CNC Machines Online Information

Jean Michel Vallet has built his engineering workshop by making precision components on CNC machines for mostly local companies, but always with one eye on his long-held dream of building a race car.

In the early 1970s, Vallet was quick to realise the potential of CNC, investing in the first of many numerically controlled machines.

In the late 1990s, the time came to move to new premises; and it was the ideal opportunity to streamline the company’s workshop.

‘When we built this new factory, we had something like seven different makes of CNC machine tools,’ said Vallet.

‘Running the factory was complicated and inefficient.

‘For the sake of productivity, we had to standardise.’ In 1998, Vallet took a trip to the Paris machine tool show where, where he came across Haas CNC machine tools.

‘We found the best machines for our growing company,’ he added.

‘All Haas machines have the same control, which means if you can program one, you can program all of them.

‘Plus, they offer lots of torque, which is ideal because we often use large diameter end mills on stainless steel.’ He was also impressed with the Haas fourth-axis capabilities.

The company now owns several Haas machines, including a VF-9 vertical machining centre.

Vallet began by supplying a local company making machines for bottling plants.

Today, the company’s bread-and-butter work, the work which will pay for Vallet to pursue his motor racing dream, is mainly making parts for companies building food packaging and processing machines, plus some special and secretive aerospace projects.

‘We make scale models of new and prototype aircraft, which are used for wind tunnel testing and are full of sensors measuring airflow and aerodynamic forces,’ he said.

‘We also make five-axis parts for our aerospace customers, which are actually comparatively straight forward to machine.

‘The trickiest parts we make are for the food processing industry, machined from special stainless steels.

‘These parts often have very tight tolerances, which is a challenge because we have to find ways of making them at the price the customer wants to pay.

‘It’s demanding work, which we’re able to do because we use accurate but relatively low-cost machine tools.’ In Vallet’s busy workshop is a line of Haas machines including eight CNC vertical machining centres and five CNC turning centres.

One, a Haas VF-1, runs 24 hours a day using a Kuka robot arm to change parts.

An adjacent PC, using software designed personally by Vallet, controls the robot separately.

PCs interconnect all the machining stations, allowing managers to keep tight control of planning and scheduling.

The factory runs three shifts and 24 hours a day; 10 Haas machines running through the night with just five operators on duty.

‘My aim is to create an entire racing car from just six solid blocks of aluminium, in 70 hours, using only four tools,’ said Vallet.

Big blocks of aluminium, he admits, but just six, from which he intends to machine all of the major and supporting structural components, including the chassis, suspension, mounting brackets, and so on.

No castings, no extrusions, just solid parts.

‘We’ll buy-in brakes, glass, wheels, that sort of thing, we’ll make the body from glass fibre and we’ll use an Alfa Romeo V6 engine, giving 340HP,’ he added.

‘But otherwise, we’ll make it here, on one Haas machine, in less than a week of running two shifts a day.’.

http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/has/has151.html

Vision Engraving & Routing Systems announces a new large-format CNC router line, offering work areas starting at 4’ x 8’. Featuring an aluminum t-slot table, state-of-the-art Vision Series 3 Controller, and graphically advanced Vision PRO 8 software with an ethernet interface, these machines can handle a wide variety of milling, drilling, contouring, routing and engraving projects. Applications for these heavy-duty machines include cut out letters, inlays, and ADA and 2.5-D and 3D signs; cabinets, furniture, and other woodworking projects; control panels; and plastic and metal fabrication and machining. Customers may choose to add Vision’s new DACS (Digitally Aligned Cutting System) camera, an alignment tool which provides perfect print-to-cut registration for graphics. Additional options for these machines include a vacuum table, automatic tool changer, engraving head, and an automatic Raster™ Braille inserter.

The recently-released Vision PRO 8 software, which comes standard with these routers, allows a high level of flexibility when working with logos and graphics. This extensive software package also has the ability to run virtually any type of router, engraver, laser engraver, color printer, or vinyl plotter on the market. As with Vision PRO 7.5, users can import more than 65 file types, including files from CorelDRAW™ and numerous other popular software programs.

http://www.pr.com/press-release/154675

NCMT will feature the milling of aircraft structural parts and grinding of engine components using the VIPER process at the UK’s Farnborough International Airshow.

