Product category:
Flexible machining cells and systems (FMS)
News Release from: 600 Centre | Subject: 600 Centre, turnkey machining systems, FMS
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 13 February 2006
600 Centre is leading turnkey package
supplier
From being the UK agency arm of The 600 Group, during the last 12 months the 600 Centre has grown to be one of the leading suppliers of turnkey engineered application based packages in the UK.
From being the UK agency arm of The 600 Group PLC., during the last 12 months the 600 Centre under director and general manager Ray Grocock has grown to be one of the leading suppliers of turnkey engineered application based packages in the UK Not only supplying equipment to larger OEMs, 600 Centre has also developed the ability to supply automated packages to smaller subcontractors and tooling companies across its portfolio of products in the milling, machining centre, vertical and wire EDM and grinding sectors
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 22 May 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Following the appointment by Toyoda Mitsui Seiki Europe during late 2004 for 600 Centre to represent them for the high specification range of horizontal and five-axis machining centres, cells and systems technology following the merger in Japan of Mitsui Seiki and Toyoda, the production range of Toyoda cylindrical and universal grinders was also drawn into the 600 Centre portfolio.
Here, Toyoda is the largest manufacturer of grinding machines of this type in the world mainly supplying the demanding automotive and related industry sector and this complements Okamoto which has been represented by 600 Centre for some six years and is the largest maker in the world of surface grinding machines.
There are some 500 installations of Toyoda and Mitsui machines in the UK across all major sectors and especially strong in the automotive, aerospace and hydraulics industries.
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There are two flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) installed in the Colchester Lathe manufacturing plant in Heckmondwike, running around the clock and at British Aerospace, Samlesbury near Preston, a fully integrated turnkey FMS by 600 Centre created productivity improvements in excess of 400% and savings of 75% against outsourcing costs with subcontractors.
The Mitsui Seiki HS 5A - 5X high speed 20,000 rev/min five-axis machining centres reduced floor area by 40%, manning levels by 45%, spindles from 12 to three and saved 80% on secondary operations.
Several of 600 Centre turnkey solutions has involved robotised packages to automate its Fanuc range of vertical machining centres and Fanuc wire EDMs and the addition of multi-axis units with application engineered processes ready for direct installation on customer shopfloors on these machines as well as 600 Centre's Richmond range of vertical machining centres.
For instance, at Airfoil Technologies International-UK in Derbyshire two four-axis developed Fanuc vertical machining centres were able to cut location feature machining cycles in a vane production cell by over 30%.
Two further Fanuc machines using advanced scanning techniques were also able to reduce machining times on 610mm long mid-span blades shrouds by at least 50%.
At Wolfe Safety Lamp Company in Sheffield a Richmond VMC 600 vertical machining centre package from 600 Centre was application engineered to reduce machining time by a third, cut lead times from days to a matter of hours and slash piece part cost by more than half.
Meanwhile, a robotised cell involving a Fanuc Alpha wire EDM at General Carbide Europe in Daventry is now providing around the clock unmanned production for at least 100 hours a week producing powder compacting die tools used in a wide array of industries including oil, medical, cold forming and mould tooling.
Says director Rod Print: "This cell never stops and I reckon it costs less to run than the minimum Government wage per hour.".
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