A machine shop told its supplier that if a new CNC automatic could produce parts quicker than an existing machine it would buy it - the new automatic doubled output.
Since its inception in 1984, Rowan Precision of Birmingham, UK, differed from its competition, as it was one of the few local manufacturers of Swiss type turned parts. This niche market saw the company expand and move to larger premises within its first five years. To maintain its competitive edge, the company invested in its first CNC machine in 1995 - a Tornos ENC 162.

Rowan Precision Director Chris Kent comments: 'The Tornos machines were a good move for us, they had a better build quality than the competition and this inevitably led to us purchasing another three ENC 162 machines as well as a number of Tornos ENC 167 machines.' Kent added: 'When the new Tornos Deco range was launched in 1997; we once again evaluated Tornos machines against the competition'.

'We identified that the build quality was still far superior to competitor machines as was the power of the driven attachments'.

'This was supported by excellent service and reliability'.

'With this in mind, we put a proposal to Tornos - if the Deco 10 could produce a current component significantly quicker than our ENC 167, we would buy one'.

'The machine proved more than twice as productive'.

'Over a period of time we replaced 21 Tornos Bechler cam machines almost exclusively with the new Tornos Deco range of machines'.

'The speed of the Deco was a complete revelation and we followed the purchase with another four Deco 10 machines'.

'The Tornos Deco 10 proved very efficient and capable of producing extremely complex components.' Now, the GBP 2.3 million turnover company employs 16 people and operates 17 CNC machines on single shift basis with unmanned production.

Eleven of the 17 machines are now Tornos, with five Deco 10, two Deco 13s and the most recent acquisition being a Deco 32.

Producing 2,000 to 20,000 component batch runs from alloy steels, stainless steels and a host of other materials for high precision markets such as the electronics, medical and aerospace industry; the Tornos machines have proven the ideal solution for Rowan Precision'.

' 'We have the expertise, the machines and more importantly the confidence of our customers to provide the required level of support'.

'We currently export 150,000 parts per month to three UK customers that have moved to Malaysia'.

'Based on our technical expertise and the capabilities provided to us by the Tornos machines we can provide high quality, cost effective parts - something that many foreign markets cannot provide,' continues Kent'.

' 'For peace of mind, many customers now want to know how our information is being stored'.

'Our Deco machines all run off the same software, which is DNC linked with offline programming'.

'All this is backed up remotely on a system that stores all our programs dating back to the introduction of our first Deco machine in 1997'.

'This further instils customer confidence in our company and is an important consideration with regard to machine selection.' Kent said: 'The TB-Deco programming from Tornos not only suits our company philosophy; it is simplistic and very user friendly compared to competitor software systems'.

'Our shop floor is proficient with the TB-Deco programming system and when staff revert back to alternate software on competitor machines they all agree upon the ease of use of the TB-Deco operating software.'

A UK sliding headstock turning specialist has replaced its last operating cam automatic lathe with a CNC sliding headstock machine - bought straight from the catalogue.
Sliding headstock turning specialist, Auto Screw Products, doubled its shop floor area in April 2005 by expanding into an adjacent unit on the East Gillibrands Industrial Estate in Skelmersdale, UK. It was the latest initiative by the new owner, Mike Worsley, who bought the 35 year old company in April 2003. Since buying the company, he has been replacing the company's single-spindle cam automatics with CNC sliding headstock lathes from Star Micronics GB, of which there are currently eight on site working unmanned 24h a day, seven days a week.

The last cam auto was replaced by the latest Star, an SR-32J, which was bought 'sight-unseen' from the catalogue, such is the subcontractor's confidence in this supplier.

The first Star machine the company purchased was an SH-12 - an early model that was relatively simple to operate.

To extract maximum benefit from the seven subsequent CNC lathes, which have a sub-spindle and a large number of tools, many driven, for in-cycle front-, cross- and back-working, the company was heavily dependent on help and advice from the supplier, especially at the outset.

Assistance with applications engineering and programming has been readily available from the Star team in Melbourne, Derbyshire, according to Worsley, who also confirms that after-sales service is prompt and the few problems that have arisen have been solved quickly.

