Product category:
Tool and cutter pre-setting
News Release from: Nikken Kosakusho UK | Subject: Tool pre-setting equipment
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 26 October 2006
Reliable tool pre-setting equipment
Selex Sensors and Airborne Systems is one of Europe's leading sensors solutions companies and the UK's principal supplier of electronic systems for military platforms in the air, at sea and on land.
Basildon-based Selex Sensors and Airborne Systems (Selex SandAS) is one of Europe's leading sensors solutions companies and the UK's principal supplier of electronic systems for military platforms in the air, at sea and on land The company specialises in designing and manufacturing integrated sensor solutions for - surveillance, protection, targeting, tracking and imaging - and its products include state-of-the-art airborne radar systems; electronic warfare systems; military laser systems and electro-optical systems
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 10 Aug 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Selex SandAS has developed productivity partnerships, and works in close collaboration, with key technology suppliers.
One of these suppliers is Rotherham-based Nikken, the rotary table, NC tooling and tool pre-setter specialist.
Over recent years Selex SandAS has turned increasingly to Nikken for high-performance and reliable tool pre-setting equipment.
To date Nikken has supplied 2 of its digital pre-setting systems into Selex SandAS' manufacturing facility in Basildon - and a third pre-setter has also been ordered.
The first pre-setter delivered by Nikken (E348 Model) is installed in one of Selex SandAS' manufacturing cells dedicated to manufacturing a suite of high-precision components for the Storm Shadow cruise missile.
The pre-setter serves Makino A66 machining centres - which are used to manufacture 6 major components for the missile - chassis, nose cone, housings etc - and which are made from a variety of materials - Stainless, Titanium and Aluminium.
The decision to invest in a Nikken digital pre-setter occurred because the company's existing optical pre-setter could not be relied upon to perform to the exacting standards required - (components manufactured in this cell are machined to tight tolerances - +/- 5 microns).
Remembers Ian Cain, Manufacturing Engineering Manager at Selex SandAS: 'Our optical pre-setter was just not reliable enough.
Tool measurement and inspection might seem a peripheral consideration when one looks at all the technology we have in our facility - but, for us, it's an essential piece of equipment.
If our tool measurement capability isn't accurate - right at the outset - our process reliability and part tolerances are liable to be out.' Nikken tool pre-setters are manufactured from granite (column and base) - and are therefore more thermally stable than other competitor products (an important consideration when one considers the micron-accuracies Selex SandAS is working to.
The Nikken pre-setters have flexibility built-in due to their interchangeable spindle configuration.
As such they are able to handle different tool shank types - ISO, BT 30/40/50, HSK etc should the need arise - without requiring additional spindle adaptors to be used.
The interchangeable spindle and vacuum clamping capability on Nikken pre-setters also make them extremely accurate.
The tool clamping facility ensures correct and exact tool positioning within the spindle -prior and during measurement.
With some competitor products - accuracy can be compromised because they rely on a combination of gravity and the spindle taper to hold the tool in position.
Since the first pre-setter was installed - Selex SandAS has ordered more systems from Nikken (all E458 models).
One of these systems is currently being installed alongside 2 new Makino machines (a V33 -5XB and a A51) in a special purpose-built, temperature-controlled manufacturing cell - and the other pre-setter is being used to provide tool measurement and inspection in the company's general machine shop area.
Selex Systems and Airborne Systems is a major avionics joint venture owned by Finmeccanica (75%) and BAE Systems (25%) - and was created by a merger of both companies' avionics businesses.
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