Product category:
Horizontal machining centres (HMC)
News Release from: Toyoda Mitsui Europe UK | Subject: FH55S horizontal machining centre
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 14 July 2000
Toyoda's UK first for cylinder head
production
A travelling-column machining centre linked to a space-saving pallet pool system for storing 10 pallets on two levels has increased cylinder head production capacity at Ruston
A travelling-column machining centre linked to a space-saving pallet pool system for storing 10 pallets on two levels has considerably increased cylinder head production capacity at the Ruston Division of Alstom Engines in Newton-le-Willows, near Warrington The Toyoda FH55S horizontal machining centre with vertical pallet pool (VPP) is the first such configuration from the Japanese machine tool builder to be installed in the UK
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 19 Mar 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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Ruston manufactures medium-speed diesel engines in the range 1,000 to 10,000 kW for power generation, marine applications and locomotive traction.
Many components are relatively large, for which the two Scharmann machining centres in the cylinder head flexible manufacturing cell are ideal, but increased production was starting to put them under pressure.
It was therefore decided to create extra capacity by introducing a machine into the cell for smaller components such as rocker levers and pin supports, bridge pieces, tappets and guides.
Further reading
HMC developed for mould and die work
Spindle speed options up to 40,000 rpm and cutting feed rates up to 30 m/min are notable features of the new Toyoda FH63M horizontal machining centre developed for mould and die machining.
M-C designed for mould and die machining
During a recent Open House, Toyoda Machinery and Engineering Europe demonstrated its FH63M machining centre, which is purpose-built for mould and die work.
Five axis MC optimised for mould and die work
High precision, rigidity and full five-axis interpolating capability are features of a machining centre optimised for mould and die, aerospace and complex surface machining work.
Multiple fixturing these components on cubes and tombstones dictated that a 750 x 750 x 600 mm machine would be needed.
However, cycle times per component tend to be short, ranging from six to 32 minutes.
So even with several components set up at a time, the pallet cycle could still be as low as 25 minutes, which is too fast to allow the next batch of parts to be fixtured.
A pallet pool machine was the answer, partly to create a buffer between machining and setting up; and also to provide enough work for an unmanned shift between 4.35 pm and 8.45 pm, enabling round-the-clock operation of the machine.
Production Development Engineer, Bill Milhench, researched the market for suitable equipment before deciding on the Toyoda.
The machine specification was ideal for the applications and, significantly, the VPP solved the problem of how to fit a large-capacity pallet pool in the limited space available on the shop floor.
Delivered during August 1999, the machine was up-and-running within two weeks.
"It was the smoothest installation we have ever had", said Mr Milhench.
"Acceptance was also fast, with 20 off each of five test parts produced with existing fixtures and ISO 50 tooling to a Cpk of 1.0 within four weeks." Availability of the machine has been 98.5 per cent which, together with its high productivity, has made it difficult to feed work to the spindle fast enough! A 30 kW AC motor delivers spindle speeds up to 6,000 rpm, rapids are 36 m/min in all axes and a 190-tool magazine with intelligent chip identification has been provided capable of two second ATC for an average 15 kg tool.
Contributing further to short non-cutting times are a nine second pallet change and fast indexing of the rotary table.
Mr Milhench has been surprised at just how productive the machine is.
Production taken from the relatively modern Scharmanns show component cycle time reductions averaging 30 per cent.
Compared with KTM HMC1500 machining centres which are over 20 years old, cycles on prismatic parts such as brackets and covers are 60, 70 and even 80 per cent shorter on the Toyoda.
Materials machined are mainly cast iron and steel, tightest tolerance being 25 microns on bore diameter, which is easily held.
Batch sizes between 30- and 200-off are currently the norm, although these will come down drastically by mid year when Ruston starts producing kits of parts for assembly on the shop floor.
This will mean batch sizes of typically 32-off rocker levers, tappets, etc for a 16-cylider engine and 40-off for a 20-cylinder model.
Developments are continuing apace at the Newton-le-Willows plant, both in product development and capital investment.
When production volumes dictate, the company has the option of integrating a second Toyoda FH55S with the VPP to provide extra capacity.
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