He says that the supplier's positive approach and overall willingness to 'hand-hold' have been key to Auto Screw's continuing purchase of Star machines.

Worsley cited an instance of a drawing that he faxed over to Star, whose engineers responded within 30 minutes with the advice that an extended nose collet would allow the awkward part to be turned.

The relevant collet was supplied straight away from stock to allow production to start the following day.

Components are machined in mild and stainless steels, titanium, brass and aluminium, batch size normally being in the range 200,000 down to 100-off.

Most parts need back endworking and/or driven tool operations and none requires manual handling onto another machine for one or more subsequent operations.

A big advantage with modern CNC sliders such as the Stars when dealing with smaller runs is the ability to reset the lathes in less than an hour if it is a repeat job, or a little longer for a new component.

A cam auto takes up to a day to reset, resulting in much lower machine availability and consequently higher unit production costs, which are in any case elevated by the frequent need for second operations.

Auto Screw regularly achieves 150h production time per week from its Star lathes out of a total of 168h, equating to 89% availability.

Worsley suggests that cam auto shops in the UK are in decline, as long runs are needed to make them economical, but these have mostly gone overseas.

However, if UK subcontractors invest in CNC lathes, fixed- or sliding-head, their greater reliability coupled with better component consistency and accuracy resulting from one-hit machining can win even long runs back.

He mentioned a contract for 350,000-off gearbox parts that was recently awarded to Auto Screw by a German car manufacturer owing to poor component quality and long lead times from a Malaysian subcontractor.

The arguments for replacing cam autos with CNC sliders are compelling, says Worsley.

In his own subcontract business, elimination of second operations and introduction of long periods of unattended running on the Stars have allowed the headcount to be cut from 17 to seven in two years.

At the same time, turnover has risen 50% due to increased output and higher added-value production.

These factors have improved profitability.

People that talk of the demise of UK manufacturing may take heart from Auto Screw's experience.

In Spring 2005, there was enough work to occupy all eight Star lathes and the volume of enquiries was rising rapidly.

The CNC sliding head lathe's ability to machine components in a single set up has eliminated the need for second operations, driven tooling performs milling, slotting and drilling operations.
Hullmatic Engineering Co, based in Earls Colne, Essex is a major player in the UK turned parts industry, predominantly for clients in the diesel automotive sector. To help it produce 18 million components a year, the company relies on its selection of 10 Deco CNC multi-axis sliding head lathes from Tornos. Currently celebrating its 30th anniversary, Hullmatic was a family-owned business until a management buyout team led by director Peter Pledger, took over the reins last year.

The new team is already building on Hullmatic's success as a supplier to the commercial diesel automotive sector, with customers that include Delphi, Perkins and Caterpillar.

The 72-employee company is a specialist at bar turning and has an impressive array of machine tools.

As well as Deco sliding head models Hullmatic owns over 20 single spindle automatics, over 20 multi-spindle automatics, five fixed head CNC lathes and five rotary transfer machines.

The first Tornos machine arrived following a visit to the UK's MACH 1996 machine tool show.

It is testament to the technology, reliability and performance of the Deco CNCs that the company proceeded to purchase a further nine models over the following six years.

The Tornos Deco 2000 models currently on site include four Deco 10a machines, three Deco 20a machines, one Deco 13a, one Deco 13bi and a Deco 26a.

All but one of the Deco CNCs is fed using Tornos Robobar bar loaders.

'The big advantage the Deco CNC machines provide is the ability to machine components in a single set up'.

'The machines have eliminated the need for second operations entirely'.

'We use the driven tooling extensively for milling, slotting and drilling operations,' explains Peter Pledger.

Batch sizes on the Deco machines range from 500- to 10,000-off, with selected machines dedicated to producing families of parts.

This particular strategy helps keep set-up and changeover times to an absolute minimum.

Programmed off-line, only one operator is required to oversee four Deco CNC machines, which operate day and night, five days a week.

Components are machined from steel and non-ferrous materials to tolerances of around 0.015mm.

'The Deco machines have been fantastic for us'.

'Their consistency in terms of roundness, concentricity and surface finish is second to none'.

'A reject is a really rare occurrence'.

'Also, we find the machines are very responsive'.

