Duckworth & Kent: Technological innovations to improve precision machining efficiency (Part 2)

With its outstanding advantages, the VL600Q wire cutting machine from Sodick has gained the trust of the Duckworth & Kent leaders.

Sodick VL600Q provides routing operations in X, Y and Z axes with 600 x 400 x 270 mm ratio and with 90 x 90mm U/V axis travel. Taking advantage of these features, Duckworth & Kent have successfully developed an improvement approach related to the spindle. “We have adjusted the spindle ratios to improve their performance”, said Mr.Galeeson. “This change allows the lifting equipment to lift large strengthened steel bars.”

In addition, the productivity of Duckworth & Kent in cutting process has also increased significantly. “Thanks to the VL600Q, rods about 150mm in length can be precisely machined after just one set step, and even production increases to 58 pieces/lot. Previously, this would require two EDM operations or one EDM operation followed by milling and/or grinding. Saving equipment setup time could be the equivalent of reducing cycle time to one hour per product – thus 58 hours savings per order, plus improved product quality that helped them. I avoid having to re-select components and tweak the machine many times”, said Mr. Galeeson.

Another goal of Duckworth & Kent when deciding to use the VL600Q is to cut down on test machining time. In the research and development department, the company has used a variety of new materials such as vanadium, tantalum and molybdenum as prototypes. To process these materials, Sodick’s machine cuts through the block of steel, finishing the entire surface wiring in one set. In fact, the use of a spindle allows us to act on more surfaces at once, saving a large portion of operation time while maintaining accuracy.

Quality is clearly the top goal that Duckworth & Kent aim at. “Quality is the factor showing the competitiveness of Duckworth & Kent”, Mr. Gleeson said. For the company, the investment in state-of-the-art technology not only helps the line run more smoothly, saves more resources, but also reduces the tolerance of the product to just 20 μm.

Accordingly, Duckworth & Kent have obtained ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and AS9100 certifications. The company is also a reputable supplier with a wide range of precision machining products serving sectors such as aerospace, sports car, medical, personal care and food.

Productivity and Quality Office