NCMT will feature on Makino machine tools the CNC milling of aircraft structural parts and CNC grinding of engine components using the Rolls-Royce VIPER process at the UK’s Farnborough International Airshow.

* Milling - NCMT will display an Airbus A380 wing rib measuring 3m by 1.75m, milled from solid aluminium to close tolerance at Filton, UK, on Makino MAG-Series horizontal, five-axis machining centres.

On display also will be a rib for the A320.

The workpieces are representative of the wide range of aluminium structurals for aircraft being machined worldwide on high-speed Makino machines, said NCMT.

The machines can produce large, complex components to very high accuracy in a single set-up, eliminating two or more sub-assemblies and so dramatically reducing manufacturing lead-time and cost.

On the topic of milling titanium, NCMT told manufacturingtalk that there are a number of developments on the way from Makino.

Innovations will include new machines and spindles, including a high torque (1,050Nm) gearless spindle.

* VIPER creep feed grinding - for producing engine parts, VIPER creep-feed grinding gives stock removal rates of up to eight times those achievable when conventionally grinding nickel alloys using a plated CBN wheel.

Broaching, milling and turning operations can also be eliminated using the VIPER superabrasive process.

In all cases, consumable costs are reduced dramatically, said NCMT.

Now the Makino i-Grinder G5 has been designed specifically to exploit the technology to the full.

Until now, the platform used was a standard horizontal machining centre (HMC).

The HMC had been extensively modified with very high-pressure coolant delivery to the vitrified aluminium oxide wheel via programmable nozzles and through the high-speed spindle.

The 5-axis Makino i-Grinder G5 is available through Makino-NCMT Grinding Division, a company formed to market the turnkey manufacturing systems across Europe and Scandinavia.

Recent sales successes have been recorded in Italy and Germany for the manufacture of compressor and turbine blades, and BLISKs, while Makino has sold a number of machines to aero engine manufacturers in Japan.

Overall, the i-Grinder G5 is 10% quicker at machining nickel alloy components than the modified Makino A55 machining centre that it supersedes.

Metal removal rate is of the order of 80cm3/min and the machine accepts parts nominally up to 300mm in diameter.

The enhancement in grinding efficiency comes from a number of factors, including an increase in linear rapid traverse rate from 40 to 48m/min.

Faster rotary workhead speed, which has more than doubled to 100 rev/min, is especially beneficial when grinding smaller components, said NCMT.

* programmable nozzles system improved - probably the most critical improvement is in the design of the programmable coolant nozzles.

They are more versatile on the i-Grinder G5, as they may be positioned by two rotary NC axes anywhere through 360 deg around the periphery of the grinding wheel, rather than through just 180 deg with the A55.

To achieve this greater degree of freedom, power and coolant supplies are built-in, rather than being delivered through an umbilical cord.

Nozzle positioning speed is faster and therefore more responsive when changing position to direct coolant accurately towards the point of cutting.

A big advantage of VIPER grinding on a horizontal machining centre is that in addition to abrasive wheels, other live and static tools such as milling cutters, drills, broaches or turning tools may be exchanged automatically between the tool magazine and the spindle, allowing additional machining operations to be carried out in the same cycle.

Related technologies that have been developed by Makino-NCMT include EasyGrind and EasyGear programming software, flexible fixturing, and manual or in-cycle part measurement, verification and truing.

http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/ncm/ncm188.html

A high-pressure (60,000 psi) water stream can cut anything from cloth to glass to rubber as fast as 100 ft. per minute. Water can even cut through harder materials like wood, granite, stone, aluminum, and steel. CNC Machines International (CNCMI) created a high performance waterjet cutter that can precisely cut and inlay intricate logos into carpet and artificial turf.

Because waterjet cutting doesn’t generate heat, it cuts without damaging or distorting the surrounding material (as traditional methods like a die press might). According to Mark Stephenson, president of CNCMI, “Waterjet cutters like our VLF system need to keep the water stream tangent to the material for precise cuts. This rotary water axis must be kept tangent to the XY motion at all times.” The machine works at speeds of up to 1,200 inches per minute over carpet areas as large as 16 ft. x 96 ft., with a positioning accuracy to 0.010 inches.

