Twin-turret lathe cuts power tool costs

Two CNC fixed-headstock mill-turning centres are reducing cycle times of power tool components previously produced in twin-spindle, single turret CNC lathes - saving time up to 60%.

Power tool manufacturer, CP Operations - Desoutter, continues to invest in Traub turning machines to increase mill-turning capacity at its Hemel Hempstead, UK, factory.

Over the last few years the company has installed four fixed-head lathes and three sliding-head models, doubling the total number of turning machines from this German machine tool builder to 14.

Two of the latest to be installed are TNC42 fixed-headstock mill-turning centres, supplied by UK agent, Geo Kingsbury, which undertook turnkey projects to configure the machines for one-hit manufacture of two components each.

The component in the photograph is a clutch cam for a Desoutter pneumatic screwdriver.

Machined from 25mm diameter EN24 bar using two 10-station live turrets, it is produced in one hit in a cycle time of 3 minutes 40 seconds.

Operations are carried out on the front end carried in the main spindle, and reverse-end operations are completed simultaneously in sub-spindle.

Dimensional tolerances held are down to 20 microns total.

Commented Torbjorn Engren, Desoutter's Manufacturing Manager, "Previously the part was produced complete on a twin-spindle lathe but with a single turret, so simultaneous working was not possible and cycle time was around nine minutes.

So there is a 60 per cent time saving and hence a considerable reduction in the cost of manufacturing this component on the TNC42; and economical batch size is lower ­ now typically 500-off.

We have achieved similar savings with much of the production that has been transferred to the Traub lathes.".

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