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Latest Bridgeport CNC Mill Proves to be a Valuable Addition

Story added 30 March 2011.

A newly acquired Bridgeport GX 1000 high performance 3-axis vertical machining centre recently installed in the Crediton, Devon factory of Rotamic Engineering Limited will further enhance the capabilities of this leading specialist sub contractor.

The machine is Rotamic’s first Bridgeport CNC milling machine and with the through spindle coolant option fitted, rapid swing arm tool change and larger capacity tool inventory, production managers at Rotamic are confident it will be an invaluable addition to their substantial manufacturing capacity.

Rotamic specialises in high precision manufacturing with a predominance in aerospace after it secured AS 9100 accreditation. However, its reputation spreads across a range of specialist manufacturing - anything from motorsport components to specialist medical and one-off and prototype machining.

It was with this diversity in mind that they purchased the Bridgeport mill with its ‘all-rounder’ capabilities coupled with higher end specification.

Bridgeport GX VMC machines combine exacting standards of precision with a very high specification for long life performance. Standard features include a thermally stable spindle, a C-frame fixed column design and fixed, pre-tensioned double-nut ball screws. In addition, the unique Bridgeport linear guide and guide track configuration provides rigidity and damping.

Rotamic’s machine has a 10,000 rpm spindle motor and is equipped with the through spindle coolant option which further enhances the machine’s versatility in this multi- purpose environment. Through coolant supplies coolant to the cutting edge at 20 bar (300psi) and allows for faster speeds, enhanced deep hole drilling and blind pocket milling. The machine is also fitted with a chip conveyor.

The swing arm tool change offers cycles as low as 4 seconds and Rotamic’s machine was supplied with a Bridgeport tooling package comprising 40 tools.

The CNC control is a the latest Fanuc i-Series GX control which - unlike some - offers advanced features such as rigid tapping, tool life management, run time and parts counter as standard.

Gary Squires is the production manager at Rotamic and as he explains, expectations for the GX 1000 are high.

“The team at Rotamic prides itself with a passion for problem solving and efficiency, whatever the size and complexity of a project. The mix that turns average into outstanding is not just a mixture of skill, experience and a passion for engineering but one we support with investment.

“It’s early days yet so we have not been able to put the Bridgeport machine through all of its paces. But we have bought for the future; with our mix of work we have to be able to respond often at very short notice and when you have a machine of this capability with the ease and speed of programming, it’s not difficult to see it is going to be an invaluable investment.”


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