The Mecal unit allows the cutting tool to approach the component from all possible angles to complete cutting and machining operations on the top, bottom, sides and ends. This has brought immense flexibility to a new manufacturing process at Neville Precision Engineering.
The new contract is for manufacturing 10,000 train carriage light fittings per year. Finished components measure 2 m long by 200 mm wide, and are produced from 4.5-metre-long extrusion bars.
For the contract, “I initially considered purchasing an additional Mecal 4-axis machine,” comments Neville Precision Engineering’s managing director, Edward Neville. Earlier this year, it bought two 4-axis models to manufacture 40,000 aluminium door sill plates per year. But a demonstration at Mecal’s northern Italy headquarters changed his mind.
The new Mecal MC304 Ariel-5 MDT machining centre from Addison Saws is able to automatically machine, drill, mill, slot and cut aluminium extrusions of up to 7.5 metres in length. The model features a mobile 12-position rotary tool magazine, motorised vices and 11 kW HSD spindle.