A unique feature of the CNCMI VLF machine is that it allows a bevel cut to be specified up to 45°. “Bevel cutting is useful in carpet cutting when you want to fit a logo cutout into the base. A straight edge cut would allow the logo to fall straight through the base material,” says Stephenson .

To ensure precision and speed of their cutters, CNCMI chose the DMC-2153 five-axis Ethernet motion controller from Galil Motion Control. “We chose the Galil controller because it is feature-rich, [and] provides better performance and an improved communications interface,” said Stephenson. In addition, he says, “it is the easiest controller we’ve ever worked with.”

The DMC-2153 easily handles the motion required by the application: The XY-axes control linear and circular patterns (rack and pinion), the Z-axis controls the height of the water jet, and the Y-axis controls two motors for gantry function. The fifth or rotary axis controls the motion of the water jet stream by keeping it in tangent to the XY motion to maintain precision cutting. In addition to tangential motion, the DMC-2153 also handles constant velocity, slaving, and linear and circular interpolation.

As is common with computer numerical control (CNC) machines, the VLF reads G-codes to enact motion. To accommodate this, CNCMI specified the Mach3 graphical user interface from ArtSoft to translate the G-codes into motion commands for the Galil controller. The software performs all calculations for precise control of up to six simultaneous axes using a trajectory planner that feeds the Galil controller a series of linear interpolation commands that are 4 ms apart. The Mach3 software also comes with ready-made drivers for Galil controllers, resulting in significantly reduced set-up time.
http://www.controleng.com/article/CA6658223.html?industryid=48517

— Today, the CNC controls vendor NUM launches a 3D simulation package that combines workpiece simulation with collision monitoring and other powerful features. The computer-aided engineering software allows machine builders to offer new generations of optimisation tools with their machines - to help users to maximise manufacturing throughput and productivity. Designated True 3D, the software tool is a general-purpose version of NUM’s well-known 3D simulator for multi-axis grinding applications.

NUM’s True 3D is one of the first commercial CNC software simulation tools to combine both workpiece simulation and collision monitoring facilities. It allows machinery users to virtually prototype and optimise the entire machine production process, to yield significant gains including improved machine productivity, reduced tool wear, and faster project completion.

The massive increase in PC processor performance in recent years has enabled not only simple machine tools such as milling machines and lathes to be simulated in high-resolution, but also more complex applications such as multi-axis CNC machine tools and tool grinding machines. The simulator visualises the tools, the machine’s kinematic properties and the workpiece blank as 3D volumes. Material volume is removed from the workpiece as the tool moves along the machining track according to the CNC program, while the same volume is continuously subtracted from the workpiece blank. Due to the extremely complex interpolated engagements that can take place between the tool and the workpiece - three linear and two rotating axes are normally in motion in five-axis CNC machines for example - highly precise means of calculation are required.

The 3D simulation calculates the entire process chain of a machine tool, from the ISO standard CNC program and its CNC processing, to the machining process. Consequently, collisions are also detected, avoiding costly damage to the machine. The collision monitor will detect clashes between tool and workpiece, as well as with machine elements such as motor housings and sensors.

The simulator includes an abrasion analysis module that calculates the material removal rate in mm3/s at every point of the machining cycle, as well as the specific material removal rate on the tool surface in mm3/second/mm.

A colour animation of the specific removal rate on the tool surface gives the programmer an at-a-glance visualisation of whether the machine is using the best cutting feed - with rates up to the tool’s maximum being shown as percentage gradations. This helps users to achieve the optimum manufacturing time with minimal tool wear.

One further useful mode of operation is also possible with NUM’s 3D simulator. When the process is trialled on the real-world machine, the virtual 3D animation can be made to run in synchronisation with the real-time axis values of the CNC system. This allows the programmer and users to follow the machining process - in great detail and from any viewing angle. This function can be especially useful if, due to the use of coolant, it is not possible to see exactly what is happening in the working space of the real machine.

The basic 3D model of the machine required to support the simulation of the machining cycle can usually be imported or created for a couple of man-days of effort.

