Phil Slaymaker is one of five toolroom team leaders for Hashimoto’s tooling repair operation in Boldon, Tyne & Wear that provides fast response services to the likes of leading automotive operations Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Land Rover as well as to the UK build of the BMW Mini.

While the original tooling tends to be developed by the parent company, the toolroom works a three shift system with responsibility for engineering changes, tool modification and repair services, and they are often working against the clock due to the prevention of roll-on effects which could lead to line stoppages in the customer’s assembly operations. For this reason, equipment used has to be ultra-reliable but even more important is the back-up and service from the supplier when things go wrong.

These two factors were high on the decision maker’s check-off list when replacement wire cut EDM machines were sourced. Indeed, maintains Phil Slaymaker, influencing the decision to change to a Fanuc Alpha Robocut 1ic wire EDM and Joemars 430 FZY vertical EDM in December 2005 - then follow these with a second but smaller Fanuc Alpha Robocut Oic in November 2006 - were the track record and experiences of other customers of 600 Centre as well as the capabilities of the machines.

“To date,” he says “our decision has been justified – we produce lots of one-off components and bear in mind there can be 60 to 80 programs to prepare on a tool, and a new project is about to break that will involve over 140 different tools. We also have to support service requirements for tooling up to 10 years old which means we are exceedingly busy and cannot afford to be let down!”

While reliability and support are paramount, Hashimoto’s toolroom has gained some important savings on cutting cycles by using the Fanuc machines compared to the previous machines installed. The automatic wire re-threading without having to drain the tank and the ability to avoid moving back to datum start position has proven to be a boon, and Phil Slaymaker confirms savings such as a 25 per cent cycle time reduction on profiling a 125 mm thick block that took some four hours previously.

On extrusion die plates, the finishing capability of the machine means hand polishing is now dramatically reduced. “Indeed,” he adds, “the surface finishes we obtain are never in question.” “So flexible and quick are the two Fanuc wire EDMs to program and run that we even use them for cutting-off anything that is from hardened material. In 10 mins we can cut-off hard material if, for instance, we have to change an angle on a die. At the other end of the spectrum, the longest job has taken two shifts to produce a complex die section when we roughed out the profile, removed the slug and finish taper cut the form.”

Hashimoto was set up in Japan in 1917 as an automotive component manufacturer specialising in metal roll forming technology. Today it employs over 2,000 people with a turnover in excess of £400 million. The operation in Bolden was established in 1989 following the setting up of the Nissan car transplant business in Sunderland from which the company then progressively drew in other business from the UK automotive sector.

Today with sales in the UK topping £25 million and 520 people including five Japanese employed, the company runs a series of process services including cold roll forming, stretch bending, coex extrusion, pressing and bending, injection moulding, extrusion and painted parts supply.

The toolroom operation also provides a breakdown service, preventative and predictive maintenance support and services tooling including press tools, bolster plates, die sectors, drop-outs, guide dies and injection moulds up to 20 tonnes. Material processed in the toolroom include lots of tool steels, bronzes, AMPCO 18 and stainless steels. The Joemars vertical EDM was originally installed for repair of injection moulds and to carry out modifications but was quickly commandeered for punches, sparking clearance angles and for hole starting, to which Phil Slaymaker adds: “It has proven to be so useful.”

The two Fanuc machines are key machines programmed using a CAMwrite package bought with the first Alpha 1iC from which programs are networked and downloaded. “Sometimes we have a prove out on thin plate but in most cases we are so confident it’s straight into production,” adds Phil Slaymaker.

The Fanuc Alpha–C Series of wire EDMs are available in the OiC version having a workpiece capacity of 650 mm by 450 mm by 180 mm and 500 kg table loading or in the large 1iC variant. This machine has a workpiece capacity of 830 mm by 730 mm by 300 mm and a one tonne table loading. Both machines feature the latest Fanuc 180 is-WB advanced control and, as Hashimoto’s toolroom has found, this supports the world’s fastest disconnection to reconnection automatic wire feed in just 12 secs using a thermal melting technique. This technique, that anneals the wire, improves the straightness and creates a very sharp edge at the point of cut.

As this process can be activated while submerged in the tank on workpieces up to 100 mm thick, it significantly improves productivity and most important, as in the Hashimoto application, enables the toolroom personnel to carry on with other critical work while it is able to run in a limited or totally unmanned role. The machines also feature automatic hole search in the event of a short circuit which ensures the cycle picks up very close to the wire breakage point, saving time and avoiding the need for operator intervention.

A large proportion of Hashimoto work involves taper cutting for back-off and relief and here the Fanuc machines have a maximum taper angle of ± 30o over 80 mm. As an option this can be increased to ± 45o over 40 mm. Wire size as standard is 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm; Hashimoto uses 0.25 mm diameter brass wire but there is also an option to take this down to 0.05 mm.

Training was viewed as very important for the company’s team and 10 people spent a week of intensive instruction at the 600 Centre. “This is so important to our business that we are all fully aware of what can be done with the machines. Our job is to provide a fast turnaround service – we never know what the next job will require in terms of response,” he says.

600 Centre

http://www.600centre.co.