New - CNC Machine Classifieds
Best CNC Resources:
» Home
» CNC Companies » Walter Tooling Cuts A Dash As Innovative Tooling Solutions Seeks Process Improvements
Walter Tooling Cuts A Dash As Innovative Tooling Solutions Seeks Process Improvements
Every activity at Innovative Tooling Solutions (ITS) is based upon the simple philosophy of being best-in-class. The policy is adopted from when the company's ‘phones are answered, and it continues after product delivery and into service and support for the world-leading ranges of deep hole contouring heads and controlled boring bars produced at the Glenrothes site in Fife for a global customer base.
This programme of continual improvement is none more evident than on the shopfloor where the introduction of Walter carbide turning and milling tooling, as well as Walter Prototyp drilling, has reduced lead times by up to 50 per cent and, as a result of increased tool life, has also boosted machine utilisation.
Producing the wide range of components (there are around 3,000 different part numbers) machined and assembled on-site for the variety of contouring heads and bars manufactured from mainly EN19 carbon steels and stainless, ITS constantly scrutinises production processes in its continual quest to remain effective, efficient and competitive.
The company's ‘production fortunes' took a dramatic turn three years ago when, due to space constraints at the parent company, Forth Tool and Valve (part of the Proclad Group), the ITS team moved nearby into its own facility to more effectively service its client base in the oil and gas, valve, power generation, aerospace, automotive and general engineering sectors.
"The relocation gave us the opportunity to re-visit every process," comments general manager Alex Seath, "enabling us to start with a blank canvas in the way we arranged machining [cells] and to closely investigate possible savings through improvement in every aspect of the relatively small batch (often 10-off) manufacturing processes to reduce lead times without an adverse affect on quality.
"That process is ongoing; we're always looking to improve by, for example, applying the latest production techniques," he comments.
Focused on a quartet of CNC machines for the predominance of milling and turning-based tasks required – vertical machining centres from DMG Maho and Fadal, an Okuma horizontal machining centre and a Mazak Integrex mill-turn centre – Alex Seath and his team instigated a series of cutting trials to challenge the "we've always done it this way" traditions.
Turning, milling, drilling and boring tooling from a number of suppliers were matched against each other and, says operations manager Ian McArthur: "Walter's Tiger.tec WSP 45 insert tooling combined with Walter Prototyp drilling clearly shone through in terms of performance and price as well as the level of technical back-up provided."
A range of Walter tooling is used at the site, including high-speed milling tools, F4042 shoulder mills, Screw-fit precision boring bars and a variety of Tiger.tec WPP turning inserts.
Tiger.tec inserts regularly achieve up to 75 per cent more components per edge than competitor products, and in some cases double output, due to their improved process reliability courtesy of a high resistance to flank wear, cratering and thermal cracking.
The inserts combine a mixture of aluminium oxide (Al˛Oł), titanium carbon nitride (TiCN) and titanium nitride (TiN) coatings on a tungsten carbide substrate, featuring a grey (TiCN) rake face and a golden, TiN finish (flank face) that aids wear identification.
With the implementation of increased speeds and feeds – particularly for milling – Walter's carbide tooling was able to run at feed rates up to seven times faster than hitherto employed and says Ian McArthur: "The result was an immediate 40 to 50 per cent reduction in lead times and increased tool life, which has effectively increased machine utilisation rates, too."
He continues: "Indeed, we reckon that the difference in the price of Walter tooling compared to the other makes trialled was, on average, about 12 per cent higher. But the benefits far outweigh any initial cost issues!"
Highlighting how confidence in the 29-employee company gradually built up in the new tooling as it was rolled out across the CNC operations, Ian McArthur also says the operators also had to get used to the ‘marriage' of decreased depths of cut (1.5 mm, typically, for milling) with the increased feed rates and lowered torque requirements (10 HP feeding at 6,000 mm/min). Another benefit of lowering the torque requirements is the reduction in wear and tear on the machine, he adds.
With around 80 per cent of products exported – to the Far East, North and South America, the Middle East and Europe, for example – ITS obviously gets it right, as evidenced by two Queen's Awards for export in 1998 and 1999.
