Mike Page, Editor, writes:
We see from your search that you're looking for information on the term "Batch Sizes",
and we have a large number of manufacturers' news releases and technical articles here on Manufacturingtalk which will be of interest.
Let me be your guide.
Start with
the news release Laser welding performed manually or by CNC from
Rofin-Baasel UK, which we summarised at the time by saying "An ergonomically designed and integrated laser welding system includes four high precision axes, which can be controlled manually or operated under full CNC".
Earlier in the week,
we featured the news release Production planning/scheduling software updated from
ILOG: "Latest version of an integrated planning and scheduling system increases production planners' ability to generate feasible and optimal plans and better control demand and manufacturing variability".
In February 2008, we covered the news from PSL DataTrack
concerning its PSL Datatrack job management at Qualiturn
- take a look at 'Real time' job managment system made for SMEs
which says: "A competitive subcontracting SME machine shop has to have a job management system, which provides its staff with factory status reports in 'real time'".
Take a look also at the news release from DMG (UK), GBP 8 million invested in 5-axis milling,
as well as CNC multi-spindle automatic is affordable from Kingsbury Machine Tools,
and Midsized metalizer offers fast cycle times from Vergason Technology.
See also:
Sub-contract calculators save on deburring costs
(January 2008)
A number of simple inter-active calculators have been produced to illustrate that sub-contracting deburring can be cost effective
Vertical machining centre saves the day
(December 2007)
Special SS bar taps components, sourced outside the UK, did not meet quality standards so a UK machine shop, using a vertical machining centre, did the job properly
CNC laser profiling system works 'lights out'
(December 2007)
Sheet metal working subcontractor has added a fifth CNC laser profiling machine with better cutting speeds and sheet loading systems and providing extra flexibility
Mill/turn centre speeds changeover on batches
(December 2007)
A CNC mill/turn centre equipped with a sub-spindle provides quick job changeover times when producing 500 different motor shaft types in a 'single-hit' cycle
Sliding head automatics quell CNC 'fear'
(December 2007)
If anyone has any 'fear' of using CNC machines, this subcontractor's experiences with CNC sliding had automatic lathes , show how that fear was lost and more profits were gained
Machining centres produce hydraulic parts families
(December 2007)
A manufacturer's on-going development in hydraulic pumps and motors is paralleled by the installation of multi-tasking machining centres for small and medium batch production
Transfer machines take batch sizes down to 100-off
(November 2007)
Though associated with large batch and continuous volume production, two transfer machine designs can be changed over quickly to machine small batches down to 100-off
Bandsaw slices through high nickel alloys
(November 2007)
After reviewing machines from three suppliers, a 'super alloy' stockholder selected a bandsaw to cut high-nickel-content alloy bars, billets and forgings
Modular moulding halves tooling lead times
(November 2007)
A modular plastics injection mould system halves that of traditional tooling and can be used for 'few-off' or producing thousands of parts
Highly flexible hobber cuts gears up to Module 4
(November 2007)
Equipped with flexible stock-handling system and integrated automation, a universal production gear hobbing machine cuts gear and gear-shaft type components up to module 4
Small CNC lathe has Y-axis and sub-spindle
(November 2007)
For the complete machining of small parts, in batches of 50 to 5,000-off, a high performance, competitively priced universal lathe has a Y-axis and a sub-spindle
Centre combines turning and gear hobbing
(October 2007)
A gear manufacturer can benefit from a vertical pick-up spindle hobbing and turning centre that combines hobbing and turning and so reduces work-in-progress/production inventory stocks
CNC laser profiler speeds cutting by 60%
(October 2007)
A CNC laser profiler installed at a subcontract sheet metal working company has cut profiling times by 60% and helpd the firm diversify into other markets
Vertical machining centres aid subcontractor
(October 2007)
Recent purchases by Verulam Engineering have included a Dugard Eagle 10 lathe, a Dugard Eagle 1000 VMC with Heidenhain iTNC 530 control and fourth axis and a Dugard Eagle 450 XP VMC
