Data drives output

as short as 15 minutes, the machine was often idle for the last three to four hours as it had run out of work. Six extra Erowa pallets were purchased, bringing the total capacity to 66 positions, to enable the cell to run for a full 24 hours, right up to the 7.00 am start of the next day shift. The extra parts produced per day have quickly started to amortise the cost of the additional pallets.

Dave Kinch, operations manager, added: “I have calculated that the YCM NFX380 5-axis production centre, served by the recently expanded Erowa Leonardo store with 66 pallet positions, is already 26% more productive due to the changes we have implemented based on information collected from the Heidenhain StateMonitor software."

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The latest addition to capacity at Jones Nuttall Precision Engineering is a twin column vertical machining centre with an 8-tonne load capacity.

Hurco DCX22i twin-column, bridge-type, vertical machining centre has a working volume of 2,200 x 1,700 x 750 mm, and is the largest piece of machining equipment on the shop floor at the Warrington-based company.

The machine has a 40-station tool magazine, 12,000 rpm / 18 kW spindle and rapids of 32 m/min in the X / Y axes and 24 m/min in Z, which is also the maximum cutting feed rate.

The new machine has considerably expanded the size and range of work the firm is able to take on. Much of it is carried out by a separate division for Network Rail, London Underground, ScotRail and other well-known names in the rail industry. Repair, overhaul and testing of mechanical/electrical components are a speciality, as well as the manufacture of new components and assemblies to OEM standards and specifications.

Other customers include Bombardier, Linde Group and many in the pharmaceutical, energy, oil and gas, petrochemical and defence sectors. Overall, more than 60 employees in the Warrington factory supply more than 30,000 different components to over 250 customers every year.

Metals processed include Inconel, titanium alloy, stainless steel, steels, brass, aluminium, copper and even silver.