The new software tool supports NUM’s focus on supporting small to medium-sized OEMs, and its target machine tool markets which include tool grinding, gear manufacturing, woodworking, high-speed cutting, and transfer and special-purpose machinery. The software complements a comprehensive range of CNC building blocks for machine builders. These include advanced CNC kernels, industrial PC front ends with soft-PLC functionality, MMI panels, I/O modules, drives, and a broad choice of servo and spindle motors. NUM’s control over the complete motion axis chain secures an unmatched performance with regards to speed and accuracy where it matters most: at the direct mechanical interface to the machine.

More information: http://www.num.com/

New Hyde Park, NY - Techno, Inc. CNC Routers announced the introduction of the Pro Series CNC Router to their current product line of CNC machining solutions. Designed to meet the high demands of panel process manufacturing, the Pro Series is constructed of large heavy tubing that is both welded and stress-relieved, the perfect foundation for Techno’s precision drive system.

Also comprised of precision ball screw drives on all three axes, THK rails and bearings, high-speed closed-loop servomotor and drives, the Pro Series drive system ensures minimal maintenance, machine longevity and superior machine performance.

Techno’s New Pro Series is available in a variety of standard sizes ranging from 4 ft x 8 ft through 6 ft x 20 ft. “We are welcoming special sizes and customization requests with this model because we understand that size and usage vary from shop to shop,” says CNC Router Sales Manager, Roy Valentine. “The Pro Series machine can be equipped with a variety of spindle options including automatic tool changer, collet spindles, drill banks, or multi-spindle setup for high volume part production. Multiple zone vacuum table, reverse engineering lasers, and 4th axis rotary tables are just some of the additional accessories compatible with this new machine.”

Additionally, the New Pro Series’ machine features a CNC Servo G-Code Interface that is both easy to learn and operate. This Windows-based interface is a fully comprehensive CNC program that includes unique high-end features such as toolpath preview with viewing tools and adjustable screens, built in G-Code editor, machine speed and spindle rpm override, X/Y axis orientation swapping, program skip ahead (in case of tool breakage), built in basic nesting, and production logging.

http://www.toolingonline.com/article.mvc/Techno-CNC-Routers-Introduce-New-Pro-

Series-0001?VNETCOOKIE=NO

Being the leading manufacturer of flat glass processing machine, Glassman adheres to the business philosophy “Occupy the Leading Technical Position”. Glassman committed to develop the best glass processing equipment in favour of customers. The CNC Vertical Drilling and Milling Machine is well recognized by customers for its multifunction, precision and easy operation since it was shown to the world. Glassman sticks to innovate, breakthrough technical problem, achieves product updating and upgrading. In 2009, the new generation of CNC Vertical Drilling and Milling Machine, GM-BZX-VI, comes into international market.

-Special Humanized Design

All main processing area closed to protect, applies advanced CAD stimulate system software testing the static and dynamic moment generated during working, improved the machine’s reliability and durability by collecting and testing data, convenient to load and unload glass, took less space. The vertical structure is convenient to control the direction of force so that the processing would be much easier, also is good for the control of the tools cooling system.

-Powerful Functions

GM-BZX-VI is a working center with high technology, applies advanced NUM numerical control system from Swiss, it can complete complex work like drilling, milling and notching, arising the notches. Thanks to its powerful function and stability, Glassman GM-BZX-VI is able to beat competitors and occupied good position in international market.

-Unique Glass Transfer Method

GM-BZX-VI has special electric mechanic hand which is more reliable than other machines. Machines without mechanical hands should takes huge and complicated mechanical structure to transfer glass. It would be with high damage rate, complex repair and low precision. GM-BZX-VI adopts unique electric mechanic hand to transfer the glass to processing area. The mechanic hand advanced, precision structure, which guarantee the work would be stable, fast and accurate.

-Energy efficiency

Full automatic system makes it possible to reduce human resource, stable function means saving of cost, time and energy.

-Software

Application software for drawing, Super CAD/CAM, is developed independently by Glassman. It can work on Window XP. Glassman engineer graphics professional graphic gallery in accordance with customers’ demands, operator can choose any shape or shape combination according to different processing requirements, set some parameters. It can work automatically after system accepts parameters. The program is easy to learn and operate.