'Over the years we have had experience of programming a lot of turning machines, but when it comes to producing a first-off from a new program, the Tornos Decos have been the best I have seen at meeting demanding drawing tolerances and characteristics,' continues Pledger.

Hullmatic purchased its Deco machines to complement the company's existing turning technologies'.

''Whatever turning machines we buy have to be competitive,' adds Pledger'.

''If the sums did not work out for the Decos then we would not have proceeded, but in terms of saving second operation work, the benefits have been enormous.' Hullmatic also says the multi-tool turning is a major advantage in maintaining competitiveness.

It allows the company to perform roughing and finishing operations 'downstairs', while a form tool is used 'upstairs''.

' 'We have a big mix of machines and technologies,' concludes Pledger, 'which allows us to be highly responsive in terms of lead-time, and the Tornos Deco machines play a large role in helping us meet our deadlines and keep our customers happy.'

One-man show manages three CNC automatic lathes - running largely unmanned - and is growing his business quickly, thanks to competitive pricing and responsive service.
David Malin is a man with an active determination to succeed! Working alone he set up DJM Precision Engineering on a small industrial estate at Litchborough near Towcester, UK, in August 2003 by remortgaging his house to buy a new Citizen L20 CNC sliding head auto from NC Engineering of Watford. Devoting all sorts of strange hours to his work and with only himself for company, within six months he purchased a fixed head bar fed CNC lathe and, with the business growing fast due to his competitive pricing and willingness to service customers, he bought a second Citizen L20 in April 2004. From his desk in the office on the mezzanine floor over the machine shop, Malin can look through a patio door to proudly survey a very neat and tidy machine shop where his three CNC charges run mostly unmanned, including through the night on selective jobs, producing a wide range of connectors, shafts, spindles, special screws and valves in batches varying between 250 and 40,000.

He was first introduced to metal cutting at age 14 when between school hours he swept floors and performed general duties at a local subcontract machine shop.

At age 16 he progressed to being a cam auto apprentice.

A reflection of his determination and focus on the business is the fact that DJM Precision Engineering obtained ISO 9001 - 2000 accreditation within just nine months.

'I always wanted to be my own boss,' he maintains, 'but the only person I ever get to boss is myself.

OK,' he admits, 'My wife helps me with the books at home and my mother, as mothers will, comes in to clean the office and mop the floor.' That is why the well-painted workshop and office is spotless.

He also has a retired police sergeant who will deliver components if he is busy setting a machine.

Malin can set and run all three machines with a high degree of confidence, and such is their repeatability and accuracy they require very little attention.

This means he can go upstairs and prepare quotes, program the next job, order materials and tooling, prepare inspection reports and delivery notes, and perform all the general duties involved in running a business.

'When I need to see customers, the machines are well able to be left to run unmanned and with the NC Engineering-developed Alarm Alert, if there is a problem, the two citizen machines will automatically call my mobile and I can make a decision on whether to stop the process, come back to sort it out or let it carry on.' Indeed, Malin can often be seen making his way to the industrial estate at 2 or 4 am in the morning to rebar a machine, change tools or even start a reset.

'It is totally up to me, and as long as my customers are happy then I am in control of my destiny,' he maintains.

Malin opened the door to his small unit with not even an Allen key to his name.

Prior to setting up he worked with a local subcontractor on fixed head lathes and was involved with buying a Citizen L32 and secondhand Citizen L20.

'They frightened me to death,' he admits when he first had to learn how to set them, but quickly realised that the machines were 'the future' for small part mill/turning.' In the first week of trading, Malin ordered a compressor and a Citizen L20-VIII to which he enthuses about the support NC Engineering gave him.

He says: 'They gave us very good advice and helped set up the funding for our first machine.' To this day, he maintains the NC Engineering application engineers are more than willing to give advice over the phone on a job or steer him around a tricky programming routine.

When he ordered the machines he opted for the Remote Diagnostics package which also enables the application team at NC Engineering to assist directly with a difficult set up, a programming problem or any service or software problem on the machines.

The Citizen L20 is the middle of the range of Citizens available in the UK with the capability to simultaneously machine with two tools from its 21 tool capacity.

