Part of our commitment to continual improvement is to make investments in machines that will allow us to better service our customers. To demonstrate this commitment, we recently purchased a DMG Mori NHX 4000 horizontal machining center (HMC) with a linear pallet pool (LPP). This purchase that became operational November 1, 2021, adds additional capacity and capabilities to our full suite of CNC machines. For our customers, this means we can move high-precision components through production faster. This expansion is phase one of two. A second NHX 4000 HMC and an expanded linear rail of 16 additional pallets is arriving in July 2022, giving us a linear system with 28 total pallets feeding two HMC’s.
The HMC is designed for heavy cutting and high accuracy on a wide range of materials in high-production environments. For parts that require machining on more than one face, the HMC is ideal. The external setup station allows us to load a part while a part is being machined without stopping the spindle, so we have a continuous flow of parts through the machine. It also can run 24/7 and lights out with the LLP, providing a higher level of productivity.
The machine’s speedMASTER spindle provides high-speed, high-precision machining at 20,000 RPM’s, supporting the HMC’s efficiency and quality machining.
The HMC achieves ultra-high accuracy because it’s equipped with a SmartScale that provides direct feedback on the actual location of the part as opposed to the location calculated by the servo-motor encoder.
By pairing the HMC with the 12-pallet LPP, an advanced high productivity system used to move parts automatically to and from the HMC, we get even greater efficiency by reducing setup time and the need for employees to move parts manually as it can run unmanned. For repeat orders, there is no need for fixtures to be reattached, so it contributes to the HMC’s stable machining accuracy.
Many of our customers consider us a strategic partner. We aren’t just machining precision parts; we provide a human touch to understand our customers’ challenges and work to find solutions. By investing in new equipment, for example, we are giving ourselves a broader set of tools to find solutions that will result in cost reductions, high quality, and faster lead times.
Contact us if you are interested in learning more about us or have a challenging high precision machined product you’d like assistance with. We’d love to be your strategic partner.
