Product category:
Miscellaneous machine tools, gear cutting machines and equipment
News Release from: Omax
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 13 June 2007
Plier manufacturer benefits from
waterjets
Jet machining centre results in improved manufacturing efficiency and flexibility at Maun Industries
The purchase of an Omax JetMachining centre by Sutton-in-Ashfield, Notts-based Maun Industries, has led to the company - a specialist manufacturer of parallel-action pliers and other special tools - reaping significant benefits in terms of improved manufacturing efficiency and flexibility, thereby becoming more competitive in its chosen markets Established in 1944, Maun Industries is known worldwide as a specialist plier manufacturer operating successfully in the niche market of parallel action pliers
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 16 Aug 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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The Company has developed the basic parallel action idea - where the jaws of the plier move parallel to each other as the handles are closed - into several families of pliers that form an ideal platform for specialist applications.
Plier jaws are typically machined from bright-drawn mild steel sections, case hardened and blacked prior to assembly into pressed steel handles.
The jaws are traditionally manufactured using milling and drilling processes on CNC vertical machining centres or conventional horizontal milling machines.
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One major family of pliers, where the handle movement is converted into vertical movement of a die within an enclosed frame, uses laser cut steel blanks as input material with manufacturing operations completed on a CNC vertical machining centre.
The component parts of pliers tend to be complex, mainly two-dimensional shapes, small enough to fit within an envelope of 75 x 50mm.
Additional operations are generally restricted to the drilling of cross-holes or the milling of the fine serrations on the inner jaw faces of gripping pliers.
Families of pliers are also characterized by the thickness of the jaw material - typically 1/4 inch, 5/16 inch, 3/8 inch or 1/2 inch.
To minimise the amount of conventional machining, the aim was to match the width of the jaw blanks as closely as possible to the finished component.
With steel suppliers continually reducing the variety of sizes and qualities available, economic raw material sizes was becoming an increasing problem.
In recent years, Maun Industries has invested heavily in new machines and processes as the only way of maintaining a profitable, UK-based business in the face of the wholesale export of the country's manufacturing jobs to China.
In 2006, the company set itself the task of updating its plier jaw production.
The main drivers were to reduce costs, to achieve a leaner manufacturing system and to meet the increasingly demanding delivery expectations of its customers.
Particular emphasis was placed on the elimination of hand finishing operations that add cost without adding value to the product.
Thus, with an open mind and a budget of GBP 120,000, managing director Dr Ted Rippon and his team, headed for MACH 2006 - a good place to start the search in updating the company's production methods.
Dr Rippon comments: "What did surprise us were the advances made in water jet machining in recent years, to the point where it was a serious contender - once our reservations over accuracy and repeatability had been overcome".
"It was particularly important to quantify the effect of edge taper and to ensure that we could maintain a sliding fit to within 0.1mm between manufacturing batches, without the need for selective assembly".
He adds: "We identified two potential manufacturers".
"All our drawings were already on AutoCAD so the manufacture of sample parts was straightforward".
"Once satisfied that the water jet process was well capable of meeting our standards and overcoming our concerns over garnet disposal and day-to-day running costs, we chose the Omax machine basically on its very easy-to-use 'Intelli-Max' software and higher cutting speeds".
"Promised component accuracy and cycle times have both been met in full".
"Typically, cycle times range between two to five minutes per component and we aim to obtain eight unattended hours running out of a nine-hour day".
"Apart from scheduled pump and nozzle maintenance, we lost time in the early weeks as a result of our inexperience in operating the machine".
"Although it is still early days, the GBP 15 per hour running cost claimed prior to the sale seems to be reasonably accurate".
"We will better be able to judge once the pump maintenance cycle of 1,200 running hours has been completed".
One major benefit for Maun has been the reduction in stock sizes of raw material.
Dr Rippon explains: "When components are produced by conventional milling, there is a benefit in using a stock material size closest to the finished shape".
"With water jet machining, this constraint no longer exists, permitting a far wider choice of available sizes and material specifications, to the potential benefit of product quality".
Another benefit for Maun has been the ability of the Omax waterjet to manufacture plier components without the need for secondary machining operations.
After a brief burnish in a vibratory barrel, the parts are then ready for heat treatment.
With conventionally machined parts, a uniform appearance can be achieved only by manual deburring, linishing and arrissing - adding cost without adding value.
Water jet machining on the Omax also permits a much more agile production process.
Since there is no need for rigid clamping of the workpiece, changeover times are reduced to as little as 10 minutes between set-ups.
This facility, plus the advantages of the intuitive software on the machine, makes it ideal for non-production jobs.
Water jet has already saved the company many hours of conventional machining in the manufacture of jigs and fixtures.
Maun production engineer, Andy O'Sullivan operates and sets the Omax as well as being responsible for six other CNC machining centre/milling machines: "From day 1 I have been very comfortable programming and operating the Omax," comments Andy.
"The Windows XP-based software is easy-to-use, while the interactive help files are excellent, should a problem occur".
"The Omax requires very little set-up at start of work and then can be left to run virtually all day except for unloading/loading every two hours".
"The machine really is ramping-up our productivity - in a single cycle replacing up to seven ops on our conventional machining centres, while the cut line from a laser is just not clean enough".
Dr Rippon sums up: "Overall, our first six months of ownership has been a positive experience".
"Because the machine has, day-in day-out, delivered the accuracy and cycle times on which our original investment decision was based, it has also delivered the projected benefits - improved customer service and reduced inventories of raw material and finished goods".
"Water jet machining has revolutionised our production methods, so much so that a second Omax machine is a definite possibility".
"That would give us around 25 hours per week of time to convince other local businesses of the benefit of subcontract water jet machining!".
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