CNC lathe with sub-spindle and VMC for car maker
(October 2007)
Buggy manufacturer Rage invested in a Haas TL-25 CNC lathe with sub-spindle and a Haas VF-2 CNC vertical machining centre, partly because of after-sales service
Heavy-duty whirling attachment with motor
(October 2007)
A heavy-duty whirling attachment driven by its own, high power motor, to thread-whirl components like self-tapping bone screws and surgical implants, has been introduced by Geo Kingsbury
CNC converts maintenance shop into factory
(September 2007)
Investment of over GBP 200,000 in new CNC machine tools has added a successful and expanding subcontract operation onto a well established maintenance workshop service
Degreaser replaced to conform with SED
(September 2007)
Turned parts subcontractor has replaced an existing parts degreasing machine with one that confoms to the solvent emissions directive and the tighter German laws on emissions
Drives facilitate quick machine changeovers
(September 2007)
Flexible and robust format adjustment drives facilitate quick machine changeover, reduce operating costs and increase uptime and productivity
Five-axis twin-spindle VMC has high output
(August 2007)
The aerospace industry wants more 5-axis production machining output, which is why a German machine tool builder has introduced a twin-spindle, 5-axis vertical and horizontal machining centres
With CNC mill-turn centres, reliability counts
(August 2007)
No matter how good a CNC mill-turn centre is, in production a key requirement is reliability, and if the machine can not meet that, it is time to change said a subcontractor
Plasma-arc profiler enables small batch work
(August 2007)
A customised plasma-arc cutting and profiling system has enabled a maker of building components to produce small batch sizes of 100 to 200 pieces economically and accept customised projects
Five-axis tool grinder works unmanned at night
(August 2007)
A 5-axis CNC tool and cutter grinder with pallet loader allows a tooling company to do 'specials' work on day shifts and 'routine' work on unmanned night shifts
UK CNC automatics agent reports high sales
(August 2007)
Following appointment as the Miyano CNC automatic lathe sales agent for the North of England and Scotland in 2006, Bewley and Co has reported exceptional levels of sales
Modular transfer system machines small batches
(August 2007)
To machine small to medium batches, modular linear transfer system combines advantages of vertical, horizontal or universal machining centres including 5-axis processing and turning
CNC laser profiling centre is automated
(July 2007)
Supplying sheet metal components to the retail/point-of-sale industry looked like expanding exponentially, so a fabricated has added an automated CNC laser profiling centre to expand capacity
Machining centres speed subcontract throughput
(July 2007)
A 5-axis machining centre installed at a subcontract machine shop reduced cycle times 25-30%, encouraging the company to oder more machining centres from the same supplier
Software simplifies e-scheduling
(July 2007)
An easy requirement planning system has been developed for component manufacturers to interface with with aerospace e-scheduling software
Cutter helically mills, cuts and finishes threads
(June 2007)
Thread milling cutters catalogue includes the UNI thread miller, which helically mills the core hole, cuts the thread and chamfers or counterbores the first thread
Investment in CNC sliding head technology a first
(June 2007)
Rodmatic Hytec has invested GBP400,000 in CNC sliding head technology, a mill/turn centre and a two-axis lathe to accommodate batch sizes of between 100 and 2,000 parts
HMC minimises valve machining operations
(June 2007)
It now only takes one CNC machining cycle to carry out almost all the machining operations on valve bodies at a precision engineering company using an OKK 4-axis CNC horizontal machining centre
Production automation supplier gains from show
(May 2007)
Contax had a 10 percent increase in visitor numbers and a 15 percent increase in enquiries at this years Nepcon exhibition for the electronics industry
Unmanned machining cell gains Nikkei award
(May 2007)
Designed for unmanned operation over extended periods, a cell with a multi-tasking CNC machine tool and an intelligent correct workpiece orientation robot has won the Nikkei Manufacturing Award
Machining centre uses two, not eight, set-ups
(May 2007)
Formula One racing car components that once required eight set-ups for machining are now completed in just two, with considerable costs and time savings, using a 5-axis machining centre