Mill-turn centre does complex work, pays well

A prototypes, models and component maker realised a good return on investment in a mill-turn centre, which has already paid for itself and contributed to a company turnover growth of 20%.

Manufacturer of prototypes, models and components, CA Models, has invested extensively in CNC machining.

The company related how in investment in a Mori Seiki MT-253, opposed spindle mill-turn centre provided a good return on investment and had already paid for itself.

Clark Campbell, managing director of CA Models said that the machine had an excellent six figure residual value.

Campbell said that during 2005 and 2006 CA Models' turnover grew by 20%, breaking the GBP 3 million 'barrier'.

He believed that the MT-253 produced a quarter of that growth.

He explained: "Purchasing our first Mori Seiki machine, an MT-253, coincided with opportunities in the oil and gas industry, which enabled us to rapidly fill the machine's capacity, manufacturing rotors for BOC Edwards.

This was made possible by the milling and turning capabilities of the MT." The rotors are manufactured in pairs and start as a cast iron billet 244mm diameter and 823mm long.

A billet is clamped with fixturing between the front and rear spindles of the MT.

Grooving cuts are followed by milling operations, which start with a 25mm button tool and then progress to a 12mm tool to reach the bottom of the rotor, which is around 70mm deep.

Finally, by setting the B-axis, the company machines a 2 deg angle on the flanks of the spiral form.

The roughing operation takes approximately 4.5h, removing over 30% of the stock material.

The company makes three pairs of rotors every month, a testament to the power and rigidity of this machine.

Gregory Campbell, sales manager, added, "Tolerances are tight on these parts, and the machine routinely maintains them to within 2 microns." CA Models also has a Mori Seiki Super HiCELL 250 and a NVD 5000.

These machines run 70h/week, and have been used for milling a wide range of components from aerofoils for F1 to titanium covers for luxury mobile phones.

The company's most recent acquisition is the NT4250 DCG.

This machine provides the power and rigidity of a 5-axis milling machine with the turning capabilities of the Mori Seiki NL lathe.

Gregory Campbell said, "The difference between the MT and NT is like night and day, the spindle speed goes up to 12,000 rev/min, it is far more rigid and the programmable B-axis travel is +/-120 deg.

We are finding that the surface finish is of a very high quality and that the accuracy is superior to the MT, making probing largely unnecessary." Having so much work for the MT prompted the purchase of the NT, and CA Models found the learning curve for the new machine to be negligible, enabling it to become productive immediately.

The capabilities of the NT allow 5-axis machining of jobs with restricted access, which both simplifies manufacture and eliminates the need for secondary operations, helping the company to achieve 'one hit' machining on complex parts.

The success in 2006 helped in the decision to invest in the Mori Seiki NT 4250 DCG.

Clark Campbell continued, "We trust Mori Seiki it's a very good company to deal with and we purchased the NT on its recommendation.

The machine fits perfectly with our aim of providing a comprehensive service, a marriage between rapid prototyping and machining, which few other companies can match." CA Models anticipates that the new machine will create opportunities in the aerospace market, and will add to its success in the F1 industry by providing total compatibility with F1 teams already using the NT.

Clark Campbell concluded, "We are expecting the NT to provide a further growth of 5% in our turnover in 2008, and that we will get payback on the machine within three years, making it a very worthwhile investment for us".

* About CA Models - CA Models has been operating for nearly 25 years at its factory in Stirling, Scotland, UK.

Its principal customers are in the Formula 1, luxury car, oil and gas, and domestic appliance industries.

The company has invested heavily to put itself at the forefront of its sector, offering CNC machining, stereolithography, selective laser sintering, vacuum casting, toolmaking and injection moulding.

Having such a wide range of skills and capability has enabled CA Models to provide a level of service to its customers which is difficult to find elsewhere.

* About Mori Seiki (UK) - Mori Seiki UK, the UK arm of Mori Seiki Co, Japan, services and supports Mori Seiki and Hitachi Seiki machines in the UK market.

Mori Seiki is one of the world's leading manufacturers of metal cutting machines.

With its head office in Nagoya, Japan, it employs 4,000 people, and is committed to innovation, quality, and service, with a range of machines to cover all industry sectors.

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