Product category:
CNC lathes
News Release from: Yamazaki Mazak UK | Subject: Turning and machining centres
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 24 January 2002
Ease of programming influenced CNC
purchase
One of the world's most respected names in the design and manufacture of competition motorcycle equipment has opted for machine tools supplied by Mazak.
One of the world's most respected names in the design and manufacture of competition motorcycle equipment has opted for machine tools supplied by Mazak to operate at the core of its manufacturing operations Bredbury, Stockport based Renthal Limited has an extensive product range embracing handlebars, front and rear chainwheels, chainwheel assemblies, chains, grips and a range of handle bar fittings designed for a cross section of high performance motor cycles
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 22 Apr 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
'Entry level' turning centres have driven tooling
Two 'entry level' turning centres introduced at MACH 2004 feature three-axis turning, one-hit machining and combine a small footprint with a large machining envelope.
Yamazaki to stage 'EMO Encore' for UK buyers
UK buyers and specifiers of machine tools who were unable to attend the EMO exhibition can view and assess new Mazak machine tools at Yamazaki Machinery, Worcester, January 29-February 1.
The company undertakes all design and manufacturing in-house and has recently purchased two Mazak Quickturn 10, 2 axis lathes with 6in diameter chucks, a Super Quickturn 200M turning centre with driven tooling and its most recent addition, an FJV 250 vertical machining centre with two pallet changer and large 1.2m x 0.5m table.
This re-equipping was necessary after a devastating fire in the Autumn of 2000 which destroyed Renthal's factory and over 100 older machine tools.
"The fact that we have re-equipped with Mazak machine tools for our manufacturing operations is testimony to the quality and capability of Mazak equipment," explains co-founder and joint managing director Andrew Renshaw.
Further reading
Multi-function centre integrates IT and MT
Multi-function mill-turning centre integrating IT and manufacturing technology to enable the organisation of turning, milling and drilling operations in a single set-up.
Optimise machining in a mill-turning centre
Having recently introduced one of the world's most innovative ranges of new generation machine tools Yamazaki Mazak will be featuring two of its 'e' models at the MACH 2002 exhibition.
Multi function machines offer production data too
Two innovative new generation multi-function machines offer completion of turning, milling and drilling in a single machine set-up along with extensive production data.
Renthal has over 100 World and 60 USA titles to its credit in categories ranging from Supercross, Enduro, Trials, Superbikes and Motocross and is a significant exporter with 88% of the output destined for 32 overseas markets.
As well as supplying the enthusiast and replacement market, Renthal is also an O/E supplier of key components - chainwheels, handle bars and fittings - to various Honda works teams.
The company specialises in manufacturing replacement components that offer higher performance characteristics coupled with the lighter weights and durability necessary for competition racing.
One of its innovation's is a replacement one-piece chainwheel carrier specifically designed for Ducati 916 and 748 bikes.
In competition environments where it may be necessary to change gearing at the last minute before a race, the carrier eliminates the need for time consuming rear wheel removal when changing the chainwheel - a process not possible with the original Ducati chainwheel design.
"We have a reputation for innovation and the very highest standards of component manufacture and that is reflected in our choice of machine tools," continues Andrew Renshaw.
"We purchased out first Mazak turning centre in 1989 at an auction and it proved a real workhorse as our business grew.
More recently we had added a number of machining centres and it was not only the quality of manufacture that impressed but also the ease of programming via the Mazatrol Fusion controllers.
"After the fire, the Fusion controller's came into their own because, being in a Windows environment, the ease of translating and downloading the thousands of machining programmes was so straight-forward, much easier than other systems supplied with competitor's machine tools.
Because we have some 10,000 separate products that require turning, milling or drilling, what would appear a daunting task in programming the machines was actually more a case of plug-in and go," he explains.
The Mazak FJV 250 vertical machining centre was commissioned early in October and will be dedicated to the drilling and milling of front and rear chain wheels.
The Quickturn machines are primarily involved in turning high precision gearbox sprockets - usually in EN36 - but there is also some turning necessary on the handlebar sets.
Batch quantities can vary from 50 to 5,000 and it is because of this batch variance that Andrew Renshaw is so enthusiastic about the Fusion controller.
"We get called upon to manufacture small quantities or short runs of components which often necessitate a modification to the design.
I can re-programme this on the laptop and then simply download into the Fusion using a flash card.
It could not be easier," he says. Request a free brochure from Yamazaki Mazak UK ...
(This was Manufacturingtalk's Top Story on 23 January 2002).
• Yamazaki Mazak UK: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Manufacturingtalk email newsletter
• Manufacturingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
