Customised solutions

If you can provide a quality job in sheet metal, why not do the same for precision machined components? That's the thinking behind North Shields-based Arconia Engineering's focus on customised solutions.

The oil and gas industry is a major customer for machined components such as valve bodies and pipe seals. On the sheet metal side one example of ISO 9001:2008-accredited Arconia's expertise is a set of four pollution pans destined for an oil rig in Brazil.

Many enquiries for CNCtype work prompted the company to invest in an XYZ 710 VMC. This was followed by the first of two XYZ Compact Turn 52s after Arconia received one of its biggest CNC machining orders. With demand for large batch products growing, a second Compact Turn turning centre was added, which can run 24/7 as it has a bar puller and bar feeder.

Canned cycles and simple conversational programming of the easy-to-use Siemens 828D ShopTurn control fitted as standard to the 20 hp/5000 rev/min CT 52 means the entire sequence from drawing to finished part takes the minimum of operator keystrokes. Maximum turning capacity is 220mm dia; bar capacity is 52mm dia, courtesy of a 61mm spindle bore. For larger diameter work, Arconia has of an XYZ ProTURN SLX 555 CNC/ manual gap bed lathe with proprietary ProtoTRAK control system.