Product category:
Vertical machining centres (VMC)
News Release from: XYZ Machine Tools | Subject: Compact vertical machining centre
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 24 October 2005
Specialist skills make the most of
compact VMCs
Delivery of a second compact vertical machining centre to a specialist tool and pattern maker is an endorsement of the contribution already made by the first machine to continuing growth.
Delivery of a second XYZ Mini Mill 560 compact vertical machining centre to a specialist tool and pattern maker is an endorsement of the contribution already made by the first machine to Pattern Form's continuing growth While acknowledging that traditional tool and pattern making skills have their place, the 30-employee company has taken computer-based design and machining technology to its heart
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 28 Sep 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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Established in 1987 and headed by brothers Paul and Tim Wilkins, the 8000ft2 factory in Taunton, Somerset, UK, is a 'hive of activity' as it responds to the increasing demand for the company's 'concept to design, realisation through to manufacture' service.
In fact, it is Pattern Forme's enviable reputation for special designs that has influenced the decision to install the two XYZ Mini Mill 560s.
Pattern Forme undertakes a broad range of work, although it is particularly focused on the plastics thermoforming industry.
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Whether it is a verbal brief, a scribbled sketch or a CAD drawing, the production process is essentially the same: liaising with the customer, refining the design and, once the design has been finalised, producing sample products, moulds or complete finished thermoforming tooling.
However, there is more to this process than just engineering excellence.
"As far as the food manufacturers are concerned, it is the packaging that sells the product," says Paul Wilkins, "so there is very much a visual as well as a technical aspect to our work.
Moulds for the packaging used for chocolate Easter eggs, for example, feature some very complex profiles, since the packaging is intended both to protect the product and to enable it to be displayed to its best advantage." Pattern Forme had previously installed a XYZ 1510 VMC vertical machining centre equipped with Siemens 810D conversational ShopMill control, for which the main selection criteria were the large X (1510 mm) and Y (604 mm) axis travels.
However, Paul and Tim Wilkins were so impressed with the performance and value-for-money aspects of this machine that they took a closer look at the smaller machining centres in the XYZ range, prompted by the increased loading of pattern and mould development work on the larger CNC machine.
It was this work that would now be tackled on the smaller machine.
Several months after installation the first 13HP, 8000 rev/min XYZ Mini Mill 560 with its 560mm (X) by 400mm (Y) by 500mm (Z) working envelope continues in use around the clock.
"We are able to run it unmanned most of the time and overnight in a lights-out environment, which is essential given that some of the generating work can take up to 12 hours, if not more," says Tim Wilkins.
"The Heidenhain iTNC 530 CNC, which has also been specified for the second Mini Mill 560, is a very powerful control capable of handling extremely complex work.
With its huge block look-ahead facility, we can machine a lot of our moulds at around 4 to 5m/min, with a good surface finish minimising additional finishing and polishing work." Having completed a prototype mould, Pattern Forme vacuum forms customer samples from various sheet thicknesses of plastics such as PVC, polypropylene, ABS and Styrene." Says Paul Wilkins: "Once the end result has been approved, we move to the tooling stage, where we make the hard tooling for the thermoformed product. Request a free brochure from XYZ Machine Tools ...
All being well, that is the end of our involvement, although we do offer clients a broad range of training in machine setting, thermoforming techniques, tool change procedures and tool commissioning to enable them to achieve the optimum result.".
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