accommodate parts up to 520mm long with a maximum diameter range of 260mm.

The rigid, robust and highly productive MHC Pick-up is destined to be a major success at MACH, said Leader CNC.

* Powerful machining centre - the Kitamura Mycenter HX400ialpha has a rigid BT40 taper spindle driven by an AC18.5kW drive motor with a 2-speed geared drive head.

The drive develops full power at 652 rev/min and maximum output torque of 270Nm for high metal removal rates and tough material machining.

For high speed machining, the HX400ialpha is also available with a 20,000 rev/min gear driven spindle.

Like the other machines in the Kitamura Mycenter range, the HX400ialpha has the following features.

* A ballscrew cooling system.

* gearbox driven spindle.

* Box slideways.

The machine’s upgraded Fanuc 16iMB control works with the Kitamura Intelligent Advanced Control (IAC) to guarantee positional, repeatability and roundness accuracies of +/-0.002mm, +/-0.001mm and +/-0.003mm respectively.

Leade CNC told manufacturingtalk.com that the machining cente combines exceptional accuracy with impressive production rates.

The twin pallet machine has an extremely quick rotary pallet change of 5s.

The Mycenter HX400ialpha can handle components with a diameter of 700mm, up to 960mm high and weighing up to 400kg each.

* Leader CNC at MACH 2008, NEC, Birmingham, April 21-25, Hall 5, Stand 5050.

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On display will be three vertical lathes, including one with live tooling; a side-by-side twin spindle CNC turning center with gantry loader, useful for chucker-type parts; a dual opposed-spindle turning system featuring spindle-to-spindle part transfer; a single-spindle CNC lathe with quick loader system; plus a CNC lathe with dual turrets for added toolholding capacity and process flexibility.

The QL 30H chucker-type system has a fully automatic, flexible wrist gantry load/unload system, plus twin spindles and dual turrets that can handle parts up to 200 mm (7.87″) in diameter and 100 mm (3.9″) long. The machine’s twin spindles are said to allow users to double output by performing the same operation simultaneously, by synchronizing A-B operations, or by turning two different parts.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3101/is_3_73/ai_65019417

A precise vertical machining centre incorporates a direct drive table to the C-axis to rotate the 400mm diameter pallet - integrating turning with full 5-axis interpolation for milling and drilling

The UK’s 600 Goup informed that Toyoda Mitsui Seiki will be demonstrating the integration of turning within the 5-axis milling process at the EMO 2007 exhibition in Hannover. The Vertex 550-5X vertical machining centre (VMC) incorporates a direct drive table to the C-axis in order to revolve the 400mm diameter pallet to integrate turning with full 5-axis interpolation for milling and drilling.

The high precise, compact machine has axes travels of 550mm in X, 600mm in Y, 450mm in Z, 360 deg in C and +15 deg to 105 deg in A.

Rapid traverse rates in X-, Y- and Z-axis are 48m/min - achieved with an acceleration of 0.5G.

Spindle speeds are 25,000 rev/min with an option of 15,000 rev/min to cover the entire spectrum of materials used in the aerospace industry.

The machine uses the latest Fanuc 31iM-A5 control which incorporates the latest AI software for improved high speed machining.

* horizontal machining centre - Toyoda Mitsui Seiki is also demonstrating a FH630SX horizontal machining centre fitted with a seven pallet pool and matrix automatic toolchange system for extended running.

The box guideway machine has strokes of 1000mm in X, 800mm in Y and 850mm in Z with rapid traverse rates of 48m/min achieved with an acceleration of 0.5G.

Spindle speeds are 6,000 rev/min for the 30kW drive.

There is a higher speed option of 15,000 rev/min.

The machine uses the same Fanuc 31iM-A5 control as the Vertex 550-5X.

* Toyoda Mitsui Seiki at EMO 2007, Hannover, Germany, September 17-22, Hall 27, Stand A54/A66.

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The DuraVertical and DuraTurn series of universal vertical milling and turning machines combine new levels of affordability with the quality and reliability synonymous with Mori Seiki

Launched in the UK at MACH 2006, the DuraVertical and DuraTurn series of universal vertical milling and turning machines combine new levels of affordability with the quality and reliability synonymous with Mori Seiki. DURA stands for durability, universality, reliability and accuracy, emphasising the benefits which can be gained from these compact machines, which use only Japanese manufactured assemblies, and castings to ensure that Mori Seiki’s high quality standards are maintained.

The DuraVertical is available in three sizes, with a choice of travel in the X-axis of 600, 800 or 1050mm and a maximum table size of 1350mm x 600mm and a maximum load of 1000kg on the largest machine, all contained in a footprint of around 4.4m2.

