Start-up subcontractor orders three Doosan machines from Mills CNC
1 min read
Established in November 2010, Sussex-based Fine Machining has wasted no time investing and installing a Doosan Puma 2600M lathe, a Doosan Puma 3100 lathe and a Doosan DNM 650 vertical machining centre at its Littlehampton facility.
With a number of 'letters of intent' from customers guaranteeing the placement of work once the company was up-and-running, and several serious enquiries from different companies with imminent machining projects about to start, it was critical that Fine Machining was cutting metal as soon as possible.
Nick Moore, director at Fine Machining, says: "The projects, although different, were (and are) characterised by their high-accuracy and short lead times. Although the materials required for the parts vary – a significant percentage involve the high-precision machining of bronze, Inconel, Monel, Hastelloy, super-duplex steels and LF2 carbon steel for high-pressure valves (i.e. gate valves; needle valves; control valves) used in the petrochemical sector."
To meet the exacting part accuracy and surface finish requirements, that in many instances match aerospace quality standards, it was necessary for Fine Machining to invest in new (as opposed to used or reconditioned), high-performance machine tools.
The three machines purchased froms Mills CNC have been arranged to form manufacturing cell. First and second operations are handled by the two Puma lathes, and parts are finished on the DNM 650 vertical machine.
The 8 in chuck Puma 2600M lathe is equipped with driven tools (5.5 kW/5,000 rpm) and is used for some milling as well as first operations. The larger 12 in chuck Puma 3100 lathe can also support a 15 in chuck providing the subcontractor with additional capacity for turning larger workpieces. The large capacity DNM 650 vertical machine with an integrated 4th axis unit, enables parts to be machined in a single set-up.
Mr Moore commented: "Valve parts with intricate flange and thread-end connections can be machined, from start to finish, in a single cycle within this cell."
In the near future, Fine Machining aims to increase the capabilities of its manufacturing cell further by investing in a new large capacity Doosan Mynx 750 vertical machining centre (with 1.5 m capability in its X-axis), again equipped with a 4th axis unit.
