Product category:
Machinery and Production Equipment
News Release from: Walter GB | Subject: Hydra Tools International
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 15 March 2002
Tool grinder helps shape fir tree root
cutters
A Walter Helitronic Power Production machine is being used at Hydra to produce fir tree root form cutters of 25 to 150mm diameter.
Hydra Tools International has been reborn since its purchase by Jasco Tools Inc from the receiver in March last year Backed by an impressive capital equipment installation strategy that sees 80% of after-tax profit being re-invested in the Sheffield site, the newly-reformed Hydra Clarkson International has ambitious plan to not only recover lost business but also to increase market share at home and abroad is progressing at full throttle
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 7 Mar 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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According to works manager Tony Egley, by adopting policies that are based on a sound engineering background and a solid understanding of the manufacturing sector, Jasco's influence "is like a breath of fresh air" at the site where many thousands of cutting tools are manufactured each week.
"As well as increasing output and reducing lead times, our continual investment in new production machines is designed to give existing customers both a better service and more competitive pricing", comments Tony Egley.
"We want them to sing our praises".
Proof of the wisdom of these philosophies is the fact that Hydra Clarkson's output is continually increasing (one-third for export), sales to certain target user sectors like aerospace are expanding and new markets are being exploited.
With its roots in the former Hall and Pickles company, Hydra International subsequently purchased Marwin and Clarkson Osborn to complement its existing expertise in the manufacture of HSS specials with Marwin's carbide/carbide-based tooling and specials as well as Clarkson Osborn's HSS standards cutters, drills and taps.
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Now consolidated at the circa 200-employee site which operates around the clock, five days a week, the three brands continue to be marketed as separate entities.
Hydra's operation is centred on dedicated manufacturing areas where, in many cases, automation is used to streamline volume production.
For example, the drill shop's capability of circa 100,000 units a week is, depending on drill type, based around the use of a conveyor system that progressively moves drills between machines for flute and land production.
A wide range of standard HSS and carbide tooling (cutters, drills and taps, for example) are manufactured for stock and called off as required for the impressive customer base of end users as well as distributors.
Hydra also has an established reputation for the design and development of carbide/brazed carbide specials - in particular, fir tree root form cutters for the aerospace industry.
As well having the advantage of "a brilliant technical back-up team" that can assimilate customers' needs by drawing on its engineering strength to provide application-specific speciality cutting tools, the engineering staff can provide tools based on blueprints or sample parts, Tony Egley says the company's prowess for special-purpose tooling has also been gained by using the appropriate machining technologies.
"We have a wide range of CNC tool grinders", says Tony Egley, "but when a certain fir tree root form cutter project came up we didn't have a CNC machine that would handle it.
We knew that without five-axis CNC tool grinding we would lose out in terms of both cost and delivery in producing these carbide/brazed carbide tools", he adds.
"The days of offering a 12-weeks turnaround simply isn't acceptable any more".
The answer was the installation of a Walter Helitronic Power Production.
"After trials at Walter GB's Redditch base, and a series of developments in cutter helix design - rather than a design based on the straight-fluted approach traditionally adopted - we invested in the Helitronic".
Capable of handling tools 370mm long (300mm for face grinding) and 320mm diameter, the Helitronic Power Production is being used at Hydra to produce the fir tree root form cutters of 25 to 150mm diameter.
It is also proving adept at generating a range of other special tooling that requires, for example, contour cutting.
In this respect, the key to the machine's success is the WWM Walter Window Mode graphics-assisted 'Package 7 - Profile Tools' programming routine.
This, says Tony Egley, makes for user-friendly programming.
In one instance, he says, the machine is utilised in the one-hit production of small batches (one- to 10-off) of the 32mm brazed and solid carbide fir tree root form cutters having a 15-degree helix angle and radial relief style form grinding.
Justified on the basis of cost-to-performance as well as on manpower savings - rather than the one-man, one-machine scenario, the Helitronic's operator can load and leave the machine while he does other things - the Power Production has proved "the ideal choice", comments Tony Egley, "and has been a good investment".
He concludes: "Since its installation the machine has been full, and not only is it delivering the forecast ROI but it is also expanding our aerospace tooling business in terms of solid carbide specials, too, while also enabling us to move into new markets".
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