A Soraluce CNC milling machine installed by Ward CNC of Sheffieldat JCB Heavy Products has reduced cycle times by at least 15 percent on a key machining operation for this world-leadingmanufacturer of excavators. Such is the success of thesingle-spindle Soraluce SP-5000 travelling column-fixed bedmachine over existing twin-spindle machining centres, that theSoraluce is now being used to rough and finish machine all thefabricated arms manufactured at the company's Uttoxetersite. Producing a mixture of tracked and wheeled vehicles ratedat 7 to 46 tonnes, JCB Heavy Products' level of design andmanufacturing expertise can be gauged by its continuallyexpanding order book and the recent accolade of a Queen'sAward for Enterprise in the International Trade section.

JCB -Europe's largest manufacturer of construction equipment -sells its products in 140 countries.

'The business has grownrapidly over the past four years,' says Director and GeneralManager Mark Turner, 'and rather than simply absorb thatcapacity by 'doubling up' on existing machines, webegan looking at our machining centre throughput in a completelydifferent way.

'We'd been studying attachment machiningfor some time, and we knew that we had achieved optimum cycletimes with twin-spindle machines.

But we wanted to improvemachining times.' He continues: 'We targeted cycle timesavings of 15 per cent to maintain competitiveness but withoutjeopardising product quality.' Says Mark Turner: 'Keyto JCB's success is its philosophy of looking at businesswith a long-term view, and on that basis the selection of themachine and its supplier was very much based on our requirementsfor service and support in the future.' Powered by a 28 kWspindle, the Soraluce FP-6000 travelling column floor-typemachine has X, Y and Z axes traverses of 6,000 mm by 2,000 mm by1,200 mm.

Component fixtures are mounted on a separatetee-slotted floor plate in front of the machine.

It was subjectedto a very tight specification in terms of cycle times andtolerances - 'which it achieved with no trouble', addsMark Turner.

In addition to switching from twin-spindle operationto single-spindle machining in a different plane, Ward CNC workedclosely with tooling suppliers and JCB to introduce dry machiningand various helical boring routines, for example.