Product category:
EDM diesinking
News Release from: Yuasa Warwick Machinery | Subject: ONA EDM machines
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 07 March 2001
ONA EDM die sinking frees up skilled
manpower
Modern Moulds and Tools continues to acquire the latest CNC EDM equipment in its quest to minimise shopfloor time for routine machining and finishing of mould tools.
Modern Moulds and Tools continues to acquire the latest CNC EDM equipment in its quest to minimise shopfloor time for routine machining and finishing of mould tools and maximise speed of tryout and delivery for its customers Introducing the latest, unmanned die sinking technology frees up skilled manpower for tool design, finishing, fitting, assembly and try-out
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 21 Mar 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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'People come to rely on us for this type of equipment and the quality it produces,' said owner and managing director of Modern Moulds and Tools Ltd, Trevor Pumphrey.
His company now operates five ONA ram-type CNC die sinking EDMs and one ONA wire EDM to produce injection moulding, blow moulding and die casting tooling up to two tonnes weight.
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'We were the first company in this region to buy ONA machines,' explained Trevor Pumphrey.
Having re-acquired the original mould-making business in 1994, the Lancing, West Sussex-based company is now spending some ?100,000/year on new machines and equipment.
The first ONA machines were bought at a MACH exhibition, some six years ago.
The original die-sinking EDM equipment used was of Swiss origin, but Trevor Pumphrey and his team were keen to see what the machine tool market had to show.
'We went all around the stands looking at what the various EDM machine suppliers had to offer.' said Trevor Pumphrey.
'ONA talked our language and were very keen to do a deal.' Modern Moulds and Tools bought two Datic 'S' series die sinking machines and one Prima E250 wire EDM.
'That was it, we were back in business,' said Trevor Pumphrey.
Since then, four more ONA Datic D2060 diesinkers have been acquired.
Two of the Datic machines are being equipped with electrode tool changers to extend unmanned, third shift working.
The company has a very broad range of customers, including aerospace, packaging, hi-fi, automotive, electrical and domestic appliances.
Concepts and models, rather than just component drawings, are increasingly received down-line from customers for mould tool design in a comprehensive CAD/CAM installation.
'We do not wait for drawings,' emphasised Trevor Pumphrey.
'We get in with the customer at an early design stage and get involved with their production people.
We work with the product outline on the screen, build the moulding tool around it, include modifications and specification changes and make suggestions based on our tool design experience.' CAD/CAM at Modern Moulds and Tools is based on Licom AlphaCAM, SolidWorks and NC Graphics.
The ONA die sinking machines' Fanuc-based CNCs are linked into the CAD/CAM system via post processors for conventional die sinking with profile-machined copper electrodes and 3D-pathing using ball end, square or shaped electrodes.
The company uses a mix of milling - including milling pre-hardened die steels up to 60Rockwell - and EDM die sinking for roughing out cavities.
Depending upon the mould specification and design, finish milling, full-shape finish EDM or a combination of these and 3D-pathing EDM are used.
The ONA Datic D2060 machines at Modern Mould have traverses of 300mm by 225mm by 250mm in X, Y and Z respectively.
Worktank dimensions are 800mm by 540mm by 325mm and table work surface is 500mm by 350mm.
Maximum workpiece weight is 350kg and maximum electrode weight is 100kg or, with C-axis in operation, 12-50kg depending on workpiece geometry.
Maximum average machining current is 60A and ignitron voltage, 120V, 160V and 200V.
The CNC controls up to four axes simultaneously and programming is ISO standard assisted and includes canned cycles for orbital, 3D orbital, taper, spherical, helical and vectorial machining.
The system monitors in-process with feedback loop to maintain ideal sparking conditions.
A comprehensive range of standard roughing and finishing routines are included.
Two of the ONA Datic D2060 EDMs, with a 'C'-axis head, are being retrofitted with System 3R tool-changing systems.
All four ONA Datic D2060s operate with System 3R Macro palletising systems.
Very typical of the work carried out on the ONA Datic 2060s is wave mould tooling for hi-fi system loudspeakers.
The set up in a Datic D2060 is for roughing and finishing.
The work involves some 8-9hr of roughing cycles and 1-2hr finishing cycles to a finish of 33 VDI (4.50micron Ra) using copper electrodes.
Once set up, the Datic D2060 progresses through the complete operation unmanned.
On another ONA Datic D2060, a light sensor moulding was being set up for roughing and finishing of a female die impression using three different electrodes.
Electrodes are exchanged by the machine's ram, which visits the toolholder magazine mounted at the side of the tank.
Generally, two toolmaker's set up and operate the six ONA machines and two older EDMs of another make during a shift.
The ONA Prima E250 wire cutting EDM satisfies all profiling requirements and still has capacity to spare.
Modern Moulds and Tools sub-contracts out about 25% of the ONA Prima E250's capacity.
The ONA Prima E250 has traverses of 350mm by 250mm by 200mm for X, Y, Z axes respectively and travels of 80mm U and V axis movements.
Maximum workpiece size is 910mm by 680mm by 200mm and maximum workpiece weight is 500kg.
All five axes can be simultaneously operated by the CNC.
Maximum taper angle is +/-18deg/100mm up to +/-30deg/45mm.
The need to invest in modern die sinking and wire cutting is underlined by European competition, particularly from Italy, Spain and Portugal.
'The OEMs realise they can get fast deliveries of tooling from abroad,' said Trevor Pumphrey, 'But often the quality of that tooling is questionable.
There are also problems of communication when tool modifications are required.
Tools are produced while the mouldings are still under development, and the tooling specification can change continuously even at the trial stage.
This is where we score, we have the equipment and back-up to support our customers.'.
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