The automatic toolchanger holds 30 tools and can achieve a chip-to-chip time of 4 seconds.

Machine construction includes linear guideways along all axes capable of maximum traverse rates up to 36m/min, while the C frame contributes to the rigidity of the machine, minimising vibrations by using Mori Seiki’s technical expertise in static and dynamic analysis of machine behaviour under cutting conditions.

The DuraTurn includes an innovative high rigidity flat bed with offset Z-axis and linear guideways along all axes for maximum accuracy.

Four variations with 6′, 8′, 10′ and 12′ chucks provide turning diameters from 330 to 360mm, turning lengths from 315 to 530mm, and through spindle diameters up to 91mm.

All the models include a 12 station turret and optional support for workpiece unloading, and a bar feed interface while the two larger machines in the range feature a live centre tailstock as standard.

Mori Seiki UK is so sure of the return on investment these machines can provide that it is guaranteeing a return of at least £24,000, calculated using conservative values for hourly rates and usage in the first 12 months after payment of the machine rental.

Should the customer fail to hit this target Mori Seiki will arrange for the machine’s return.

http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/mxv/mxv104.html

For those familiar only with manual lathes, making the jump to CNC can be a scary proposition. But take heart, because more and more control builders are focusing on providing CNCs with operational and programming capabilities that even the complete novice can grasp.

A good example is the new 8050TC lathe CNC from Fagor Automation (Elk Grove Village, Illinois). The aim of the new design, says the builder, is to offer lathe users a CNC as simple to operate as a DRO. The new CNC offers an easy and intuitive interface, eliminating the need for a lengthy training period in order to be able to program a part.

The interface is based on the most common operations performed on a lathe—turning, facing, threading and so on. Each one of these operations is selected via a specific key and it is designed in such a way that all the operator has to do is enter the machining conditions and part geometry data, which can be obtained directly off of a typical part print.

This sort of control makes sense in a number of typical manufacturing applications. For example, prototype manufacturers are often presented with relatively complicated parts, but that are made in very small quantities, perhaps only one. An easily programmable CNC can handle complicated geometry that’s difficult to cut manually, and also keep quantity-of-one jobs out of the CAM department.

Moreover, many companies with operators who are skilled in machining, but not programming, need an easy-to-use CNC in order to save on machine setup time. With them in mind, an interface has been developed which allows operators to enter part geometry the way it appears on a print, without having to use any programming language. All that has to be done is enter the operations required to make the part (turning, facing, and so on) sequentially and with the proper coordinates. All these operations may then be graphically verified on the CNC monitor before finishing the part program.

For longer run manufacturers, the CNC offers an advanced profile editor (capable of solving part geometry with undefined coordinates, tangency, and so on) or the choice of using ISO and high-level language programming.

The CNC spans an operational range from emulation of a manual lathe to full production turning. In jog mode the control shows the basic process information including position of the axes, feed rate, spindle rpm and selected tool. In this mode, the operator may perform simple machining operations in a conventional way by means of electronic handwheels. Selected tools are indicated by icons on the screen that show the shape of the tool to help avoiding accidental errors.

The CNC also offers simple control of spindle speed, turning direction and orientation. It includes operation at constant surface speed, operation with live tools, operation with jog keys (to move the axes manually) and operation with handwheels.

It also offers a number of tool management features. To establish tool offsets, the operator just has to secure the part, enter its dimensions and touch it with the tool. Then the CNC automatically collects all the necessary data to run without errors. And there is graphic assistance to enter tool geometry.

Automatic cycles are designed to better adapt to the usual working methods of a shop. The machining process is divided into a certain number of operations represented by icon keys with LEDs to indicate whether they are activated or not.

The CNC offers quite a wide variety of automatic cycles including turning, facing, rounding, taper cutting, threading, grooving, drilling and face tapping. Each one of these cycles may be simulated by using the graphics key on the operator panel in order to verify that it will run properly.

Also, profiling cycles offer several levels, depending on the complexity of the part. In Cycle 1, to enter the shape of the part, all one has to do is know the locations of its theoretical corners (up to a maximum of 12 points) and enter the desired corresponding radius or chamfer conditions. In Cycle 2, it is possible to “tell” the CNC to solve the undefined variables that come up—for instance, tangency. The program editor searches and calculates, in a totally transparent way to the user, the possible solutions according to the known data, thus eliminating the need for additional manual calculations.

http://www.mmsonline.com/articles/0498scan1.html