Ward CNC'S Hyundai-Kia Turning Centre Helps Bearing Specialist Improve Its Cost-Effectiveness
Roballo Engineering's installation of a Hyundai-Kia turning centre is playing a key role in enabling the North East specialist manufacturer to further enhance its cost-effectiveness and levels of production flexibility. The machine is allowing the company, as the UK's only producer of slewing bearings up to 2.8 m diameter, to bring in-house components that were previously sub-contracted.
Supplied by exclusive UK distributor Ward CNC (www.wardcnc.com), the Hyundai-Kia SKT-300M's C axis and driven tooling are particularly highlighted by Peterlee-based Roballo's works manager, Joe Peacock, as being major features of the overall machine specification, price and support package that saw Ward CNC win the order.
"We were already familiar with Ward CNC's customer service and engineering support capabilities, having previously purchased a VTL from them, and it was this experience – coupled with the Hyundai-Kia's specification and price – that made us place the order when a turning centre was required," he says.
"Importantly, we are finding that the machine's driven tools are proving especially beneficial for the single set- up work we require.
"Like every manufacturing engineering company, we have taken a very close look at everything we do and part of that process has seen a lot of previously sub-contracted work brought back in-house.
"In the case of the Hyundai-Kia turning centre, this has meant a lot of one-hit turn/mill/drill components that are for our slewing bearings, which can measure up to 2.8 m diameter."
The 90 mm bar capacity Hyundai-Kia SKT-300M has a maximum turning diameter and length of 500 mm and 660 mm, respectively. The machine has a spindle speed of 3,000 rev/min (22/18.5 kW motor) and boasts a 12-tool station tool turret driven at 5.5/3.7 kW to achieve 4,000 rev/min.
Travels in X and Z are 290 mm and 750 mm, respectively, with corresponding rapid traverse rates of 20 m/min and 24 m/min. Control is by Fanuc 21iTB CNC with Manual Guide-I routines.
SOURCE: Ward CNC