Solid as a rock

how the decision has proved to be rock solid rather than a millstone around the company's neck.
Despite the downturn, most people recognise the need to invest in the latest manufacturing technology. Mazak says it has continued to drive manufacturing forward throughout this period by developing an unprecedented number of new machine centres, CNC lathes and ‘done in one' multi-tasking machines.

In Europe, the new Worcester-based European Technology Centre (ETC) is already enabling customers to enjoy productivity gains from these machines. Ideally positioned near some of the UK's major aerospace hot spots, Mazak's ETC was opened in November 2009; a brave decision considering the recession was in full swing. On reflection, what kind of message it sent out on behalf of the UK manufacturing industry?

“We received approval for the ETC three years before the market started to dip,” begins UK sales director, Tony Saunders. “However, we've stuck to our guns as it makes a bold statement to everyone. The phrase ‘centre of excellence' is an overused term; we call it a technology centre because it's more than just a normal showroom. Not only do we showcase new products, we demonstrate the latest applications too.

“The ETC acts as a beacon for state-of-the-art machine tool technologies, and we aim to maintain our demonstration machines and setups long enough so that anyone can visit and see everything working every day. This gives the marketplace confidence – we know this by the positive reaction of people who feel they can visit, glean ideas and become inspired.”

Done in one

For state-of-the-art, look no further than Mazak's Integrex range of multi-tasking machines. Combining the capabilities of a machining centre and a turning centre into one machine for the production of complex parts, customers can complete all their turning, milling, boring and drilling operations in a single setup on one machine, hence ‘done in one'.

“Done in one is a philosophy we've introduced and has led to the development and introduction of our Integrex and Variaxis machines,” states company European Technology Centre manager, Richard Drohan. “The concept is an example of aerospace manufacturers leading the way by maximising the potential of done in one and has provided Mazak with a wealth of successful end user case studies.”

However, for some lower tier aerospace subcontractors, the transition to 5-axis machining may at first appear a daunting one. What kind of support and reassurances can Mazak offer in meeting customer expectations for cycle time reductions? UK applications manager, Lawrence McCann takes up the story.

“A customer might need help in machining a complex part more efficiently,” he explains. “We already understand the potential in terms of the features these multifunctional machines can provide. Many years of experience allow us to confidently suggest machining the components in one hit. And there are many benefits: reduced cycle time by optimised cutting methods together with reduced changeover times by minimising the number of operations. Customers can also produce parts more effectively and realise improvements in quality too. The experience of many years taking brave steps in terms of machine tool design and application has paid dividends for Mazak.”

This bravery has led to Mazak being bold enough to claim that its machines' applications capability should be the first choice for aerospace engineers. How does the company go about substantiating this claim?

“Mazak's range of machines and its experience in the marketplace means that it can supply a range of machines to suit practically anyone in any sector,” avows Saunders. “We have to investigate these potentially lucrative markets and aerospace is certainly one of them. The increase in new aircraft programmes rolling out is relative to the many subcontractors waiting for the production of these programmes to go live. Naturally, as new aircraft production ramps up, these subcontractors will need to supply aerospace parts very quickly to meet demand, so they'll need our technical support and expertise in helping achieve this.”

Mix and match

Saunders goes on to explain that Mazak maximises its efforts in aerospace - particularly post-sales because it undertakes many turnkey projects for both aerospace tier ones and sub-suppliers.

“Much of the work we perform has never been done before,” he continues. “For example, we might propose a different machine tool that will mean machining the part in a totally unique way, so we have to prove the technique as well. We gain a lot of information from such projects, which all adds to our experience and makes us an attractive supplier to people in this sector.”

Is there a particular aircraft component area where Mazak's machine tool offerings excel and in the diverse range of materials found in the aerospace sector? According to McCann, the design of Mazak's machine tools are geared to enhancing productivity on aerospace parts and the range of options available are tailored to match certain features.

“We have machines with capacities that match certain types of parts, such as our Integrex e-V series, which is matched to engine casings and rotational parts used in aerospace and made from exotic materials such as titanium and Inconel,” he explains. “Certain machines are better suited to the production of landing gear components, for example. Our Integrex e-H series uses technology that is common to the e-V range and we've used it to good effect on numerous landing gear components.

“This can mean consolidating multiple operations into one hit. The machine envelope often dictates the type of part that a specific machine is most suitable for. Generally, our machines possess high torque values and rigidity allied with agility and high speed spindles. This base of machining capability allows the customer to apply it in a number of different fields and applications. We undertake the machining of landing gear parts in some very tough materials, but equally we've used this for military applications in aluminium too. The e-V and e-H ranges have proved very successful since their launch.”

Opening doors

Whether it is a subcontractor engaged in aerospace applications or a large OEM, Mazak says the doors of its ETC are always open to customers, enabling them to learn about the fastest and most productive methods to machine parts for aerospace applications using the latest techniques.

“The technological requirements across the aerospace manufacturing sector involve some unique safety and quality standards,” concludes Drohan. “Nevertheless, there are fundamental features of our machines relating to the solidity of construction, the inherent rigidity and agility, as well as the power capability that make them applicable for a variety of machining applications. Mazak builds machines that can be focused in an expert way on any one of a number of industries. Aerospace happens to be a very important one and a significant focal point for Mazak across Europe.”

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