SA Flanges Turns On The Style With Fine-Tolerance Hyundai-Wia Lathe

The ability of a Hyundai-Wia lathe to produce finished flanges “to fine tolerances” compared to former methods has fully justified the machine purchase for S A Flanges, according to Peter Draper, joint owner of the Rotherham-based company.

“By upgrading our turning technology with the two-axis Hyundai-Wia L300C we are now producing a wide range of flanges of different types and sizes - in a variety of materials including stainless steel, super duplex hastelloy and monel, as well as carbon and mild steel - to much better tolerances than before,” he says.

“We’re using the machine to its full capacity in terms of component size – it can handle bar of 90 mm and has a maximum turning length and diameter of 720 mm and 560 mm, respectively – and it’s been a great investment.”

SA Flanges specialises in the manufacture of all sizes of standard flanges (BSEN/PN, ANSI and BS10/Table 10) and non-standard BS10, BSEN 1092-1 and ANSI types, including flanges that can be machined from 10 mm up to 1,830 mm diameter.

It maintains a comprehensive portfolio of machining technology for this flange work as well as for a host of general machining contracts. This includes a pair of Hartford vertical machining centres which, like the Hyundai-Wia, were supplied by T W Ward CNC Machinery (Ward CNC), the exclusive UK and Ireland agent for these – and other – machine tool builders.

The L300C boasts a 26 kW motor that produces a spindle speed of 3,000 revs/min and traverse rates of 20 m/min in the X axis and 24 m/min in Z.

Its machining capabilities were not, however, the only justifications for its purchase, according to Mr Draper. “We’re very tight on space here so compactness was another prime consideration – the machine has a footprint of just 3.5 metres by two metres, which is ideal for us – and, of course, the machine was also available at a cost-effective price.

“In addition,” he adds, “we’ve been using a pair of Hartford Power Centre Pro-1000 machining centres for a number of years and so were familiar with Ward CNC’s back-up and service, which has been smashing."