Product category:
Vertical machining centres (VMC)
News Release from: Cincinnati Machine | Subject: CFV-1050i vertical machining centre
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 30 January 2006
VMC use ranges from plastics to 'exotic'
alloys
Reasons behind a subcontractor's choice of vertical machining centre include a need to machine simple and complex components in a variety of materials ranging from 'exotic' alloys to plastics.
Reasons behind a subcontractor's choice of vertical machining centre include a need to machine simple and complex components in a variety of materials ranging from 'exotic' alloys to plastics Finding a new machine tool that manufactures simple through to complex components in small batches and guarantees high performance was why Torkington Engineers of Manchester purchased a CFV-1050i vertical machining centre from Cincinnati Machine
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 12 Mar 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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Manufacturing small to medium batches from materials that range from plastics to nimonic alloys and include Hastelloy, Monel, titanium and stainless steels - the over 50 years established Trafford Park based precision subcontract and jobbing shop needed a flexible and robust machine that suited its versatile needs.
Working on high precision components that require exceptional surface finishes, the ISO9001 and First Point (Oil and Gas Industry Standard) registered subcontractor needed a powerful machine with guaranteed rigidity.
With this in mind, Torkington's opted for the CFV-1050i with its cast iron frame and high torque 5000rpm spindle option with through coolant.
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Vertical machining centre with a 5-axis rotary table comfortably machines workpieces up to 400mm in diameter and 300mm high, and has up to 150 deg tilt capability.
Torkington Engineers director Nathan Bluer comments: "We work with 'blue chip' companies in the chemical, petro-chemical, pharmaceutical, nuclear and process industries - these industries inherently require the machining of difficult to cut materials.
To suit this, we bought the rigid and robust Cincinnati CFV-1050i, it meets all our needs and it has a Heidenhain control our engineers are familiar with, which meant the machine could slot straight into our production environment." The 21 tool capacity CFV-1050i arrived in November 2005 and was purchased ahead of competitor machines for a number of reasons, one of which was the Heidenhain control.
The CFV1050i is available with the option of Siemens, Fanuc or Heidenhain control, an option not available from many competitors.
With this in mind, the 25 employee company favoured the Cincinnati with the Heidenhain iTNC530 controller because the company already utilised the control on other machine tools.
The Heidenhain control has conversational programming allowing quick programming, a necessity in a competitive market.
This ensured the machine bedded into Torkington's environment and working ethos immediately.
Bluer continues: "The through spindle coolant has enhanced our tool life whilst the machine torque and capability at low speeds and feeds has given us surface quality improvements in difficult to machine materials.
This, coupled with improved repeatability guarantees the high level of consistency our customers demand." * Ongoing investment - beside the Cincinnati, the company has also recently purchased two new turning centres.
The continued spend in machine tools is matched only by the company's investment in its people - Torkington's employs four apprentices with another to join the team soon.
"We have fully skilled engineers in our CNC and conventional machine shops, all under one 18,000ft2 roof and the aim is to gradually increase the number of CNC machines we have.
We are putting more small batches and one-off jobs on the CNC's, hence the investment.
The new Cincinnati has been purchased as a user friendly machine for all purposes.
It has proven its worth in this capacity; as the CFV-1050i produces a wide variety of components programmed by skilled engineers and apprentices alike," says Bluer.
One point that Bluer found particularly impressive about the CFV-1050i was its accessibility.
The positioning of the doors, machine bed and spindle allow for easy access of components, especially those in the larger dimension range.
"The machine is very accessible and easy to load and unload.
Beside this, the lighting on the CFV-1050i is excellent.
The whole working area is very well lit, which is important when conducting intricate work that you cannot generally see as the guarding often blocks out any natural light.
On the whole, we are very pleased with the new machine.
What gives us added confidence is the fact that we purchased from a UK manufacturer with a service and support facility close at hand," concludes Bluer.
* About Cincinnati Machine - Cincinnati Machine designs, builds and sources high-precision machine tools for the global aerospace, automotive, mould and die, medical and general machining markets.
The company offers technology-driven solutions that include 3-, 4- and 5-axis CNC horizontal and vertical machining centres; and vertical, horizontal and multi-axis turning centres.
Cincinnati Machine in Birmingham, UK is a manufacturing plant and a focus factory for the design, manufacture, sales and marketing of the Blue Technologies ranges of machine tools.
Blue Technologies is a division of MAG Industrial Automation Systems, headquartered in Michigan, USA.
Other divisions within MAG IAS include Cincinnati Technologies, serving the OEM and Tier 1 aerospace market; Powertrain Technologies, serving the global automotive market with customised high-production solutions; and Maintenance Technologies, responsible for the global after-sales and service parts market for all MAG IAS customers.
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