Precision subcontract specialist invests in a new DN Solutions’ DNM 4500 to increase its machining capacity and capabilities, strengthen its position within its customers’ supply chains and further improve the productivity, process efficiency and performance of its machine shop.
Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of DN Solutions (formerly Doosan) and Zayer machine tools in the UK and Ireland, has recently supplied Ad Hoc Engineering Ltd., an engineering design and precision subcontract specialist based in Warwickshire, with a new DN Solutions’ vertical machining centre.
The machine, a best-selling DNM 4500, was installed at the company’s 1,700sq. ft. facility in March 2023 and has been positioned, in close proximity, to three other Doosan machines acquired by the company over the last nine years.
These machines comprise an 8” chuck Lynx 220 lathe (installed in 2014), a DNM 500 II vertical machining centre (installed in 2015) and a 6” chuck Lynx 2100 lathe (installed in 2019).
Collectively, these machines, boosted by the recent addition of the DNM 4500, provide the company with an impressive and flexible in-house machining resource.
The new DNM 4500, like the other machine tools the company has at its disposal, is being used to machine a range of high precision components and families of parts (i.e., housings, enclosures, flanges, valves, actuators etc.), for proprietary flow meter and scientific instrumentation products, designed in-house by the company.
Once machining and inspection have been completed, parts are sent out for different surface treatment operations (i.e., plating, powder coating etc.), before coming back to the company for final assembly, testing and delivery to a range of customers operating in the electronics, and process control and measurement sectors.
Parts machined on the new DNM 4500 are typically made from solid aluminium, mild steel and stainless steel bar and billets and are machined in a range of batch sizes(prototypes and one-offs through the thousands-off) using advanced work-holding and fixtures that include pallets and tombstones.
Part tolerances are tight but not excessively so, with the main machining requirements being consistency, repeatability and fast processing speeds.
A new machining centre – the need
With demand growing for its design, machining and assembly services, the company made the decision, back in 2022, to improve its milling capacity and capabilities.
Two, older machines the company had at its disposal were creating production pinch points that were affecting throughput and output.
After careful consideration the decision was made to replace both with a new, higher specification machining centre.
“We provide comprehensive, high-quality machining services to customers and are a vital cog in their process chains. As such, we need to be able to anticipate and respond quickly to their changing production requirements.
“In order to maintain these supply chain relationships, we needed to strengthen our in-house milling capabilities by investing in a reliable, high-performance production-oriented machine that would meet our, and our customers, immediate and future requirements.”
John Watts, Owner and Director of Ad Hoc Engineering
As a consequence, the company drew up a detailed specification checklist for its new machine tool investment with a number of ‘must haves’ which included:
- a Fanuc CNC control to ensure the quick and easy transfer of parts and programs between the new machine and its previously acquired DNM 500 II machining centre
- a large machining envelope to enable the machining of large and/or smaller, multiple parts in a single set-up
- a powerful spindle capable of machining a range of different materials, and delivering fast part processing speeds
- a reliable, versatile and proven machine with an established track record
- quick availability and a competitive price
- proactive after-sales services provided by the machine tool supplier.
“As an existing Doosan user, we have good relationships with Mills CNC. We like their business approach and the three Doosan machines we had from them in the past have all performed well and haven’t missed a beat.
“It therefore made sense to contact Mills and, having discussed our needs and requirements with them and seen a DNM 4500 in action at their showroom facility in Leamington, it was a ‘cut and dried’ decision.”
John Watts, Owner and Director of Ad Hoc Engineering
About the DNM 4500
The DNM 4500 is a powerful, precise, flexible and reliable 3-axis machining centre.
The machine supplied to the company is equipped with an 18.5kW/ 12,000rpm (BT 40) direct-drive spindle, a 30-tool position ATC, a large worktable (1000mm x 450mm) with a 600kg maximum load, and features the advanced Fanuc 0iMP control with a 15” touchscreen iHMI
The DNM 4500 has a rigid-design and build as well as roller-type LM guideways which, along with its integrated thermal compensation systems, ensure high accuracies and repeatability – even during long periods of operation.
Fast rapid rates (36m/min) and quick tool change times (1.2 seconds tool-to-tool) guarantee fast part processing and, as a result, higher productivity, improved efficiencies and reduced lead times.
To help realise the machine’s productivity potential and optimise performance, the machine was supplied, as part of the investment package, with though-spindle coolant capability (20bar) and a Nikken CNC 202 (4th-axis) rotary table for fast and accurate part indexing.
The company further augmented its machine tool purchase by investing in a precise, flexible and expandable work-holding system (comprising plates, vices, clamps) from Micro-Loc that enables quick job set-ups and changeovers and the machining of large and/or multiple smaller parts.
Summary
The DNM 4500 has, as was intended, significantly increased the company’s machining capacity and capabilities.
“We needed a fast, accurate and competitively-priced machining centre, and with the DNM 4500, that’s exactly what we have got.”
John Watts, Owner and Director of Ad Hoc Engineering