Kajul install a massive 2 metre Dugard 2000XP VMC
As Kajul’s customers started to use bigger machinery, they need Kajul to make bigger tools to use on those machines. The answer for Karl Hamlin was the Dugard 2000XP, chosen for its impressive 2m bed, which he then decided to upgrade by adding an extra 2 axes with a Nikken table.
Paul from MTDCNC went to visit them in Warwickshire to find out how they’ve been getting on with their new machine (watch the video below).
Huge capacity gives them the edge
Kajul have been making press tools for a long time. When one of their customers got a press with a 2m table on it, they needed to expand their capacity so they could make them 2m press tools to use on their new machine. The Dugard 2000XP fit the bill perfectly giving them all the size they needed with X/Y/Z axis travels of 2060/850/815mm as well as 12,000rpm BT40 spindle, 36 station ATC, 18.5kW spindle motor, X/Y/Z rapids of 33/33/25 m/min and through spindle coolant all as standard.
5 axis machining with a Nikken table
Kajul then took the unusual decision of adding a Nikken table, giving them 5 axis machining and the ability to expand the work they’ve been doing making exhaust manifolds for companies like Caterpillar, Perkins and JCB.
The jobs at Kajul all require high rates of metal removal so they needed a really powerful machine to cope with the demand. The 2000XP has tackled that head on, impressing Karl in the process:
“Extra performance is what we get, and that’s what we really need. It makes us more efficient, higher metal removal rates, we’re looking at moving up to 220 cubic inches per hour of mild steel, and when you’re looking at big press tools you need to be removing that sort of material.”
Before the 2000XP, parts manufacture could be a bit of a drawn out process – with each job needing multiple set ups on a 3 axis machine. The Nikken table now means each job should be finished in one hit. And fewer set ups per job help achieve their goal of eliminating errors, as multiple sets means multiple opportunities to make a mistake. Karl is working towards a much smoother operation and is hopeful for on machine verification and inspection for each job. The 2m table gives Kajul the flexibility to take on larger 5 axis work, as Karl points out:
“…you can’t crack a big nut with a little hammer! You can do it the other way round, I think it’s always a wise decision to get plenty of space, plenty of capacity. So if you’re going to buy a 5 axis table, get a big one!”
High speed processing imperative for Kajul’s 3D work
A lot of the work at Kajul is 3D, particularly when they’re working on car body panels. One of their main requirements when choosing the 2000XP was that they needed high speed processing. They needed a high feed machine, with a high speed spindle and the 2000XP gave them that as well as a bigger working envelope. Karl explained how it all works at Kajul:
“We’re using WorkNC software. We’re generating all of our programmes offline, we transmit them across the company network straight in, via Ethernet, into the controller. What we’re looking for is good reader head on the controller and that’s it because everything’s 3D really.”
Kajul have a long history with Dugard machines
Kajul have a lot of Dugard machines, and that’s been working out very well for them since 2001. And it’s not just the machines, Karl is very impressed with the service he receives from Dugard, describing it as impeccable. It’s not just the technical assistance, but also the dedication and availability of the Dugard support team:
“I’ve been here, just walking out the door at half past five, something’s gone wrong, I’ve picked the phone up and the engineer has been here at 7:30 the next morning, which to me is fantastic ‘cause I don’t want to stare at a machine that’s not working waiting for an engineer. I want to stare at an engineer shaking my hand as he’s walking out the door having fixed my machine.”
Karl credits Dugard with giving them the right machine, at the right time for the right price and says, quite simply that they are:
“Good, honest, stable machines that do what they say they do.”
With such a glowing report we’d be excited to work with Kajul on all of their future jobs. If you would like more information on the Dugard 2000XP vertical machining centre, or have a new project you’d like to talk about, give us a call on 01273 732286 or email [email protected]