Product category:
Machining centres - all types
News Release from: Hardinge Machine Tools | Subject: HSC 500 high speed machining centres
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 21 December 2006
High speed machining centres speed dies
A die-making has invested in two high-speed, machining centres to meet demands for shortening manufacturing lead times to two to three days.
Market-leading precision tool and die-making specialist - Lasercomb Dies - and its sister company Palatine Engraving designs, manufacturers and supplies high-quality 'Press Ready' tooling solutions to a diverse range of industry sectors including - packaging (folded cartons), book printers, commercial printers, greeting cards and label manufacturers Lasercomb Dies, established in 1984 and now employing 75 people at its Redditch, UK facility - has recently invested in two HSC 500 (High-Speed) machining centres from Hardinge-Bridgeport
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 6 Feb 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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These two machines, (the first installed May 2006; the second due for installation in early 2007), are being used to CNC machine brass embossing dies for applying Braille text onto pharmaceutical packaging.
The two HSC 500 machines represent a significant investment for Lasercomb Dies - and were purchased, in part to service the demand from within its customer base following new EU Directive (EC Directive 2004/27/CE) affecting Braille packaging and labelling of medicinal/pharmaceutical products.
* New European Directive - in brief - this Directive concerns applying specific Braille information on the secondary packaging of pharmaceutical products (name of the product, strength, dosage, etc).
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Within the packaging industry (as in other industries) - time is money.
New regulations (such as the EU Directive) - not only have to be complied with - they also can affect the ability of pharmaceutical companies to get their products to market quickly and to satisfy huge consumer demand - in what, is in effect, a FMCG business.
As a key partner in the pharmaceutical packaging supply chain - Lasercomb Dies has made a strategic investment in advanced milling technology (via the two HSC 500s) to achieve the incredibly tight lead times (two to three days) for die manufacture and supply - demanded by its customers.
To further ensure customer productivity (and to control costs) - the Braille embossing operation is performed in-cycle (in process) - added at the same time that the packaging - carton blanks - are cut and creased.
* Braille embossing dies - the embossing dies (male) are made from brass.
(Brass is used because of its low wear characteristics, the sharpness and clarity of the final embossed dot profile, relative ease of machining, etc).
The HSC 500s, using small diameter tools, are used to machine-out the specific Braille dot profiles from the brass to create individual dies - supplied as brass strips.
Depending on customer requirements - any number of original and identical dies (strips) can be manufactured simultaneously from the same solid brass plate (or billet).
Clearly issues such as accuracy and surface finish are of critical importance.
Each dot, the gaps between dots and the specific configuration of dots and spaces - make up individual Braille letters and numbers.
* HSC 500 machines - designed and built for high precision tool, mould and die-making - and the machining of intricate and complex forms to high accuracy and fine finishes - the HSC 500 machines match Lasercomb Dies' (and its customers') manufacturing imperatives - perfectly.
HSC 500 machines have a rigid cast iron portal construction and are equipped with high-speed, heavy-duty 40,000 rev/min spindles that provide Lasercomb Dies with fast, high-accuracy machining capability.
The HSC 500 spindles (HSK E32) have ceramic bearings, which generate less heat than conventional bearings.
These, plus thermally-controlled refrigerated cooling jackets help reduce thermal distortion and improve part accuracy and repeatability - even during long and unattended machining operations.
The machine's linear guides, fast acceleration/deceleration (0.85G) and 15m/min feeds and quick change tool changer all help to increase work throughput and reduce part cycle times.
The machines are also supplied with the Heidenhain iTNC 530 control which provides short block processing times (0.5ms); jerk limitation and good look-ahead functionality - enabling reliable high speed cutting and contouring.
* Not just the machine specification - the decision to purchase the HSC 500 machines - was however not just driven by technological arguments.
In addition to the machines' high specifications - and their attractive price - the technical back-up, applications and after-sales services provided by Hardinge-Bridgeport were also telling factors.
Said Alistair Baxter, sales director at Lasercomb Dies: "Of equal importance in our machine tool decision making process was after-sales and service back-up provided by the machine tool manufacturer." He said: "We operate in a demanding and pressurised manufacturing environment.
Machine downtime is not an option for us - so we need to know, not only that the machine tool is reliable, but that if repairs or parts are required they can be carried out/delivered immediately." He explained: "That is why we opted for Hardinge-Bridgeport - they ticked all the right boxes." * About Lasercomb Dies - in addition to its facility in Redditch - Lasercomb Dies has a sister operation in Liverpool.
Palatine Engraving, acquired in 1997, specialises in the manufacture of foiling and embossing dies.
This facility, plus a smaller production facility in Alexandria, Scotland, serves the needs of the greeting card, labelling, book printing, greeting card and packaging sectors.
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