Product category:
In-house manufacturing exhibitions, Open Days, Roadshows, events
News Release from: Yamazaki Mazak UK
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 07 November 2007
Machine tool builder to stage 'EMO
Encore' event
As well as viewing the latest CNC machine tool releases at an 'EMO Encore' event, the UK plant of Yamazaki Mazak will show off the recently completed extension of its machine tool plant.
For those who couldn not attend EMO 2007, Yamazaki Mazak UK is to show its latest machine tool releases at its EMO Encore event, in Worcester, UK, on November 13-16, 2007 The event will feature many of the 22 machines that were on display at EMO Hanover - Europe's largest exhibition of machine tool technology
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 22 Apr 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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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.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to tour Mazak's state-of-the-art, 29,000m2 European Manufacturing plant and see how Mazak machines are used to make Mazak machines.
* 'Intelligence, Evolution and Versatility' - these were the themes at EMO and visitors to Worcester will be able to witness how, by incorporating the intelligent functions offered by the Mazatrol Matrix control, Mazak's 'Intelligent Machines' are able to react to changes in the working environment to maintain the highest levels of accuracy and productivity, as well as delivering increased ease of operation.
* Intelligence - Yamazaki Mazak has developed machine functions which make life easier for operators by utilising a machine tool nervous system.
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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.
The increasing trend towards high speed, high performance cutting technology and the increased use of multi-tasking machines pioneered by Mazak provide enhanced productivity and accuracy.
However, the extensive capability of the latest machines makes the operator's task more complex, said Yamazaki to manufacturingtalk.com, so machine tool manufacturers are required to develop machines that monitor themselves in order to realise optimum productivity and accuracy.
* Evolution - among the machines on display will be the all-new Hyper Quadrex 150MSY for Bar Work.
Designed to provide high-productivity processing of high value-added components, with both upper and lower turrets having a Y-axis, this 4-axis machine tool features a maximum bar working capacity of 65mm.
There is conversational programming for both turrets as well as convenient machine interference checks, making it ideally suited as a universal turning and milling centre for bar and shaft workpieces.
Also on display will be further additions to Mazak's Nexus range of machines including the Horizontal Center Nexus 8800-II and Vertical Center Nexus 510C-II 5X machining centres.
The Vertical Center Nexus 510C-II 5X is testament to Mazak's commitment to five-axis machining at an affordable price.
The VCN 510C-II 5X benefits from the inclusion of a 205mm diameter 2-axis trunnion table that provides a simultaneous 5-axis machining capability.
* Versatility - to be seen for the first time in the UK is the Integrex i-150 for small, complex, components in a variety of industries, including medical, metrology and jewellery.
The machine features the following.
* A large spindle bore allowing a wide range of bar work to be undertaken up to 65mm diameter.
* A Y-axis stroke of +/-100mm.
* A B-axis equipped with scale feedback as standard.
* Rapid traverse rates of 40m/min.
The multi-tasking machine is also equipped with the newly developed 'Intelligent Performance Spindle', which monitors its own temperature, vibration and displacement conditions, providing information to the operator.
The Intelligent Performance Spindle is the fifth Intelligent Function introduced by Mazak and provides high accuracy compensation, spindle failure prevention and safer machining.
* VTC-800/30SR machining centre - the highly versatile VTC-800/30SR is an addition to the successful VTC range of machining centres and has a large 3m X-axis and an additional B-axis provided by a swivel head.
The swivel head helps reduce set-up time and increases the multipurpose nature of the machine.
The machine will be displayed with an optional rotary table, which allows full simultaneous 5-axis machining of complex features and contours.
These machines and others that are on display re-emphasise Yamazaki Mazak's commitment to developing machine tools to meet the needs of an ever changing market and the use of 'intelligent' machine technology to achieve this.
EMO Encore is an ideal opportunity to see them in action.
* personal invitation - if you would like to attend the event, please contact Amanda Smith on 01905 755755 or at asmith@mazak.co.uk for your personal invitation.