-Cost-Effective

The sales price for similar equipment from European country can achieve 140,000 to 300,000 euro, while Glassman can complete the same functions with price as low as 30% of European equipment, some functions even superior than European equipment, it deserves your investment. The flexibility of GM-BZX-VI control system can meet requirements of different product. Whole processing is completed automatically without human interference. GM-BZX-VI is particularly suited for processing structural glass (frameless shower door, glass curtain wall, glass stair protection), it would be the best choice for glass processing.

http://www.glassonweb.com/news/index/9302/

The last eight years have seen Coatbridge-based KRG Precision transform itself from an also-ran general engineering subcontractor into one of Scotland’s leading heavy machining specialists.

The last eight years have seen Coatbridge-based KRG Precision transform itself from an also-ran general engineering subcontractor into one of Scotland’s leading heavy machining specialists.

The metamorphosis has been achieved through a combination of vision, skill and commitment from within the company, and development of a unique relationship with Mills Manufacturing Technology in Norwich.

Since 1994 all but two of KRG’s major machine tool purchases have been sourced from Mills in an ongoing, multi-million pound investment program.

This has allowed the company to switch its emphasis to oil and gas industry work, notably medium-to-large, complex, high precision, high value-added components and sub-assemblies in small batches.

As a result, the company’s turnover is on target to exceed GBP 5.5 million in 2001/02, up from GBP 1.4 million in 1997/98.

Jim Hughes founded KRG in 1978 and the company grew slowly through the 1980s and early 1990s.

“We moved into these premises in 1994,” he said, “at which time we were developing and building special purpose machines and doing some low volume, non-CNC subcontract machining.

“However we bought our first two CNC lathes soon afterwards, a Daewoo Puma 10 and Puma 12 from Mills.

These made us aware of the possibilities available with CNC equipment but we were reluctant to simply graduate from being a general subcontractor without CNC machines to being a general subcontractor with CNC machines - which is what a lot of other companies did.” It was apparent to Mr Hughes Snr and to his son, production director Kevin Hughes, that if KRG was to be a really successful company it had to develop services and capabilities that were uncommon or unavailable elsewhere.

They realised that the building from which the company now operates gave them a significant advantage.

It had previously been a heavy engineering works so a 15 ton capacity crane was already in place and the floor was suitable to support large capacity, heavy machine tools without need for special foundations.

“Even in a bad year the oil production and offshore exploration industry is hard put to find local companies with sufficient large machine tool capacity to satisfy demand,” Mr Hughes explained.

“We did some basic market research and it was apparent that if we developed this type of capability we could expect to see a good level of business.” Armed with this information, KRG was able to formulate a business plan that was used to support an application for a Regional Selective Assistance grant.

This helped to purchase from Mills a Kuraki KBT-11W-AP horizontal borer with six tonne table capacity and twin pallet changer, and a pair of Daewoo Puma 450 lathes capable of turning components up to 700mm diameter and 1575mm length.

At GBP 400,000 this was the largest investment made by the company - although the company has subsequently invested over GBP 2 million in new machine tools.

Said Kevin Hughes, “Although the machines were a big advance over anything that we had previously operated we were very confident of our ability to get the best from them.

This was partly due to the fact that KRG has always had a strong skills base within the company, and partly due to the high level of training and technical support that Mills promised and delivered.

This has been ongoing and our relationship with Mills is almost a partnership; whereas other suppliers would probably have us wait up to a year for the sort of machine that we need to buy.

Mills has always been able to schedule delivery to coincide with our need for additional capacity.” The first of what are now two Kuraki horizontal borers was installed in May 1998.

Mills gained this important first order partially on rapid availability of the machine, while the pricing was competitive, even when compared with rebuilt machines from alternative suppliers.

The machine offers a work envelope of 2000mm in X by 1500mm in Y by 1450mm in Z and has a 500mm quill, enabling use of Davis-type facing heads.

Table capacity is 6 tonnes and the machine has a 40 tool ATC.

In production the machine has shown itself capable of holding a tolerance of =/-25 microns over a 1200mm by 600mm area.

