Relief for Fortec with change of probing system

Fortec has installed five Haas 3-axis vertical machining centres with Renishaw MP10 probing systems and a full 4-axis Haas twin-pallet horizontal machining centre with a Renishaw MP12 inspection probe

When Fortec Ltd installed a range of new Haas machining centres in the Spring of 2000, due to expediency the machines were initially supplied without the specified probes, which included Renishaw's new NC1 laser tool setter.

To a company used to the benefits of Renishaw probes on existing machines, their absence proved to be marked.

Explained Fortec's co-Director Jim Fraser, "The Haas machines were installed during April/May without the Renishaw probing.

That in itself was an education.

Although we were cutting metal within twenty-four hours of installation, for two weeks we thought we were back in the 'Dark Ages'.

The majority of our operators have been brought up on probing and for those of us who have experience of wobble boards and 'clocking the workpiece', we found job set up very protracted and were delighted when the Renishaw engineers walked in." "In the last three years we have successfully targeted manufacturers of electronic products for the defence industry and the communications industry and the OEMs that support them.

In supplying components such as microwave boxes for mobile phones, we have tripled our production capacity whilst still guaranteeing 100% finished components within tolerance," stated co-Director Tom Forsyth.

"This, and a forecast increase in productivity, has seen us install five additional Haas 3-axis (4th-axis ready) vertical machining centres (VMCs) with Renishaw MP10 probing systems and a full 4-axis Haas twin-pallet horizontal machining centre (HMC) with a Renishaw MP12 inspection probe.

We are also one of the first users of Renishaw's NC1 laser-based tool breakage detection system." Probing and accurate machining is critical to the work done by Fortec.

Mr Forsyth explained, "We are machining 90% of product in aluminium.

However, we can also produce low volume batches of high value components in titanium, Inconel and the designer steels.

Typically, designs are received electronically.

Once drawing tolerances have been agreed, cutter paths are DNC linked to every Haas machine, although the night shift often download programmes from a shopfloor PC, loading the programme at the machine." On receiving an aluminium billet cut to size, a loaded component is probed for position, machined on all sides, and probed for machined tolerances to +/-0.05mm.

In-process probing is carried out where required.

An SPC chart is output from each machine, and verification when requested by a specific client, is carried out on the company's CMM.

Machined product is sent out to a finisher.

With scrap rates of only 0.05% due to dimensional errors, the majority of Fortec's scrapped components are as a result of broken taps and drills.

Consequently, the company has purchased two of the innovative NC1 non-contact tool setters - one for the Haas HMC and the other for one of the VMCs - both giving Fortec the benefit of high-speed broken tool detection.

"The Haas HMC is our first foray into horizontal machining," continued Forsyth, "and was bought with a specific job in mind - an intricate thin walled component.

However, the twin pallet operation and the fitting of the NC1 should also drive us towards unmanned machining operations.

We have already seen a benefit from setting up standard jobs on a toolpost off-line - increasing the number of jobs in a single machining operation.

Also, after each machining operation, tools can be passed through the NC1's laser beam at rapid feed rates to check for damage, thereby reducing scrap rates." The NC1 system offers the benefits of high performance non-contact tool setting, for the rapid measurement of tool length and diameter.

Setting is carried out at normal spindle cutting speeds, allowing errors caused by radial run-out of the tool and tool holder to be identified and compensated.

Further advantages of the NC1 system include the ability to measure tools anywhere along the laser beam, minimising cycle times, and the measurement of tools as small as 0.2mm diameter.

"In three years we have not experienced unnecessary downtime.

Scrap rates are negligible and will further reduce with an increase in Renishaw's NC1 installations.

We have in Haas and Renishaw a flexible, cost-effective quality combination, which has allowed us to triple capacity whilst increasing manning by only 30%," concluded Jim Fraser.

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