It has 20 to 10,000 rev/min, 3.7kW main spindle and subspindle with a 1.5kW and 8,000 rev/min drive.

Five tools are reserved for turning, seven driven tools are available for front machining and three for internal, back and front operations as well as back internal cutting from the subspindle.

On DJM's machines, by simply turning the three driven tool spindles through 90 degrees they can be interchanged with three front face cutting tools.

In addition, added flexibility for Malin's setting skills is available by using a special Citizen adapter unit to utilise a cross-spindle for turning.

The driven tools are powered by 1kW motors able to accept tools up to 8mm diameter.

As he is often on his own or the machines are running while he is out, he included an automatic workpiece conveyor that enables components to be off-loaded from the working area rather than drop into an unload chute and both machines have integral swarf conveyors and oil mist extraction units.

In case of any problems both machines are equipped with automatic fire extinguishers.

Malin even relates to the image and functionality of NC Engineering's premises in Park Avenue, Watford.

'I have tried to set out the workshop and office to reflect the same standard of neatness and tidiness.

Even though I have only myself to satisfy, I have to have a good working environment with clean machines and everything laid out 'just so'.

I am proud of what I am doing and only too pleased to have customers here, and why should not they be able to walk onto the shopfloor wearing their suits.' Customers are based across the UK and now range from automotive suppliers, tooling industry, brewing and a beverage machine maker which provided the first order won by DJM Precision Engineering.

Most jobs tend to be new which means setting takes two or three hours and Malin admits tooling can be a challenge at times.

Cycle times tend to vary between 18 secs and 90 secs in a whole range of materials.

When specifying the Citizens, he took the option of the long part adapter which enabled him to win an early contract for a range of shafts up to 500mm long.

'The 1degree indexing facility on the Citizen subspindle also gives greater setting flexibility when milling and producing cross features within the same cycle on a component,' he maintains.

Malin describes how most suppliers and customers have been very understanding and, he says, all profits go back into the business.

For Christmas he was able to treat the business to a GBP 5,000 shadowgraph that is already proving a great help when checking profiles and blend radii.

On his wall is a DJM Precision Engineering's calendar, on his desk a very nice A5 desk diary embossed with the company name with matching pen.

Malin wears a fleece and polo shirt sporting his company name and his new white van has signwriting that incorporates a line drawing of a Citizen as part of his logo, name and address.

'This is my marketing - customers will always recognise and know I am around - while the machines 'back at the ranch' are steadily churning out the work,' he concludes.

Claimed to be the most precise CNC turning machine available on the market - machining to within +/-1 micron - will be shown by Tornos among several innovations at EMO 2005.
Following the April 2005 launch of the Deco 8sp and Multideco 32/6c turning centres at Moutier; the Swiss manufacturer has announced that it will be extending its product range in June 2005. The new Multideco 20/6be and Deco 20s machines will enable customers to execute simple parts efficiently. At the EMO exhibition in Hanover, on 14-21 September 2005, Tornos will present yet another new Multideco - the 20/8d.

The September launch will bring the number of new products presented by Tornos to five within seven months.

The Swiss manufacturer is astoundingly demonstrating how its policy of reviving innovation implemented in 2003, is now bearing fruit.

All the new innovations admirably complement the manufacturer's existing product range without jeopardising the well established products already on the market.

Occupying a dominant place in the high added value sector, where the parts being executed require fairly complex to highly complex operations, Tornos wants to extend its presence in alternate market sectors and provide machine tools that are more finely tuned to the complexities of various parts.

Market trends are increasingly forcing component manufacturers to invest in products that are adapted to the parts being executed.

Hence with the (s-line) and Multideco 20/6be, simple part manufacturers will have their own finely adapted products.

At the other extreme, the ranges are beginning to acquire further potential to execute more complex parts with the Multideco 32/6c and 20/8d.

Products to be presented by Tornos at EMO: Single spindle: * Deco 8sp - the most precise machine available on the market - machining to within +/-1 micron.

A Specialist machine catering for mini hard disks and other precise applications.

* Deco 13a - fully equipped machine to execute a highly complex medical part - a sector for which the machine 'works wonders'.

* Deco 20a - this machine produces alternate medical parts that make the best use of its vast machining facilities.