This is a considerable level of performance given the types of material that are routinely machined at KRG, including stainless steel, Inconel, Monel and other exotic alloys.

“Once the machines were installed we got an immediate response from customers,” Mr Hughes Snr recalled.

“The machine is equivalent in performance to the equipment used by major oil and gas industry OEMs so they have been happy to source major components from us.

That’s partly because we have set our stall out to offer the full package of documentation, traceability and parts marking required by the industry.

That in its turn has gained us more work and led us to develop our own supplier base for specialist coating services so that we can act as lead contractor for a ready-to-assemble turnkey package.” KRG has invested heavily in CAD/CAM, DNC and job tracking software as well as in machine capacity.

In addition it has strong engineering support capabilities, designing and fabricating its own steadies for turning and developing its own facing head.

By matching its do-everything philosophy with a do-everything capability, KRG has developed to the point where it can supply customers with complete kits of components to include in finished assemblies.

Along the way the company has installed additional machining capacity.

In 1999 an O-M VT5-16N vertical turning centre was installed with a 75kW spindle and a 1600mm diameter table capable of supporting workpieces up to 10 tonnes; in 2000 the second Kuraki horizontal borer was added.

In between times, two Daewoo Puma 350s and a Puma 250 plus two Daewoo machining centres were also installed.

“Single sourcing from Mills offers us a lot of advantages,” remarked Kevin Hughes.

“We know that we can rely on efficient installation and commissioning services, and that the back-up will be very good.

From a training point of view all of the controls and operator panels are similar and we can also plan routine maintenance more efficiently then if we had machines from a lot of different suppliers.

From Mills standpoint, I guess you could say that we provide them with an excellent demo facility.” Thus far the company’s investment has been directed towards overall flexibility as a high proportion of KRG’s throughput has been based on small albeit high value-added orders.

However the next stage of commercial development is a move into contract based manufacturing.

“We’ve reached the point now where order quantities are such that we will be able to specify some of our future machine capacity against specific jobs,” Kevin Hughes confirmed.

“That will give us the opportunity to consider machines with second-operation capability, as batch quantities will justify the longer set-ups and allow us to achieve higher production efficiency.”.

http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/mil/mil113.html

Specialising in the sub-contract machining of precision components, Valco UK in Essex has invested heavily in a subtle blend of CNC machine tools over the last three years.

Specialising in the sub-contract machining of precision components, Valco UK in Essex has invested heavily in a subtle blend of CNC machine tools over the last three years.

This has seen the 50-strong company progressively install 20 vertical machining centres and 10 CNC turret mills at its factory in South Woodham Ferrers.

All the CNC mills are ProtoTrak models, supplied by XYZ Machine Tools of Devon, and these versatile machines form a vital link in Valco’s manufacturing chain.

For as well as carrying out various preparatory operations for the VMCs, the mills also perform numerous small batch, 2D machining tasks in their own right.

Around 60% of the company’s work load involves machining plastics components from sheet material to general tolerances of around 0.1mm.

Parts such as insulator panels, boards,channels, connectors and carriers are produced for customers in the telecommunications, marine, fibre optic, transport and defence sectors in average batch sizes from 10 to 500 off.

With a separate electronics division,many of Valco’s projects involve machining components for sub-assemblies.

While the more complex plastics parts, and most metal ones, are produced on the VMCs, a wide range of standard components are now being effectively produced on nine ProtoTrak PRO 2000 CNC mills (with the AGE 2 control) and an EDGE 1500 CNC mill (with the new EDGE control) - which have been brought in over the last three years.

As production manager Gareth Irwin explained, the XYZ mills form a key element of the whole manufacturing operation.

“These CNC machines carry out a wide range of tasks and about 25% of their time is spent on blocking-up and other datuming type operations on plastics billets destined for the VMCs — so as to optimise production efficiency.

However, they are also used to produce prototype components, before they go into full production, and simpler 2D type parts such as covers, plates, spacers which are usually required in fairly small batches.

Moreover, the machines also perform secondary operations on components produced on the VMCs.

The speed with which they can be set-up and programmed, combined with their ease of use and all-round versatility make the ProtoTrak mills virtually indispensable.” Prior to the arrival of the first XYZ CNC turret mill in 1997, Valco relied on manual milling machines to carry out such production functions.

