supplier’s Bushey technical centre, where
the rm’s engineers recommended the best
machine for producing the parts. The twin
spindle L20-X turning centre in optional,
oversize con guration capable of machining
bar up to 25 mm in diameter was the
machine the tted the bill. An Iemca barfeed
(1st MTA, https://is.gd/nojopo) for threemetre
stock was also supplied, as well as a
workpiece conveyor.
Standard features of the machine include
up to 44 cutters, including rotary stations on
the gang, opposing and back tool posts, with
Y-axis movement of the rst two tool carriers.
Batch sizes produced on the Cincom vary
greatly from ones and twos for the R&D
department up to 10,000-off. The rst job on
the machine was a brass cam that ran
continuously for 96 hours, from Monday
morning to Thursday evening. Machined in
one 105-second cycle to tolerances down to
+ 10 /-5 microns, including in-cycle
engraving for traceability, the part previously
needed two operations taking three times
longer, plus additional handling for manual
chamfering and stamping. Wright advises
that machine attendance was minimal during
the day and non-existent overnight. When he
arrived at the factory the next morning and
measured the parts, all were not only within
the 15 microns tolerance band but right in
the middle of it.
Prior to delivery of the lathe, Citizen
provided programs for machining two
components. Since then, the Cincom
machine operators, including Wright’s son
Ryan, have been using the supplier’s Alkart
CNC Wizard programming software. This is
easy to learn and a simple process to cut,
modify and paste elements from the original
programs and add new blocks for other
features using the wizard’s G-code and
M-code library built into the software.
Concludes Wright: “We are already
bringing turned parts manufacture back in
house and that will accelerate in the coming
months. We have hundreds of component
variations lined up to put on the L20-X. By
Easter this year, we should be turn-milling
them all in our factory.
“With the amount we have been spending
lately on subcontracting services, I calculate
that the Citizen Cincom slider will pay for
itself in a little less than two years.”
FROM RUSSIA WITH PRECISION
Also using sliding-head technology but
located in Saint-Petersburg, Russia, is
Laguna. Founded just 21 years ago, it now
boasts 100 machine tools that include 25
Tornos (https://is.gd/coticu) Swiss style
lathes. Today one of Russia’s largest
manufacturers of small parts, it has counted
on the technical knowledge of Russian
engineer Yuriy Lutskiy and the administrative
skills of Klavdiya Antonova since its
establishment. Laguna produces thousands
of small workpieces every month, everything
from connectors through to bolts, screws
and much more for the electronics,
instrumentation and control, automotive,
aerospace, medical, transport and
telecommunications sectors.
Latest Tornos arrival is a Swiss GT 13.
This incorporates 6-axis kinematics that
make the machine ideal for the most
complex parts on the market. It also
provides Laguna with the required exibility
to expand its business. Installation of the
machine was undertaken by Russian Tornos
agent Politek Co Ltd, which has provided
engineering solutions, training and fullservice
support to Laguna plant.
The Tornos Swiss GT 13 has enabled
Laguna to substantially increase its
productivity, much of this is credit to the
machine’s rigidity and high coolant pressure
that evacuates chips and improves
machining performance, especially during
the machining of dental instruments.
With up to 30 tools, including 12 rotating
tools, the Swiss GT 13 is equipped with
three motors (two on the platen and one for
counter operation) to drive numerous
rotating tools. A modular position is
available to accommodate the addition of
advanced tooling. The rotating toolholders
on the rear platen and the counter-operation
station are easily exchangeable and these
TURNING NEW INVESTMENTS SLIDE INTO ACTION
L-R: Yuriy Lutskiy, Politek
representative, Klavdiya Antonova
with the Tornos machine installed
at Laguna, Saint-Petersburg
36 April 2020 | www.machinery.co.uk | MachineryMagazine | @MachineryTweets
/www.machinery.co.uk
/nojopo
/coticu