Supplier spotlight
Alwayse gears up
A global leader in ball transfer unit manufacture, Alwayse Engineering, has invested in a new DN Solutions Lynx 2100B lathe from Mills CNC. Mills CNC, exclusive distributor of DN Solutions and Zayer machine tools in the UK and Ireland, supplied the two-axis, Fanuc-controlled 8-inch chuck/65mm bar diameter Lynx 2100B. Installed in March 2025 at Alwayse’s large, integrated Birmingham manufacturing facility, the machine marks the latest step in the company’s expansion of its machining capabilities. The investment also includes a Hydrafeed MSV65 servo-driven bar feeder to enable continuous, unattended production, and a ROTA- RACK parts accumulator with integrated belt conveyor to improve component handling and
protection.
The Lynx 2100B is being used to produce carbon steel bodies for the newly redesigned 805 ball transfer units. These units are commonly employed in air cargo applications and feature a low profile with high load capacity. Machining is completed in a single set-up. Operations include front-end boring to create the internal hemisphere and rear-end parting-off to separate each component from the remaining bar stock. Cycle times are around 80 seconds. The machined parts are then transferred to another Lynx lathe, where multi-dirt exit holes are added. These holes help reduce debris build-up and simplify maintenance. After machining, the components undergo case hardening and zinc plating. Each unit is then assembled with small stainless steel balls and a larger stainless steel or carbon chrome load ball,
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Machinery & Manufacturing
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