Product category:
CNC turning centres, mill/turning, multi-tasking centres, horizontal and VTLs.
News Release from: Miyano UK | Subject: ABX51-TH3 at Burnett and Hillman
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 23 July 2008
Triple turret turning centre ups
productivity
Hydraulic components manufacturer specified a triple turret turning centre to reduce cycle times by overlapping operations such as simultaneous drilling, turning and milling.
Burnett and Hillman Hydraulic Adaptors produces over 20,000 component types that complete in excess of 5000 catalogue products The company makes over 9 million parts/year and has acquired a Miyano ABX51-TH3 turning centre for increasing small batch manufacture
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 23 Jun 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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Since 1965, Burnett and Hillman has dedicated itself to the manufacture of hydraulic adaptors and the company now supplies plugs, caps, crimp nuts, ferrules and adaptors of all types to virtually all industry sectors worldwide.
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The business has been considerably developed by the partners in recent years since moving to its 32,000ft2 facility ten years ago.
Primarily cutting bright drawn steel with some special orders in stainless steel and brass, 10 to 15% of the company's order book consists of specials - and it is in machining 'specials' that the Miyano has worked well, said the company.
Company partner, Colin Burnett, said: "We manufacture 36,000 parts daily and our smaller orders and specials aren't suited to the multispindle machines.
We have a number of single spindle CNC turning centres and the section is often under pressure to produce parts on a rapid turnaround basis as we offer next day delivery.
The Miyano ABX51-TH3 was acquired to free up capacity in this section".
One problem iwas that the single spindle turning section had a limited ability to complete parts in one set-up.
Burnett said that the few machines able to produce parts in one set-up were running near capacity.
He added: "So we bought the Miyano to replace a smaller machine with a lower specification".
Burnett and Hillman specified a triple turret machine that could reduce cycle times.
To achieve this aim, the Miyano has 12 tool stations on each turret and the option of up to 12 driven tools.
The Miyano ABX51-TH3 performs overlapping operations such as simultaneous drilling, turning and milling to cut production cycles considerably.
Regularly producing batches of 600+ specialist hydraulic line adaptors, the Miyano has released capacity from a Mazak machine operating in the section.
* Production times cut - for example, a bolt head adaptor part produced in batches of between 2000 and 4000, the Miyano ABX51-TH3 has cut production time from 110s to 80s.
Burnett said: "The adaptors are made in a variety of lengths up to 150mm and these require end drilling.
The previous machine didn't have the working envelope to accommodate the drill and the bar with the turret having difficulty drilling long bars; the Miyano has resolved this issue".
Burnett added that most time saving came from the Miyano's simultaneous turning ability.
Burnett explained: "Having two cutting tools working simultaneously on each side of the job stops workpiece deflection and this has improved productivity as well as surface finishes.
The rigidity of the Miyano has also contributed to product quality and reliability in comparison to the previous machine".
* 'Lights out' machining - Burnett said: "We only work one shift and our CNCs work overnight.
Some of our smaller machines with less capacity can only run for a short while without operator intervention".
He continued: "The Miyano can run for extended periods unmanned and this means we can set the machine or load the barfeed at the end of a shift and come in to a completed batch in the morning.
This has helped our capacity no end".
Adding to the product quality and productivity derived from the Miyano is the IEMCA 551-E barfeed on the turning centre.
The company turns the majority of its parts from hexagonal bar and the rigid and robust nature of the ABX51-TH3 has made a noticeable impact on product quality.
Commenting on the IEMCA barfeed, Burnett said: "The barfeed eliminates the vibration associated with loading and turning hexagonal bar and this combined with the robust nature of the machine has improved our product quality".
To fully understand the Fanuc 31i CNC on the Miyano ABX51-TH3, the company has dedicated Daniel Burnett to operating the Miyano.
As the son of company partner Colin, Daniel Burnett has CNC experience, having won the prestigious 'South West Apprentice of the Year Award' in 2006.
Colin Burnett concluded: "We bought the Miyano for its capacity and productivity benefits and it is definitely living up to our expectations.
In a company that has such a high production output, a reliable and robust machine is a must for us and the Miyano has lived up to these expectations with service and support that is second to none.".
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