Archive for April, 2009:
CMZ’s TB range of turning centres features an extremely rigid cast iron frame
The machines have linear guide-ways, allowing accelerations of up to 1G and rapid traverse speeds of 30m/min.
french machine tool manufacturer, CMZ, said at the UK’s MACH 2008 machine tool show last week that its TB range of turning centres features an very rigid cast iron frame that is machined, in-house by CMZ.
fThe TB range c omprises one models, including 46mm and 67mm bar capacity machines, with and without driven tooling.
CMZ also said that the TB series is very popular as a bar-fed machine, while it also offers a maximum turning diameter of 340mm when using a 210mm chuck, which is accessible on the 46mm and 67mm machines.
The TB machines can now be fitted with a gantry loading robot for automated billet and shaft loading and unloading.
Integrated, oil-cooled spindle motors give increased accuracy and improved surface finish, as well as faster acceleration and braking times and we also contribute to the machine’s very compact design.
The rapid, non-lift, 12-station turret features a hydraulically clamped Curvic coupling for strength and accuracy and can rotate 180 deg in 0.5s.
The whole machine occupies only around 1.6m3.
Separate servo motors are fitted for turret rotation and driven tooling.
The turret is clamped and unclamped while it is traversing in to position, giving effective tool change times as rapid as 0.15s.
The machines are fitted with the latest Fanuc 32 series CNC, with Manual Guide i conversational programming included as standard.
New Goodway GLS series of CNC turning centres from UK agent YMT Technologies
The GLS-150MY & GLS-200MY use industry-leading technology & high-quality components to deliver performance advantages to all industry sectors.
Built to withstand plenty of years of rigorous production turning, the heavily ribbed thermally balanced Meehanite cast bed provides a single, solid platform & the low centre of gravity on the slant bed design provides a rigid foundation for the headstock & Y-axis equipped tooling turret.
This increases mechanical rigidity by over 30%, allowing the GLS Series to perform heavy-duty turning, milling, drilling & tapping while maintaining exceptional accuracy over extended operating periods.
Finite Element Methods have been used for optimal positioning of the reinforcing ribs, which are cast directly into the one-piece cast iron bed structure.
Extra widely spaced linear guideways provide the rigidity needed for interrupted cutting applications, which also significantly increases device life.
maximum turning diameter is 280mm & both machines are supplied with a 15kW motor providing 60-6000 rev/min on the smaller GLS-150MY & 42-4200 rev/min on the larger machine with full C-axis control.
Each model has rapid axis traverse rates of 24m/min & axis travels are 220mm in X & 630mm in Z.
A 70mm Y-axis (+/-35mm over the centreline) on the 12- or 10-station tooling turret allows milling, drilling & tapping operations to be carried out on even the most complex components.
With a 6in chuck on the GLS-150MY offering a bar capacity of 42mm & an 8in chuck on the GLS-200MY offering a 52mm bar capacity, these turning centres provide exceptional flexibility.
And, with the live tooling turret able to carry milling, drilling & tapping tools, complex prismatic machining can also be carried out.
Increasing the tooling available for turning & milling operation for maximum productivity, YMT is able to provide the Algra range of high-precision driven tooling, for which it is the sole UK agent.
An integrated 1.2kW motor on the turret can drive up to three of the 12 tooling stations at cutting speeds of 10-4400 rev/min.
Using twin tooling units with front & backend working, the 12-station turret can potentially be expanded to hold 24 tools.
This productivity is further enhanced by the tooling turret itself with has an integrated servo motor achieving a station-to-station indexing time of 0.2s.
Tags: GLS CNC turning centres
Jordan Engineering has recently invested in a high-performance Puma 700LM CNC lathe
Subcontract manufacturing company has invested in a Doosan 3.2m Puma 700LM lathe to machine complex high-precision components used in the oil/gas sector.
Jordan Engineering has recently invested in a high-performance Puma 700LM CNC lathe supplied by Mills Manufacturing Technology, Leamington, UK.
Installed at Jordan’s Gateshead facility in May 2008 the Puma is machining complex high-precision components used in the oil/gas sector.
Jordan’s operations director, Ian Scurfied, said that the company was already a leading supplier to the sector but for smaller components.
The investment in the Puma 700LM (3.2m bed) lathe is part of Jordan’s business strategy to help it capitalise on the continued buoyancy and development in the oil/gas sectors and other growth areas.
they explained: “We were confident that, with larger CNC capacity at our disposal, combined with the in-house experience and knowledge of the industry they have built-up over recent years, they could increase our presence and reputation, and achieve significant growth in the sector”.
