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Travelling column vertical machining centre brings a subcontractor shorter cycle times and ensure high accuracy positioning over extended periods of operation

A Yamazaki Mazak 18.5kW/12,000 rev/min Mazak VTC 200C-II vertical machining centre (VMC) has been added by Flexible Machining Systems, a UK subcontractor working in a variety of precision engineering industries. This travelling column VMC has a 2000mm x 510mm fixed table and is said to be ideally suited to the machining of large, long workpieces.

Rapid traverse rates in all three axes of 36m/min contribute to a significant reduction in non-cutting time.

So cycle times are shortened, while the travelling column design with its three axes situated outside of the machining envelope minimises the effects of chip and coolant accumulation.

It ensures high accuracy positioning over extended periods of operation, said Yamazaki Mazak.

The VTC series VMC joins several other CNC machine tools supplied and installed by Yamazaki Mazak UK on Flexible's Horsham, West Sussex, UK site.

This sub-contractor supplies machined components to the medical, food processing, defence, oil and gas, and aerospace industries.

Yamazaki Mazak told manufacturingtalk that Flexible's emphasis is on capacity, quality and customer value.

A 30kW/10,000 rev/min Variaxis 730-5X II machining centre, capable of the continuous path 5-axis machining of complex components weighing up to 500kg, is due for delivery and will bring the total complement of Mazak machining centres and turning centres at Flexible to ten.

This investment in high technology production equipment, said John Sack, operations manager, reflects Flexible's determination to specialise in high-precision CNC machining.

He said: 'We deliver direct to line for a number of customers, and it is this success in securing long-term scheduled business that enables us to plan ahead in terms of capital investment'.

As part of a strategic review of its business activities, ISO 9001-accredited Flexible recently withdrew from non-essential operations in order to concentrate resources on its core competencies of CNC milling and turning.

The company also carries out electro-mechanical assembly and a 100% inspection.

The company's ability to satisfy its customers' demanding expectations has been highlighted on a number of occasions by long-standing customer Varian Medical Systems, notably when Varian launched its new Acuity System.

This system enabled doctors to use radiographic images (2D X-ray images) and fluoroscopic images (time-lapse images showing tumour motion) to adjust for tumour position changes from day to day and for working out how to deal with movement during treatment.

The objective, since enhanced with the addition of a 3D capability that generates superior digital images for patient positioning, is to avoid damage to surrounding healthy tissue and thereby to improve the effectiveness of radiation therapy techniques.

According to Varian's supply chain manager, the sub-contractor's early supplier involvement 'helped smooth specification queries and meet seemingly impossible lead times'.

Flexible is responsible for over 100 Acuity System assemblies, kits and components delivered every week in line with Varian's just-in-time requirements.

And this mutually beneficial position, as it is described by Varian, was marked in 2006 and 2007 with Platinum Supplier of the Year Awards.

It is this 'early supplier involvement with engineers talking to engineers' that Sack believed is the key to future growth.

Sack said: 'We have a very good skilled workforce at Flexible and we are capable of making suggestions that save our customers time, money and effort.

Everything here is dedicated to ease of manufacture, shorter lead times and right first time production, from top-of-the-range CADCAM packages to 5-axis machining'.

* Machine performance influences procurement - having made the initial decision to buy its first Mazak VMC following extensive market research, Sack said that the decision to continue investing in more Mazak CNC machine tools has been made on the basis of machine performance and the standard of service provided by Yamazaki Mazak.

He said: 'We have found the company very good to deal with, the machine range suits our business, and the after-sales support has been excellent.