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News Release from: Colchester-Harrison
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 11 April 2003
Colchester Southern Technical Centre
opened
The opening of the Colchester Sales Southern Technical Centre at RK International brings together representative products from the Colchester Lathe turning range.
The opening of the Colchester Sales Southern Technical Centre at RK International's Erith, Kent showroom brings together under power, representative products from the Colchester Lathe turning range together with a group of support product suppliers that provide invaluable savings and advantages to complement the metal cutting process Included in the technical centre is the latest Colchester Tornado 120M three-axis mill/turn centre with fully integrated Colchester developed MBF 1000 bar feed
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 5 Jul 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Improved lathe at even more attractive price
The Tornado 220 two-axis CNC lathe range is faster, heavier by almost 20 per cent and more rigid, to provide a consistent turning operation from part to part
Solid base on which to turn one-offs
Colchester has combined the stability of a solid base and an advanced control and software package into the Combi K-Series CNC lathe for one-off components or batch production.
A further integrated bar fed version of the Tornado A50 two-axis lathe is installed along with a Combi K2 combination manual/electronic/CNC slant bed lathe fitted with the optional eight station tooling turret.
Also on show is the latest 'cost down' engineered Colchester Triumph centre lathe which is now available at a 40 per cent lower price of just GBP 12,750.
As RK's managing director, John Schwarz confirms: "The concept of the Colchester Sales operation in the South of England has already been very well received by customers because they are able to see machines under power and have the benefit of a dedicated facility where they can perform cutting trials.
Further reading
Toolroom made thorough evaluation of 3-axis lathes
An extensive search of three-axis lathes led to three UK suppliers of CNC mill/turn centres facing in-depth evaluation of machine, control, software and running economics before a choice was made.
Turning cells play central role in SME initiative
Two two-axis 'lights-out' turning cells have very quickly taken a central role in a GBP 500,000 automated machining initiative designed to present cost-effective manufacturing techniques to SMEs.
Tornado CNC lathes get driven tooling
Colchester's top-selling Tornado slant bed CNC lathe is now available with driven tools. The three-axis 'M' version has six driven positions on the Sauter 12 station turret.
Also, with the support of partner companies this endorses what we are trying to do for customers in providing a package of high quality solutions that are equally important for the smooth running of a machine shop.
This is something customers may not be aware of." RK International's supporting partners include Sumitomo carbide tooling and related equipment which will also be able to demonstrate processes such as hard metal turning, Western Tooling which supplies VDI toolholders and driven tool equipment for the Tornado three-axis machines and Renishaw, which provides the on-machine probing for the Colchester 'Lights-out' unmanned turning package.
Also with demonstration products Anilam has set up digital readouts from its range, Lista a selection of tooling cabinets and Oel-Held Lubricants, coolant information and coolant supply to the machines.
In addition, a console has been installed to demonstrate the Colchester Lathe off-line programming software for programming its CNC machine range which can also be utilised for milling and machining centre applications.
The Southern Technical Centre complements the Northern and Midlands Centres currently being set up by Colchester Sales adjacent to the machine tool plant in Heckmondwike and at the 600 Centre in Shepshed, Leicestershire.
Each centre is to be utilised to cater for customer visits with fully trained sales and support engineers under the Colchester Sales corporate identity.
Through 2003 new products are due for launch by Colchester Sales and these will be installed in the three technical centres as they become available.
As John Schwarz says: "We have direct access and association with the Colchester factory in Heckmondwike and are the only UK sales operation for turning machines to have total support on the doorstep from the biggest lathe maker in Europe which is ideal for our customers in Southern England.".
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