Product category:
CNC turning centres, mill/turning, multi-tasking centres, horizontal and VTLs.
News Release from: Colchester-Harrison | Subject: Tornado 120M CNC mill/turn centres
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 27 April 2004
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.
Following an extensive search of three-axis lathes available in the UK, which led to three UK suppliers of CNC mill/turn centres facing in-depth evaluation of the machine, control, software and on-going economics of running, Colchester Sales of Heckmondwike became the provider of a clear 'best-buy' for Airbus UK's GBP 1.5 million toolroom redevelopment project at Broughton, Cheshire Says Graham Tudor, tooling operations manager: "It was not just a price issue, it was service, support, performance of the machine and on-going cost justification that drew the Colchester Tornado 120M ahead of the other contenders
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 5 Jul 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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As part of our 21st Century Strategy for the future of the business, new technology is at the forefront of our plans and the 120M certainly fitted the bill." The redeveloped tooling facility covers 3,100m2, employs 78 people of which 56 and four apprentices are on the shopfloor.
It is a totally self-contained operation with welders, fitters, machinist toolmakers and support staff serving the whole of the wing assembly plant at Broughton.
While the facility manufactures some new tooling, it is largely responsible for repair and maintenance of over 800 tools used in Airbus wing production.
All jigs and fixtures have to be certified and the facility will now be producing short to medium batches of supporting tooling components which have to be specifically modified to suit the current wing build programmes.
Outlines Howard Connah, support team leader tooling operations: "The toolroom runs around the clock and we have been able to justify that if we can produce tooling items in-house then we can save weeks on lead time from using subcontractors.
This is where the Tornado 120M will prove to be so cost-effective and of course we are only a stones-throw from where the parts are needed.
We are fully aware of all the relevant regulations and standards to which we need to make parts and the machine will figure as an important part of our internal service capability." The chucking version of the Tornado 120 fits exactly into Airbus' requirements with 210 mm chuck size, 15kW spindle motor and 12-station 30 VDI all-driven tool turret.
With disc brake spindle positioning for the C-axis and 16.5Nm of torque from the 3.7kW, 5,000 revs/min driven tools, the toolroom will have adequate power to mill/turn a wide range of aerospace materials.
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