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Wealdpark feels the benefit as cam autos get the boot
06 Mar 2008
St Helens based turned parts subcontractor Wealdpark Ltd has installed a Miyano CNC lathe as part of a systematic replacement of 50 single-spindle cam automatics. Until now the company has focused on replacing the old machines up to 32mm with sliding head machines. Now as it moves to replace the larger machines it is moving to fixed head lathes.
The Miyano BNE-51SY5 has replaced four machines and freed up space by eliminating second operations and cutting production times through faster metal cutting cycles.
According to Wealdpark Director, Phil Smith, “Since the family took the company on 15 years ago we have strived to move forward and the introduction of our sliding head lathes, and more recently the Miyano, has opened our eyes to how inefficient we once were.”
The introduction of CNC turning centres over recent years has seen Wealdpark install seven sliding head lathes and the Miyano BNE-51SY5 to replace 29 CAM autos – leaving another 24 awaiting replacement. The flip side of this technology introduction is the reduction of staff from 50 to 26 employees.
As Phil Smith says, “By replacing the cam autos and removing the second operation machines we have been able to reduce our staffing costs whilst improving productivity and part quality.
“We are now winning orders for more accurate work, previously outside our remit and this has led us to improve our quality systems, which has seen us introduce a new CMM and optical projector to meet the needs of our customers.”
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