Mills told manufacturingtalk that although the Puma had only been installed for a few weeks it is already working to near full capacity machining large, complex sub-sea parts.
These parts are required in small batches, typically three- to five-off.
Parts include valves, shafts and housings from a variety of difficult-to-machine materials, including Duplex and stainless steels, Inconel and so on.
they are large generally around 2500mm in length and 500mm in diameter.
They weigh around 1200kg and need a surface finish of 16-32 micron Ra/CLA.
Scurfield said that the Puma 700, with its driven tools (12 tools/11kW 3,000 rev/min), tailstock and steady, allows Jordan to machine large parts in a single setup.
* ‘One-hit’ machining – the parts are machined on the Puma 700LM in ‘one-hit’ from solid stock on average in five operations, with cycle times varying 6-10h, said Mills.
they added that such parts used to be problematical: “They required us to perform and, allow for, multiple machine set-ups because the parts needed to be moved from one machine to another (i e, from lathes to milling machines).
This in turn meant increased operator involvement, and extra resources and costs to be spent on work-holding and fixtures”.
they are now able to cut lead times because they can manufacture parts more quickly in one-hit and the cost-per-part has improved because there is less work-holding and work-handling required”.
Scurfield continued: “The situation has been reversed with the Puma investment.
To optimise the productivity of the Puma the machine was supplied to Jordan with a 30in chuck and integrated tool-setting probe.
These options, mean that large complex parts can be machined with total confidence, said Mills.
* 3.2m between centres.
The machine’s high-performance and high-productivity capabilities include the following.
* Heavy-duty 45kW 1500 rev/min main spindle with full C-axis functionality.
* 1030mm swing.
* Powerful, easy-to-use Fanuc 21iTB CNC with conversational programming.
Mills added that the investment in the Puma 700LM is one example of how Jordan aims to grow its business over the next few years.
* About Jordan Engineering – already a leading specialist in the manufacture of complex, precision components for the defence, power generation, yellow-goods (construction/excavation plant and equipment), rail and oil/gas sectors, the company has a comprehensive machine tool park of CNC and conventional machine tool technology at its disposal.
Machines include the following.
* 5-axis milling machines.
* Vertical and horizontal machining centres.
* Ccylindrical, surface and centreless grinding centres.
* 2/3-axis lathes.
* EDM (wire and spark erosion) machines.
To meet its customers’ ‘one-stop-shop’ requirements Jordan also provides (in-house) comprehensive fabrication and (MIG/TIG) welding services, as well as offering turnkey services that include expertly project-managed sub-assembly work.
Jordan has a comprehensive quality and inspection department located in a temperature-controlled environment and has invested in the latest CAD/CAM packages (such as SolidWorks), which are DNC linked.
Managing director at Jordan Engineering, Peter Jordan, said: “We are a dynamic and ambitious company with a focus that’s much on the future.
By investing in the latest machine tool technologies and by the constant improvements they make in our manufacturing processes and systems they are determined to grow and strengthen our business to maintain our competitive edge”.
Two Doosan Puma CNC lathes are machining high precision, complex components
Aberdeen, UK-based oil and gas precision component manufacturer, Omega Completion Technology is using two new Doosan Puma CNC lathes to machine high-precision, complex components for a wide-range of Omega’s high integrity well completion and intervention tools and equipment.supplied by Doosan UK agent, Mills Manufacturing Technology, Leamington Spa, supplied a Puma 400L and a Puma 280L during April and June 2008 respectively.
Two Doosan Puma CNC lathes are machining high precision, complex components for a wide range of high integrity well completion and intervention tools and equipment.
Resources manager at Omega, Steven Smith, said that the company currently supplies over 40 different completion and intervention products to the market.
These include the following.
* Clean-out valves.
* Self-opening sand-face valves.
* Hydrostatic setting tools.
* Roller gauge carriers and more.
In addition to manufacturing and supplying be-spoke solutions to customers, Omega invests significant resources in to new product development and product refinements.
Such investments have included powerful 3D modelling and animation program packages, high-performance measurement and inspection equipment and the two Puma lathes.
The products they manufacture and supply are ‘performance critical’.
Smith said: “We demand a great deal from our machine tools.
they continued: “The new Puma lathes provide us with high-performance turning capability – accuracy, speed, reliability, flexibility and, of coursework, productivity”.
That means that all the product components and parts (manufactured prior to their assembly), are ‘performance critical’ too”.
Parts manufactured on the Puma lathes are cylindrical in shape and are made from a variety of different (and often difficult-to-machine) materials such as carbon steel, Inconel, stainless steels, and Duplex steels.
