Bespoke luxury product design and manufacturing specialist strengthens its 5-axis machining capabilities with its latest Mikron machining centre investment.
GF Machining Solutions, the 3- and 5-axis milling, EDM, laser texturing and additive manufacturing (AM) machine tool specialist and automation systems’ solutions provider, has recently supplied Luzzo Bespoke Ltd., a well-known and highly regarded design and manufacturing specialist of innovative bespoke products, with a new Mikron MILL E 700U 5-axis machining centre.
The rigidly built and ergonomically designed machine, which features an integrated 7-station Automatic pallet Changer (APC), was installed at the company’s 10,000+ sq. ft. facility in Brackley in April 2021 and is being used to machine, in low volumes, a range of high-precision (and often complex-shaped) components that go into the bespoke products manufactured by Luzzo Bespoke for its growing number of high-end automotive, motorsport, and lifestyle customers.
These components, made from a diverse range of materials i.e., aluminium, brass, Stainless Steel, Carbon Fibre, wood, plastics etc., are machined to high accuracy (typically +/- 0.1mm) and to exacting surface finishes.
The MILL E 700U is also being used to machine special and innovative work-holding and fixtures, as well as numerous prototypes and pre-production parts – integral to the company’s Design for Manufacturing (DfM) services.
The machine joins, and has been installed adjacent to, another Mikron 5-axis machining centre, a HEM 500U, acquired by the company in 2016. Together, these two high-performance 5-axis machining centres provide Luzzo Bespoke with fast, efficient and reliable milling capabilities, and proven machine tool technology designed to improve part accuracies and repeatability’s and increase productivity.
Investment rationale
Like many other manufacturers, Luzzo Bespoke felt the impact and effects of the pandemic. Staff were furloughed and several orders and contracts were postponed…some were cancelled altogether.
However, during the Summer of 2020, business began to pick-up and has been on an upward trajectory ever since.
Says Brian Challenger, Luzzo Bespoke’s Managing Director:
“Since the beginning of 2021 things have improved considerably – so much so in fact that we could see that if we didn’t strengthen our existing milling capacity and capabilities, sooner rather than later, production ‘pinch points’ would occur that would detrimentally affect our operational efficiencies and productivity.
“As a result of these deliberations we decided to invest in a new machining centre”
To address its potential milling capacity shortcomings the company spent time identifying the ‘need to have’ specifications and capabilities of the new machine.
Got to be 5-axis
Luzzo Bespoke is a keen advocate of 5-axis machining…and of automation.
Explains Brian Challenger:
“Over the past 12 years our machine shop has changed and improved dramatically from having no CNC machine tools to one that boasts high-performance CNC multi-tasking lathes and 3- and 5-axis machining centres.
“We believe that 5-axis machining is the way to go. The technology makes us more flexible and enables us to machine parts in fewer set ups – often in one hit. This makes us more efficient and productive.”
The same is true of automation.
Continues Brain Challenger:
“Machines with integrated automation have the ability to run ‘lights out’ overnight and over the weekends. A machine with integrated pallet change capabilities can give us up to 14 hours additional machining time per day: a massive boost to our productivity.”
In addition to the machine having to be a 5-axis machining centre equipped with integrated automation other machine requirements included:
- A high-speed, high-torque spindle
- Full simultaneous 5-axis machining capability
- Good sized working envelope with easy part loading/unloading
- Generous sized ATC (Automatic Tools Changer)
- Efficient and effective swarf management
- The latest Heidenhain control
Got to be Mikron
The decision to invest in a Mikron 5-axis machine from GF Machining Solutions was not a foregone conclusion, however, explains Brian Challenger, “our existing (good) relationships with GF Machining Solutions did put them in the box seat…so to speak.”
Luzzo Bespoke has invested in a number of Mikron 3- and 5-axis machining centres over the years and, prior to the arrival of the new MILL E 500U, had two 3-axis machining centres (VCE 800 Pro and one 5-axis machine (HEM 500U) at its disposal.
“We approached GF Machining Solutions and other companies with our requirements”, remembers Brian Challenger. “Taking the machine cost, its availability and its technical specifications into account, as well as the applications and service back up of GF Machining Solutions, we invested in the Mikron MILL E 700U.”
Mikron MILL E 700U
The MILL E 700U is a high-efficiency 5-axis machining centre that has a rigid C-frame construction, large-sized guideways, a double-supported (trunnion-type) direct-drive rotary tilting table and an integrated 7-station Automatic Pallet Changer.
Equipped with the Heidenain tnc 640 control and featuring a powerful, high-speed 36kW/20,000rpm (OptiCool) spindle with oil-air lubrication, the MILL E 700U delivers excellent cutting performance, unrivalled machining flexibility and best-in-class process reliability.
Says Brian Challenger:
“The machine’s advanced spindle technology with oil-air lubrication enables us to maintain part accuracies and keep within tolerances during long machining runs, and its direct-drove rotary table technology, in combination with the StepTec spindle, means we can achieve super-fine surface finishes on machined parts.
“All in all, the MILL E 700U is a versatile, high-productivity machine – and is a real asset to the company.”