But as workloads increased and the company bought more VMCs, the use of manual machines and rotary tables was proving less effective in terms of productivity and repeatable accuracy.

Back to Mr Irwin again.

“The introduction of the CNC mills showed us the way forward as we cut cycle times by at least a factor of three, significantly improved repeatability and quality levels and could respond more quickly to customer demands.” All programming is done at the machine on these easy-to-use, two-axis CNC systems.

Most of the components produced on the CNC mills are fairly simple 2D items, yet they still have to be produced as efficiently as possible.

A typical part is a 38 by 32 by 2.5mm thick magnetic support plate machined from SRBP sheet and required in batches of 25 off.

These parts entail profiling, machining a central 12.7mm wide slot and drilling four 3.6mm diameter holes.

Produced on a PRO 2000 mill the complete batch of plates can be processed in just 1 hour (some 40% faster than before).

While a 50 by 26 by 13mm thick PTFE spacer, which requires tenon type sections and four, 4mm diameter holes, is now being produced in a cycle time of just 6 min per part.

Although required in batches of 250 off, it’s still more economical to machine the spacers on a CNC mill as even a VMC cannot produce the complete form in a single operation.

The XYZ machines are also used to produce flat plate plastics developments which are subsequently heated and bent to the desired form.

As well as producing sized blanks for the VMCs and carrying out secondary operations, the CNC mills are also used to finish part-machined components.

One example of this concerns a small aluminium box lid where the top face is profiled and drilled on a VMC and then transferred to a PRO 2000 to face the reverse side and machine recesses around the drilled holes.

Required in batches of 22 off, reverse side machining could have been performed on the VMC, but it would have taken almost 1 hour to set-up and program the machine.

With a programming time of only 5 min and a cycle time of just 1 min, it is far more effective to carry out such operations on one of the turret mills.

All-in-all, the mills have proved to be a profitable and versatile investment and the company is well pleased with the level of service and back-up it has received from XYZ MachineTools.

Valco always tries to have one of its CNC mills spare so that it can accommodate rush jobs without disrupting planned production schedules.

While on the versatility front, the PRO 2000 mills really proved their worth on a recent project which involved machining high quality ebonite fishing rod reels.

For as well as producing the prototypes (before production was switched to VMCs) several of the machines have also been used to polish the100mm reels after machining.

http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/xyz/xyz100.html

For a series of sliding headstock multi-axis CNC lathes, the manufacturer has collaborated with a CAM provider to simplify programming when using, or not using a guide bush.

Delcam’s PartMaker division is collaborating with Ganesh Industrial Supply, to provide highly productive programming software for the Ganesh Cyclone series of sliding headstock multi-axis CNC lathes.

The Ganesh Cyclone series, which features the 7-axis Cyclone 25-CS, are Swiss-type lathes that can operate without a guide bushing.

Programming these types of machine provides some dificult problems when compared with programming a conventional, guide bushing-based Swiss machine, said Delcam.

PartMaker SwissCAM automates the programming of these specialized types of Swiss machines.

The software allows users to choose whether or not they wish to program on a machine with or without a guide bushing.

It allows users to move seamlessly from a guide bushing-based to a guide bushing-less Swiss machine with a single click of a button when programming jobs.

PartMaker and Ganesh Industrial Supply share technical information with one another to assure users that PartMaker SwissCAM is fully compatible with the Ganesh Cyclone series of guide bushing-less Swiss machines.

This integration includes the availability of robust post processors and machine simulation facilities for this range of machines.

A number of Ganesh users around the United States, said Delcam to manufacturingtalk.com, are already benefiting from being able to program their Ganesh Cyclone sliding-headstock lathes off-line with PartMaker.

President of Ganesh Industrial Supply, Harvinder Singh, said: “One of the benefits of the Ganesh Cyclone over a conventional guide bushing-based CNC Swiss machine is faster set-up.

By programming with PartMaker SwissCAM, our customers can take this productivity benefit to the next level.

By automatically programming parts and simulating their manufacture off-line before setting up the machine, they can gain further time savings in machine set-up.”.

http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/dea/dea698.html