MIL-Tu-Fit wins more business with the DMG MORI CLX 450

From its Bristol factory, Mil-Tu-Fit Engineering has been manufacturing precision components for the electronics, oil and gas, defence, construction and medical industries for over 40 years. As well as machining facilities, the company can also offer laser cutting, surface treatment and welding, enabling it to supply complete high quality assemblies to its customers.

Paul Beattie, Production Manager at Mil-Tu-Fit explains, “Some of our existing machinery was reaching the end of its useful life and we needed to replace it and at the same time upgrade our manufacturing capabilities.” The company’s machined products are generally under 125 mm diameter with low batch quantities from just one or two parts up to around 100 and the most commonly machined materials are 303 grade stainless steel and plastics.

Mil-Tu-Fit evaluated a range of machines. The main criteria were 4th axis and driven tools, the spindle diameter, the number of tool stations in the turret, accuracy and ease of programming.  Paul Beattie adds, “Simplicity of programming on the machine was a major consideration as, with small quantities, we needed to be able to complete this task quickly and also be sure it was right first time. I am familiar with the Siemens control on the DMG MORI CLX 450 and had absolute confidence in the system. Programming the Y-axis and the driven tools can be done easily and the verification and graphics check ensure a reliable milling and turning toolpath.”

The CLX 450 is fitted with a bar feeder and can feed 80 mm diameter through the spindle, giving Mil-Tu-Fit the opportunity to bid for larger work at a competitive cost. Paul Beattie says, “Previously, we would often have to carry out turning and milling operation on multiple machines. We can now combine the operations on the CLX 450, with many parts coming off the machine completed in one hit. As well as manufacturing parts around 20% quicker, we save on handling, we only have to set one machine, and fixtures for different operations have been largely eliminated.”

As well as these savings, the company also reports that the parts are more accurate with better concentricity and parallelism and that tool life has improved.

Paul Beattie says, “What appealed to us was the large 80mm bar feed, which means that parts which were previously billet work can now be bar fed. In addition, the operating system is user friendly, the machine has a small footprint and the reliability of the machine is very good. Overall, the price of the machine was very attractive, availability was within three months and the blue chip companies investing in DMG MORI convinced us we were making the right decision.”

Since the company installed the CLX 450 it has seen an increase in its order books from existing customers. It has been winning more of the work it is bidding for and, because of the machine, it has increased capacity enabling it to keep to short delivery schedules.  Paul Beattie says, “It is a good all round machine and it has certainly lived up to our expectations. We needed to maintain our competitive lead and our customers definitely appreciate our investment in DMG MORI advanced technology. We now have the capacity to absorb the increasing workload we are experiencing through winning more business. It is a major step forward in our manufacturing capabilities.”

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