* Plant extension completed - Mazak has recently marked 20 years of European manufacturing with the completion of a major expansion and investment programme at its plant in Worcester.
The factory now occupies 29,000m2 floor space, providing an increased production capacity of 150 machine tools/month.
There are now over 320 people employed in production and more than 80% of production output is exported from the UK to other European markets.
The success of this very modern plant lies not only in its scale but also in the fact that it is not just an assembly plant but a complete machine tool manufacturing operation, machining the castings and making spindles, turrets, magazines and sheet metal covers.
By investing in the latest machining and automation technology, Mazak told manufacturingtalk.com that it has ensured that the plant continues to meet demand in the most cost-effective manner despite the labour costs associated with manufacturing in the UK.
* FMS extended - the first step in the process was to extend the existing flexible manufacturing system (FMS) with the addition of a fifth FH-8800 horizontal machining centre.
The FH 8800 provides one of the largest work envelopes for a machine of this type, with X-, Y- and Z-axis travels of 1300mm, 1100mm and 1000mm respectively.
Spindle options include a 10 000 rev/min, 50HP variant with 390ft.lb of torque or a 7000 rev/min, 40HP option with 867ft.lb of torque.
For a machine of this size the FH 8800 is also very agile with rapid traverse in all axes of up to 40m/min and a tool change time of 1.8s, tool to tool.
* Robotic mill-turn cell - further investment in metalcutting capacity followed with the installation of the award-winning e-Bot manufacturing cell.
This consists of a Mazak Integrex e-500H II multi-function machine that operates in tandem with an intelligent material handling Fanuc M900i robot and a pallet loading system.
The e-Bot cell robot organises components and workholding fixtures delivered automatically to the cell.
It continuously loads the Integrex multi-function machine.
This enables the unmanned production of a wide variety of workpiece shapes and sizes in varying batch quantities, and provides up to 720h of unmanned operation.
Yamazaki Mazak's general manager, Direct Production, Richard Austin, said: "The addition of the e-Bot cell to our machining capacity provides significant production benefits.
The capability to run for such extended periods unmanned while producing a wide variety of different components improves the workflow and greatly improves productivity".
Alongside the e-Bot cell is a Mazak Variaxis 500-5X II, a simultaneous 5-axis machining centre, which has been paired with a 20-position Palletech automated pallet loading system.
This extensive use of automation within the Yamazaki Mazak UK facility is not simply a case of highlighting the technology within the Mazak Group.
It is a necessity in order to meet the increasing demand for the 25 specific models of machine tools that are produced by Mazak in Europe.
Indeed, European manufactured products now account for around 45% of total European sales of Mazak machine tools.
"As with all European-based manufacturing companies, Mazak has to constantly look to improve productivity in order to remain competitive.
The extensive use of automation is a solution that we have proved here in our own facility and in those of our customers," said Austin.
* Sheet metal working - the installation of a state-of-the-art, three machine laser profiling system and four new press brakes complement the in-house sheet metal manufacturing facility.
The laser system comprises three Mazak HyperGear 510 2.5kW laser profiling machines that make use of Mazak's linear motor technology in all five axes.
These machines deliver precise positioning to accuracies of +/-0.01/500mm and high speed traverse rates of up to 120m/min.
Further efficiencies are gained by the integration of Mazak's Optopath sheet handling system, a feature of which is the automatic part picking device with 7200 vacuum cups that allows individual components to be lifted simultaneously from the sheet.
This eliminates the need for micro-joints and the time-consuming process of breaking individual parts from a complete sheet.
There is a further investment in an automated material handling system that allows continuous unmanned operation of the lasers seven days/week if required.
"This important installation expands our sheet metal processing capacity while allowing space to be released to meet the increasing demand for the assembly of machining centres and lathes manufactured here at Worcester," said Austin. Request free introductory details about products from Yamazaki Mazak UK ...
"Not only do we now have one of the most up-to-date manufacturing facilities in Europe, the extended machining facility is an ideal means of promoting the products that Mazak manufactures by showing them in a real-life manufacturing environment.".
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