* Deco 20s - 'World Premiere' - the second machine in the (s-line) range.

Simplicity is the key word.

Multi-spindle: * Multideco 20/6be - a well priced Multideco machine with a guide bush to execute simple parts.

Depending on circumstances, part execution is possible with savings of up to 30% compared with the conventional yet impressive Multideco machine.

* Multideco 32/6c - the facility of fully completing complex parts by way of back-working operations is expanding.

This machine also has part handling and an integral palletisation system.

* Multideco 20/8d - 'World Premiere' - the Multideco 20/8d has a motorised spindle - offered for the first time by Tornos.

This technology was always rejected by the company because it was previously impossible to obtain sufficient power.

Tornos now offers a brand new motorised spindle system with power that is matched nowhere else on the market.

The Multideco 20/8d also offers another original innovation to maximise production time - the dual counter-spindle system.

* TB-Deco - the exceptional programming software will be presented in its latest version - the TB-Deco 2006.

This new version provides modules (ADV, CAM interface) so that you need only purchase those families with the required functions.

CNC sliding head automatics that have a large recess under the main spindle allow a sub-contractor to turn difficult-to-machine PTFE components under 'lights-out' conditions.
After 50 years of turning PTFE, Clacton, UK-based Dalau has every right to call itself a specialist in machining this plastics material. Typical PTFE components made by Dalau include insulators for the electronics industry, connectors for the telecommunications sector and various aerospace and medical parts. Dalau makes over 100 million PTFE and plastic components a year, to help maintain a lead in the market, the company has been a long-term user of turning machines from Tornos.

In the mid 1980s Dalau installed its first Tornos cam-driven automatic, the company now has 45.

In recent years the shift has been towards Tornos Deco CNC sliding head models and the company now owns four Deco 20 and seven Deco 10 machines.

The most recent addition is a pre-owned Deco 10, which was installed in January 2005.

'As a general rule of thumb, straightforward components that only require a single operation are loaded to the cam-driven autos, while anything more complex, perhaps involving PCD drilling, milling or second operations of any kind, will be put on the Deco CNCs so they come off complete,' explains Philip Alston, production and QA manager for machined components at Dalau.

Although Dalau sometimes undertakes batches up to 1 million, typical batch sizes are around 500 on the Deco CNC machines, which means a fair amount of changeovers and set-ups.

'All of our setter/operators are trained off-site at Tornos and we have found this provides more than enough grounding for them to be competent at creating the programs offline and setting the machines,' adds Alston.

PTFE has become enormously popular because of its insulating properties, chemical resistance, low co-efficient of friction and high temperature resistance (up to 260 deg C).

However, the excellent design characteristics of PTFE are countered by 'difficult' machining properties.

The machine shop at Dalau is a temperature-controlled environment as PTFE components are subject to expansion at elevated temperatures making it difficult to hold tolerances in the realm of +/-0.015mm.

'Many sub-contract machinists will not touch PTFE,' says Alston, 'But with the help of the Tornos machines we have gained the experience to make us a leader in our field'.

'The reliability of the Tornos machines is first class, which is exactly what we require for rapid throughput parts.' In the past five years, Dalau has diversified into machining other plastics materials, which has become a growing market.

Around 75% of Dalau's output is exported.

Another problem with machining PTFE is the continuous 'string' of swarf it produces when cut.

To overcome this difficulty Dalau uses bespoke tooling with an exceptionally sharp edge.

The company also says that one of the benefits of the Tornos machines is the large recess under the spindle that allows swarf to fall away.

Some machines produced by alternative suppliers do not have this, which allows swarf to accumulate and create problems.

In negating this difficulty the design of the Swiss-made Deco sliding head machines allows Dalau to run lights-out operations overnight, a capability that has become critical in its battle with competitors from low wage economies.

Quality is another key issue, Dalau has developed its own SPC system as part of its TQM system that is linked to the CNC control of the Deco machines.

The innovative system allows operators at the ISO 9001:2000 accredited company to monitor every dimension and characteristic on every drawing in real time.

If a problem occurs it can be rectified immediately and not after an entire batch has been produced.

It also ensures full component traceability.