Small batch production

Within three months of hearing about the latest innovation from XYZ Machine Tools, Colin and David Musgrove, joint owners of True Precision Engineering, had two ProtoTRAK Lean Production Machines up and running in TPE's Blaydon-on-Tyne premises.

The 15hp/8000 rev/min LPM, with 20m/min rapid feed in all three axes, is XYZ's first ProtoTRAK-controlled CNC machine tool to be fitted with an automatic tool changer, although it has several features that differentiate it from standard VMCs. One in particular - a control system developed for low volume and complex prototype production and easily programmed using 'plain English prompts' - appealed to the two brothers, both time-served toolmakers, who wanted to integrate the units into a five-machine CNC cell to be run by three operators.

"Depending on the nature of the work we have often had one person running two CNC machines," says Colin Musgrove. "This has helped considerably at a time when it is becoming difficult to find and recruit skilled people." One of the CNC machines in the new manufacturing cell is a ProtoTRAKequipped CNC/manual mill that, in essence, has the same menu system as the latestgeneration PMX control fitted to the LPMs. Operators do not need G and M coding knowledge; ProtoTRAK is said to provide a fast, stressfree transition from manual to CNC machining.