EDM
The right tool for the job
As a small subcontract toolmaking and machining business, Precision Engineering Services Ltd has carved a niche in the production of press and mould tools for the construction and DIY sectors. Producing everything from CNC machining and subcontract wiring of press and mould tools to
maintaining and repairing precision tools for its clients, the Derbyshire business undertakes a significant amount of wire EDM work – this is why it has just invested in a Mitsubishi MV1200S wire EDM machine from the Engineering Technology Group (ETG).
The Buxton-based manufacturer has a selection of manual and CNC machine tools as well as a die-sink EDM machine and a wire EDM. However, with the company’s 12-year-old Mitsubishi BA8 wire EDM being the busiest machine in the company, its precision levels were sadly diminishing after more than a decade of non-stop operation. It was time for a replacement. As the Managing Director who has taken over the family business he has worked at for almost 30 years, Chris Barlow says: “Our Mitsubishi BA8 wire EDM has worked fantastically well since the day we bought it. However, after more than 10 years of non-stop running, the ball screws were deteriorating and maintaining precision
was becoming more of a challenge. We knew the machine ‘inside out’, so we could build in tolerance errors to maintain precision – but we knew that a new machine would be the best route forward. With linear drive technology and Tubular Shaft Motors instead of ball screws, the new MV1200S has a 12-year accuracy warranty and an Optical Drive System (ODS) that provides circular accuracy within 1μm, so we won’t have this concern in the future.” The toolmaker took delivery of the new Mitsubishi MV1200S wire EDM machine in May, which replaced the previous Mitsubishi BA8. Alluding to why the company once again opted for a Mitsubishi EDM machine, Chris continues: “The Mitsubishi BA8 was a brilliant machine and
Machinery & Manufacturing 30
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