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sliding head mill turn machines - Labfacility

Story added 25 August 2009.

The launch of the Citizen A32 CNC sliding head turn mill centre could not have been more timely for temperature and process technology specialist Labfacility of Bognor Regis, Europe’s largest manufacturer of temperature sensors.
 
 Maintains Tony Russell, general manager of the Connector Division:   “The Citizen A32 installation in November 2008 not only provided us with a much needed increase in turn-mill capacity (from 16 mm bar) to 32 mm but also, due to its inherent rigidity coupled with its exceptionally rapid control processing speed, 45 m/min traverse rate and overlapping toolslide capability, the machine tool has dramatically cut existing cycle times by at least 30 per cent.”
 
Labfacility is riding the crest of a wave with a growth rate of around 10 per cent and exports growing by 20 per cent over recent years for its range of sensors and connectors that includes standard and miniature, plugs and sockets, some able to withstand temperatures up to 560°C.  It also produces thermocouples, infra-red sensors, thermometers, temperature measurement devices and process control and transmitting devices and also has a calibration facility for temperature probes between -10° to 1,200°C.  Its products sell, directly or indirectly, to some 88 countries. 
 
Originally set up to provide a precision turned parts service for its own OEM component production with a capacity up to 42 mm diameter bar size, due to the skills inherent at Bognor Regis in cnc machining very difficult materials and components such as connectors, the service was expanded into subcontract supply.  This has become so popular that it contributes sales of 25 per cent to the business’ turnover that is in excess of £3 million. 
 
Says Mr Russell: “The need for temperature and process control has never been greater because the monitoring of any change is so important today over a multitude of sectors and applications from food and drink, refrigerated vehicles, aerospace, automotive, petrochemical and electronics to medical and plastics industry.  In fact, it is far easier to think of areas where there is not a growing demand.” 
 
For the company, in-house production is critical due to the specialist involvement required and need to control production of so many different and unusual types of materials - that can also be difficult to source and tend to be very expensive.  “This means our ion of production equipment and in-house skill levels are vital to our existence,”  he maintains and added: “Our capability has also been drawn to the notice of other companies that are seeking a reliable and experienced turned parts supplier and led to this side of the business growing quite appreciably.”
 
In his view, this puts his Citizen machines well into the context.  A K-16 sliding head lathe installed in 2006 opened the company’s eyes through its ability to combine operations into a single cycle – something that could never be achieved with two-axis lathes.  The K-16 also freed up design restraints for more complex components and enabled previous subcontracted parts to be brought back inside.  “We made an immediate 25 per cent saving with that machine,” he says, “so you can imagine where we now stand with the Citizen A-32 giving us an even greater contribution to our productivity.”
 
Despite facing many additional re-sets than the well-established K-16 and the introduction of totally new work, the February 2009 installation of the Citizen A32 has recorded 18-hour day production runs through the single-shift operation.  Meanwhile, according to Mr Russell’s records, it is also achieving a utilisation level that is already exceeding 55 per cent and still growing, an excellent achievement for small batch work.  The K-16 is running at 75 per cent, which tends to be on longer running jobs with fewer changeovers. 
 
Helping improve the result of greater frequency for changeover and tool change is its use of the Sandvik QC quick-change tool system on the Citizen A32, which allows the setter to change all six turning tools in under 10 minutes.  To Labfacility this is important as thermocouple materials are so demanding to machine especially when nickel chrome, nickel aluminium and cupro-nickel alloys are involved.  These are in addition to a wide array of stainless materials such as 431 magnetic iron and the normal copper, brass and steels. 
 
Due to the expectation of swarf problems from these materials, Mr Russell’s machine specification for the A32 included Citizen’s 2,000 psi CoolBlaster II and from experiences gained, this programmable high pressure coolant system is to be retro-fitted to the K-16 as well.  Says Mr Russell: “CoolBlaster gives so much added security to the turning process, helping to avoid ‘birds nesting’ of swarf that would be so troublesome when running unmanned with these difficult materials.”  Also, he cites its advantage when drilling deep holes the system has the pressure to evacuate swarf chips without pecking cycles and the ability to keep coolant at the cutting edge of the tools.   CoolBlaster also ensures the collet on the subspindle is regularly flushed and is free from contamination ensuring a true pick-up of parts for finish machining once they are exchanged from the main spindle. 
 
Parts produced include compression fittings, glands and plain and threaded pot seals between 0.5 mm and 6 mm diameter, probe tips, terminal head fittings, connector pins, bayonet caps and adaptors, caps and adaptors and locknuts that currently total some 300,000 parts a year.   Batches tend to be between 1,000 and 5,000 parts.  However, a connector pin can be required in batches up to 10,000 in these difficult materials, and these are mainly run on the K-16 at a frequency of every three weeks or so. 
 
To simplify changeovers, Labfacility is able to group together some of the 13 different product types produced for its own use into standard material sizes of 8 mm, 13 mm and 16 mm.  Mr Russell again: “It is more economic to remove extra material than change over collets and bar feeds as the machines are so productive.”  Indeed, one important saving on material has proven to be very welcome by the production team through the turn-mill capability of Citizen machines and particularly the extra torque given by the A32. 
 
This has produced savings of up to 40 per cent against the price of each metre length of some of the more difficult materials by milling hexagons on the machine rather than having all the problems associated with bought-in hexagon material.  “Setting and machining can be faster, tooling lasts longer and a milled hexagon really looks a precision part,” says Mr Russell, “and this round material is easier to obtain and stock.”
 
Labfacility was formed in 1971 by Jim and Barbara Riddett as a supplier to the temperature measurement and process control sector.  Today in its prime position as a major sensor manufacturer with 7,500 ft² facilities in each of its plants at Sheffield and Bognor Regis, its products feature strongly in the RS and Farnell trade directories. 
 
At Bognor Regis, three buildings provide an engineering service, connector assembly and a bespoke sensor service while the facility at Sheffield houses sensor assembly, the main stores and distribution centre. 
 
The company even publishes its own 140-page A4 Temperature Handbook that has been produced to provide information to students, as well as technicians and engineers.  The handbook has a strong practical bias and has its own important reference and data section.

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