Product category:
Large milling and boring machines (over 2000mm in X)
News Release from: Matsuura Machinery | Subject: Matsuura machining cell at Komatsu UK
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 09 May 2008
Matsuura machining cell raises output by
40%
A Matsuura GBP 2.7 million, two machining centre cell has increased production output of earthmoving machinery components by over 40% and halved excavator delivery time.
After having had a GBP 2.7 Matsuura machining cell installed the Birtley, UK plant of Komatsu reported production output increased by over 40% after commissioning in early 2006 The cell has also contributed to nearly halving excavator delivery time to 22 days
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 21 Jun 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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The cell allowed a better production flow for the machining of fabricated revolving (revo) frames, which allow the excavator cabs to swivel through 360 deg, said Matsuura.
The cell uses a CNC straightening press, which has replaced a manually operated type that fed a 20-year-old Japanese SNK (Shin Nippon Koki) gantry-type, vertical-spindle machining centre.
Two SNK high-speed machining centres replaced the gantry machine.
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The machining centres face each other to simultaneously machine both sides of a revo frame.
All machines were supplied by UK agent Matsuura Machinery.
CNC production engineer, Brian Southern, said that the cell had encouraged additional changes to be made throughout the manufacturing and assembly processes.
He exampled: "Initiatives have included extra robotic and semi-automated equipment for welding the fabrications, pre-painting major elements of the excavators before assembly and line-side supply of kits to speed operations".
* Massive reduction in machining cycle time - the SNK cell reduced overall cycle time for a benchmark frame for a mid-range PC-210 excavator from 132 min down to 45 minutes.
A resulting 40% growth in overall production output has resulted as job set-up is also faster - reduced from 45 min to only 5 min.
Southern said that previous economical batch sizes demanded a lot of work-in-progress (WIP - production inventory) on the shop floor, but now that typical batches are in ones and twos, WIP has been eliminated.
* replacing ageing machines - in 2001, Komatsu researched machines that could replace its ageing SNK machine.
Although the older SNK gantry machine had a twin pallet changer, allowing off-line set-up, having a vertical spindle meant that the component had to be machined on one side and then turned over by crane to machine the other side.
i Special tooling had to be used for machining features on frame sides.
Increasing demand for the seven models of Komatsu excavator in the 13 to 80 tonne capacity range meant that the SNK worked continuously through 24h.
Komatsu initially identified 15 machine possibilities, which were reduced to five and then to two potential suppliers.
Capital cost, operating costs and machining efficiency were important, but so too were 'footprint' and environmental considerations.
* Turnkey manufacturing cell - in June 2004, SNK was selected and the order was placed with Coalville, UK-based Matsuura Machinery in June 2004.
The project involved SNK co-ordinating the activities of outside firms including fixture manufacturer Kingsbury Engineering, UK, cutting tool supplier Nikken, Midland Sheet Metal, UK, for the guarding and platforms, and swarf handling company Filtration Service Equipment.
Barnwell Construction prepared the deep, complex foundations without interrupting production.
Matsuura's commercial manager, Simon Burrow, managed the project over an intense 18-month period.
The cell was commissioned in November 2005, on budget and one week ahead of schedule, said Matsuura.
Southern and his co-workers had revised the machining of the revo frames to meet production demand.
The main departure from previous methodology was to use two horizontal machining spindles rather than one vertical one to simultaneous machine two sides of the component in one clamping.
Matsuura told manufacturingtalk that machining feeds and speeds were significantly raised to give a more than three-fold productivity increase across the milling, drilling, tapping, and boring operations.
The Komatsu team also introduced minimum lubrication mist to replace flood coolant.
The most obvious advantage is a reduction coolant usage, from 1,000 to just 3 litres/month.
The working environment, as well as cutter life, have been improved.
* Cell operation - while one revo frame is being machined, the CNC straightening press is straightening the next frame - fabricated from grade 43A mild steel plate - to within a couple of millimetres accuracy.
A crane then lifts the straightened fabrication onto one of two tilting tables serving the twin SNK machining centres.
The table has already been set up with the appropriate fixture selected from one of two automated storage racks.
The operator manoeuvres the component into position and then actuates a fail-safe hydraulic system to effect mechanical clamping.
The largest component size currently machined is 1500mm x 4000mm x 1000mm weighing 4.5 tonnes.
From a central control, the operator calls up the required program to the Fanuc18MC CNC systems of the SNK machines, instructs the table to rise through 90 deg to the vertical position, and sends the pallet to the machining area of the twin opposed, 37kW / 6,000 rev/min spindles of the machining centres.
When the turn comes for the next frame to be machined the cell machines the boom rear bores and the mounting bores, the latter to within +/-10 micron.
Southern said that this is the most critical operation as the excavator boom will pivot in the bores.
Part probing is used to verify that there is no more than 3mm of stock to be removed from the fabrication.
The table then turns through 90 deg around a vertical axis to present the frame for simultaneous face milling, drilling and tapping of the machinery area on the upper side and the swing circle and flange holes on the base.
A large aperture in the table and the open design of the fixture allow access to the reverse for machining.
The finished revo frame is offloaded and sent to the assembly line.
Further lead-time reduction foreseen - Komatsu UK intends to reduce production lead-time further from 22 to 15 days.
The comapny said it is ideally placed to expand production output and its 800-strong workforce as market conditions dictate.
Introduction of new excavator models will be seamless, as the UK subsidiary will be able to share engineering data with Japan.
Komatsu said it is confident of the longevity and profitability of its UK operation, demonstrated by this and other investments in state-of-the-art production equipment and related processes.
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