Product category:
Milling cutters
News Release from: ITC Tooling | Subject: High speed cutting tools, milling cutters
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 04 January 2006
Machine tool and tooling companies
benefit
When a supplier of precision machining centres first inrtroduced high speed machining systems it developed what had resulted in a mutually beneficial co-operation with a cutting tool supplier.
With UK sales continually increasing, Matsuura Machinery PLC has undoubtedly found the formula for success in an extremely competitive machine tool industry As Matsuura director David Edwards says: "We are not here to sell machine tools, we are in the business of selling solutions that will guarantee our customers success." To provide the complete package, Matsuura regularly employs the technical expertise from lubricant/oil suppliers and providers of cutting tools and additional peripheral equipment
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 6 Feb 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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As a company known for providing high value adding solutions to a spectrum of 'high tech' industries that include aerospace, automotive and motorsport; it is no surprise that ITC Tooling of Tamworth is one of the specialists Matsuura can turn to, when considering tooling solutions for its products.
Edwards continues: "We have worked with ITC since it is inception in the late 1980s.
The longstanding relationship has served both companies very well.
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When we develop solutions, our customers naturally want to be assured that we can respond immediately to any potential issues that may arise.
With ITC close at hand, we, like our customers are guaranteed an immediate response." As a leading authority on machine tool technology, Matsuura has always been at the forefront of industry developments.
In the last 20 years Matsuura has proven itself as a leading innovator of High Speed Machining (HSM) and 5-axis machining - and ITC is proud to have worked alongside the company during this period.
"ITC has always been open to innovation.
When we started pushing HSM, which required new methods of machining and tooling with whole new concepts in geometries - ITC supported us throughout.
With ITC we developed tooling to meet the needs of the market," says Edwards.
ITC technical manager Paul Ensor comments: "The working relationship has proven extremely beneficial to ITC.
Producing tooling to Matsuura specifications down the years has helped us to develop tooling solutions way ahead of the marketplace." Adding to this, Matsuura's marketing executive Ian Michie says: "Historically, Matsuura is known as the original pioneer of the HSM concept and High Speed Spindles.
Whilst developing the concepts, we needed tooling suppliers to build and develop cutting tools that would meet the exacting needs of the working concept - ITC was one of the companies that supported us throughout the development stages." Nowadays, the high-speed concept is globally recognised and widely used.
The benefit to ITC from this progressive work has been the development of its 2001 series of cutters.
It was recognised at an early stage that rigidity was a key factor for HSM.
ITC developed cutting tools with a reduced cutting length of 15-20mm; with a reduced flute length the cutters were ideal for HSM.
Since the initial development, ITC has further enhanced its cutting tools for specific HSM applications and materials.
In recent years, ITC's product capability and manufacturing facility have both expanded extensively.
Investment in new technology provides ITC and Matsuura customers alike, a huge standard range of cutters with modified or special tools also available on a 24-hour lead-time.
Michie continues: "Everything we do is based on providing viable, cost effective solutions to meet our customers needs.
Working as a 'solution provider', the relationship with ITC is also based on the same formula.
We do not want to see a machine fail through tooling selection, so we want to be involved in the tooling decision".
"We want to know the intended process and aims of the machine.
Our goal is to provide the customer with the most productive, reliable and cost effective solution available, as this naturally reflects well for future business." Mr Ensor says: "Matsuura are confident enough in ITC to continually put ITC tools on its machines.
Matsuura has faith in our ability to supply a product and service that is fitting of high specification machines." Looking to the future, Mr Michie concludes: "We see high value industries such as medical, F1 and the aerospace industries staying in the UK - as reflected in new business and enquiry levels.
Whilst many industries move abroad, high value work that is the core of our business will remain in the UK.
Thankfully we have tooling specialists like ITC in the UK that can continue to support our business as we move forward in these areas.".
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