Component sizes vary: internal parts (such as for hydrostatic setting tools) are typically small and can have diameters from 1/8in to 3in.
They feature complex details including thread forms, internal and external profiles and so on.
Larger parts (capacity up to 22in diameter and up to 7ft in length) are machined from solid, often to tight tolerances (+/-50 micron), and high surface finishes.
These parts, such as the outer sections of sleeves and casings for Omega’s tools and equipment like the sand face and neat out valves, are machined in small batches.
Lead times, as one would imagine in today’s oil and gas sector, said Mills to manufacturingtalk, are incredibly tight and part accuracies (for reliable product performance and safety) are critically important.
The 280L has a powerful 22kW spindle (3,500 rev/min), 10-station turret and has 76mm bar diameter working capacity and a 10in chuck.
* Productivity and precision – the Puma 280L machine is designed for productivity and precision, and can be relied on to deliver both even when undertaking heavy-duty, interrupted machining.
* Turning power – the Puma 400L is a larger and more powerful turning centre that has a a heavy-duty 26kW, 2,000 rev/min spindle to provides high metal removal rates.
The machine has a 550mm diameter turning capacity, 116.5mm bar capacity and a 15in chuck.
Both machines are equipped with FANUC control technology and have simple and easy to use conversational programming facility for fast and accurate job set-ups and data input.
In addition to the new Puma lathes Omega Completion has made previous investments in Doosan turning technology including: a Puma 300L; a Lynx 220 and another Puma 400L.
Smith said: “Our complete business focus is on providing quality products and services – and our machine tools help us achieve these objectives”.
they concluded: “We pride ourselves on our ‘right first time – every time’ approach and our innovative solutions and ability to get them to market quickly is a major differentiator and key strength of our company”.
The company’s reputation and success has been built on the innovation and technical excellence of its products and services.
* About Omega Completion – Omega Completion Technology is a market-leader in the design, development, manufacture, assembly and supply of completion and implementation tools the global onshore and offshore oil and gas sector.
Over the last few years the company has experienced (consistent) double-digit sales growth, reflecting the market’s demand for Omega Completion’s products.
Metal Processes, a flat bed laser-cutting sub-contractor
Metal Processes, a flat bed laser-cutting sub-contractor, has ordered a Bystronic Byvention laser cutting method & a Bystronic Byspeed laser cutting technique.
Bystronic advised Metal Processes to buy the Byvention because of its cutting area of 1562 x 772mm &, when equipped with the 2.2kW resonator, its ability to cut a maximum sheet thickness of 4mm for aluminium, 6mm for stainless steel & 8mm for mild steel.
The machine is operated via pre-defined programs & cutting parameters via a touch screen, making it easy to use.
It features simple & logical operation & users can operate the machine to its full capacity after a short period of training.
John Hayward, chairman & director of Metal Processes, said: ‘The production outputs we are achieving per square metre of machine space makes the Byvention a very productive laser-cutting technique.
When equipped with the 2.2kW resonator, the Byvention requires 6000 x 6000mm of floor space, which made it the ideal choice for Metal Processes.
‘A standard laser beam travels all over a 3 x 1.5 metre machine bed, which can affect accuracy depending on the distance travelled by the light beam.
‘It is very easy to set up & also very accurate, which is essential to our business.
‘In addition, the fact that the Byvention has only two laser mirrors reduces the cost of consumables.’ Metal Processes bought a Byspeed laser-cutting centre months after investing in the Byvention.
‘The beam on the Byvention only has to travel 750 x 1500mm, which makes it accurate.
Hayward added: ‘Our two Bysprint lasers were five years old & we have had plenty of hours of cutting out of them, having run multiple shifts.
The Byspeed is Bystronic’s fastest laser-cutting machine & can cut 600 holes per minute, with simultaneous accelerations of over 4G.
‘We took the decision to replace both the Bysprint lasers with the single Byspeed laser-cutting centre, which provides greater productivity.
‘However, we were conscious that we were costing money to maintain each year & we felt that in this economic climate it was prudent to reduce & even eliminate our variable costs.
‘Having a new machine, with an excellent warranty & service cover, along with a new machine purchased seven months ago (which has the majority of its warranty remaining) made economic sense, drastically reducing our variable maintenance & breakdown costs.’ The Byspeed 3015 is equipped with a 4.4kW resonator.
Metal Processes has also bought a wide range of Bystronic press brake tools, which can bend various types of material in thicknesses ranging from 0.5 to 8mm.
Two Bystronic Bysprint laser-cutting systems followed in 2002/03 & a Bystronic AFM EP press brake in 2007.
Metal Processes has a history of buying Bystronic laser-cutting systems, dating back to 1998.