Editorial News
- CNC Lathes replace automatic machines
- CNC Lathes parts collected automatically
- CNC Mills adds 4-axis capability
- CNC Lathes parting off tools have longer life
- Twin spindle CNC Lathes have more versatility
- CNC lathes include long-bed versions
- Turning centre ousts larger cam automatics
- 5-axis machining centre launched at MACH
- Five-axis machining centre runs unmanned
- Software manages CNC Machine tool cell
- Advanced CNC mill-turn centre is easy to program
- Market-leading precision grinding machines
- Manual/CNC turret mill and lathe bring flexibility
XYZ CNC Machines
Mill and Lathe Bring Flexibility
In a steady replacement of its second-hand machine tools, a growing subcontracting operation has invested in Manual CNC Turret Mill and Lathe for small batch work to free up its VMCs
Machining expertise at Hightown Engineering's Hightown Industrial Estate plant in Ringwood, Hampshire, UK, extends from plastics and composite materials to stainless steel and exotics. In the two years since its joint owners, Terry Smith and Steve Browning, decided to set up on their own, they have pursued an ambitious investment strategy.
Their strategy is to replace a mix of second-hand machine tools that got the fledgling business up and running with the latest CAD/CAM and CNC technology.Customers are encouraged to use electronic data transfer in various formats, with all NC programs created off-line and downloaded via a DNC network. Machine tool investments - a major part of this investment has been in three large vertical machining centres (VMC) that take up around half the available floor space in Hightown Engineering's premises.
Before the third of these full-CNC machines was delivered, the decision was made to invest in two manual CNC machine tools from XYZ Machine Tools. Smith told us that the objective was to free up full-CNC machines such as the VMCs for longer run production work.
See XYZ and their products at Mach 2008