"We actually strive to continuously live up to our ‘Innovative' name," concludes Alex Seath. "We set out to solve customers' problems – perhaps by supplying a ‘standard' product or by providing a custom solution based on tweaking a standard specification. To do this successfully we need to harness every technology advantage we can to enable us to keep ahead of the game."
http://www.machinetoolsonline.com/article.mvc/
This programme of continual improvement is none more evident than on the shopfloor where the introduction of Walter carbide turning and milling tooling, as well as Walter Prototyp drilling, has reduced lead times by up to 50 per cent and, as a result of increased tool life, has also boosted machine utilisation.
Producing the wide range of components (there are around 3,000 different part numbers) machined and assembled on-site for the variety of contouring heads and bars manufactured from mainly EN19 carbon steels and stainless, ITS constantly scrutinises production processes in its continual quest to remain effective, efficient and competitive.
The company's ‘production fortunes' took a dramatic turn three years ago when, due to space constraints at the parent company, Forth Tool and Valve (part of the Proclad Group), the ITS team moved nearby into its own facility to more effectively service its client base in the oil and gas, valve, power generation, aerospace, automotive and general engineering sectors.
"The relocation gave us the opportunity to re-visit every process," comments general manager Alex Seath, "enabling us to start with a blank canvas in the way we arranged machining [cells] and to closely investigate possible savings through improvement in every aspect of the relatively small batch (often 10-off) manufacturing processes to reduce lead times without an adverse affect on quality.
"That process is ongoing; we're always looking to improve by, for example, applying the latest production techniques," he comments.
Focused on a quartet of CNC machines for the predominance of milling and turning-based tasks required – vertical machining centres from DMG Maho and Fadal, an Okuma horizontal machining centre and a Mazak Integrex mill-turn centre – Alex Seath and his team instigated a series of cutting trials to challenge the "we've always done it this way" traditions.
Turning, milling, drilling and boring tooling from a number of suppliers were matched against each other and, says operations manager Ian McArthur: "Walter's Tiger.tec WSP 45 insert tooling combined with Walter Prototyp drilling clearly shone through in terms of performance and price as well as the level of technical back-up provided."
A range of Walter tooling is used at the site, including high-speed milling tools, F4042 shoulder mills, Screw-fit precision boring bars and a variety of Tiger.tec WPP turning inserts.
Tiger.tec inserts regularly achieve up to 75 per cent more components per edge than competitor products, and in some cases double output, due to their improved process reliability courtesy of a high resistance to flank wear, cratering and thermal cracking.
The inserts combine a mixture of aluminium oxide (Al˛Oł), titanium carbon nitride (TiCN) and titanium nitride (TiN) coatings on a tungsten carbide substrate, featuring a grey (TiCN) rake face and a golden, TiN finish (flank face) that aids wear identification.
With the implementation of increased speeds and feeds – particularly for milling – Walter's carbide tooling was able to run at feed rates up to seven times faster than hitherto employed and says Ian McArthur: "The result was an immediate 40 to 50 per cent reduction in lead times and increased tool life, which has effectively increased machine utilisation rates, too."
He continues: "Indeed, we reckon that the difference in the price of Walter tooling compared to the other makes trialled was, on average, about 12 per cent higher. But the benefits far outweigh any initial cost issues!"
Highlighting how confidence in the 29-employee company gradually built up in the new tooling as it was rolled out across the CNC operations, Ian McArthur also says the operators also had to get used to the ‘marriage' of decreased depths of cut (1.5 mm, typically, for milling) with the increased feed rates and lowered torque requirements (10 HP feeding at 6,000 mm/min). Another benefit of lowering the torque requirements is the reduction in wear and tear on the machine, he adds.
With around 80 per cent of products exported – to the Far East, North and South America, the Middle East and Europe, for example – ITS obviously gets it right, as evidenced by two Queen's Awards for export in 1998 and 1999.
"We actually strive to continuously live up to our ‘Innovative' name," concludes Alex Seath. "We set out to solve customers' problems – perhaps by supplying a ‘standard' product or by providing a custom solution based on tweaking a standard specification. To do this successfully we need to harness every technology advantage we can to enable us to keep ahead of the game."
http://www.machinetoolsonline.com/article.mvc/
For more information visit CNC Companies category
Advertisements
