Product category:
EDM wire cutting
News Release from: Agie Charmilles | Subject: Charmilles Robofil 440 CleanCut wire EDM machine
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 10 August 2006
Gear maker invests in wire EDM machining
Wire EDM machine is being used by a UK subcontractor to manufacture high-precision gears, used mainly in power transmission applications, and similarly complex components.
Oldham-based precision engineering and gear manufacturing specialist - Hopkinson and Hopwood - has recently invested in a new Charmilles Robofil 440 CleanCut wire EDM machine The machine, installed in August 2005, is being used by the company to manufacture high-precision gears, used mainly in power transmission applications, and similarly complex components and parts for the aerospace, automotive, medical and oil/gas sectors
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 17 May 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Hopkinson and Hopwood was established in 1974 and currently employs 26 staff.
The company's heritage and pedigree is in the manufacture of high precision gears but the skills, technologies and reputation of the company has also enabled it to diversify and become equally successful as a subcontract manufacturer of precision parts.
However, whether manufacturing gears or other precision parts - the company has focused its efforts on the high, added-value end of the market.
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This kind of work means that components are often required in small batches (sometimes one-offs); that manufacturing accuracy and surface finish are at a premium and that hitting lead times is critical.
To ensure that Hopkinson and Hopwood continues to grow in such demanding manufacturing environments has meant that the company adopt a strategic approach to machine tool technology investment.
Said production director, Cory Hopwood: "Every year we invest heavily in sophisticated, high-specification machine tools and capital equipment.
We need to continually update our capabilities and capacity as a route to maintaining our competitive advantage.
New technologies that we can see helping us produce parts quicker and with improved accuracy are always of interest to us." The investment in Charmilles' CleanCut technology is a case in point.
First seen when representatives of the company visited the Agie Charmilles stand at MACH 2004 - the decision to purchase the Robofil 440cc has been totally vindicated.
Continued Hopwood: "We had had EDM capability in the company for a few years via a second hand Charmilles wire EDM machine".
"And whilst this machine was (and is) still performing adequately - we believed we needed extra capability and another 'string to our bow'." The 440cc is used to manufacture both gears and precision parts.
The reliability of the Charmilles machine and its ability to manufacture parts through unattended and lights-out operations are a particular strength.
Highly complex and intricate parts can be set up easily on the 440cc and, because the machine has features such as automatic wire thread capability, anti-collision protection systems and remote notification, etc - they can be machined without constant operator intervention.
Although the 440 CleanCut machine is one of the fastest wire EDM machines on the market with a cutting speed in excess of 400mm2/min - the company sees the major benefit from its investment in guaranteeing high part accuracy, repeatability and achieving superior surface finish (often reducing the need for secondary finishing operations).
The reliability and capability of the 440 CleanCut machine was in evidence when Cory Hopwood recently took a two week holiday.
"We had a small batch (60 off) of complex components to manufacture - just when I was about to take a holiday to South Africa.
Rather than wait until I returned home to start the work I decided to put the Charmilles machine to the test." Hopwood explained: "The job was set up before I left - and despite taking my mobile phone with me on holiday (just in case there were any problems) - it never rang once.
When I returned from holiday - the job had been completed.
Everything went smoothly and there were no disruptions to our production." In addition to high accuracy and finish - the CleanCut machine provides the company with manufacturing flexibility, improved machine tool utilisation and increased work throughput.
Jobs that in the past may have required a number of different operations to be performed on an equal number of different machines can now be handled exclusively on the Charmilles machine.
This freeing up of time and resources - job set ups, job fixturing, work handling etc - means higher productivity and greater manufacturing efficiency.
* Gear manufacture - DIN 1 - Hopkinson and Hopwood manufactures many different gears (precision ground gears, spur gears, helical gears, bevel gears, etc).
Diameters can range from 10ft to 5mm - and everything in between.
Many gear manufacturers, especially in the high-end, will be required to manufacture gears to a DIN 8 standard.
However, depending on the nature of their application, gears may require increased accuracy, e g, DIN 5 down to DIN 2.
But using the Charmilles 440cc machine, Hopkinson and Hopwood have manufactured a gear to DIN 1.
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