Production Turning of Complex Geometries to Within Microns
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American Micro Products maintains its competitive edge in the production of complex precision turned parts using rigidly constructed, high performance turning machines from the SPRINT series.
Over the last 60 years, American Micron Products from Batavia, Ohio has evolved from a one-man job shop to a full service manufacturer that offers its customers integral solutions from a single source. High-precision machining and assembly comprise the focus of the company’s service, which it offers to the fluid technology, aerospace, medical devices and engine and fuel systems sectors. Around 200 people are employed at the headquarters and another 100 in a subsidiary in China. Since 2003 the company has relied for its production on turning machines and compact machining centers from DMG MORI. The installed machines include a number of SPRINT lathes, a few multi-spindle automatic turning machines from the GMC series as well as a MILLTAP 700. The latest purchases, made in 2017, include six SPRINT 32 | 8 and a SPRINT 50.
“Strategic partnerships with our customers are important for us,” stresses Federico Veneziano, Chief Operating Officer at American Micro Products. “Close cooperation helps us to better understand the demanding projects. Being involved in the early phases of development means we can provide support for our customers in an advisory capacity and help with the development of optimum manufacturing solutions.” The team benefits equally from its many years of experience and from the state-of-the-art CNC equipment in which American Micro Products regularly invests.
24 / 7 production on automatic lathes from DMG MORI
Federico Veneziano regards innovative and reliable manufacturing equipment as vital for maintaining a competitive edge: “In DMG MORI we have found a supplier that builds advanced and highly productive machines.” The availability of the machines is also optimal thanks to the fast response times of its service team. A production stoppage would have far-reaching consequences for American Micro Products, because quantities can be anything up to a million parts per product line, which in turn can include 100 different variants. The company manufactured these large runs on production turning machines from DMG MORI. Models from the SPRINT series and the GMC multi-spindle automatic turning centers in particular dominate the shop floor. A glance at the range of parts clearly indicates the complicated tasks that the production turning machines from DMG MORI carry out at American Micro Products. Stainless steels and high-strength aerospace alloys are used routinely in production. Accuracy requirements are in the micron range. Thanks to their extensive milling capabilities both the SPRINT and the GMC models can machine the complex geometries. “We also have very short delivery times that we can only meet with highly productive machines.
Reliable machining of aerospace alloys to micron tolerances
The SPRINT 32 | 8 is one of the latest production turning machines to be used in production by American Micro Products. The team produces different fuel connectors on this machine. The cycle time for the complex workpieces made from an aerospace alloy is approx. 70 seconds. The permissible tolerance is just 0.00039 in. “A sturdy, high-performance machine is needed for such machining tasks,” explains lead operator Dustin Brewer. With its robust and widely-spaced linear guideways, the compact SPRINT 32 | 8 ensures the necessary rigidity. Federico Veneziano goes on to tell us: “In view of the high complexity of our parts, the versatility of the SPRINT 32 | 8 was also a key criterion.” Virtually all the machine’s features are used to produce the workpieces: the main spindle, counter-spindle and the driven tools, up to two of which can be in cut simultaneously. “The combination of stability, performance and flexibility is a decisive factor for ensuring reliable machining processes in the production of complex components made of materials that are difficult to machine.” The optimum chip fall in the working area also contributes to high process reliability. He also keeps his sights on the high degree of user-friendliness: “The SWISSTYPEkit enables a changeover time of 30 minutes from short to long parts turning while at the same time offering optimum ergonomics and access to all control features.”
Two separate work areas thanks to the patented TWIN concept
While the SPRINT 32|8 produces workpieces ordered by customers, American Micro Products uses the SPRINT 50 for a product it has developed itself, an hermetically sealed electric connector. The turret machine in the SPRINT series scores here with its robust design, which derives from its thermally its 3-point support. The liquid-cooled main and counter spindles guarantee maximum precision. “These workpieces also have maximum accuracy requirements,” says Federico Veneziano. Free chip fall into the vertical machine bed ensures a high level of process reliability. The patented TWIN concept of the SPRINT 50, which has been proven a thousand- times over, ensures maximum productivity: two separate work areas are created through the machine’s two turrets and the cross travel of the counter-spindle/tailstock combination. Investments in modern production equipment such as the SPRINT machines ensure we maintain our competitive edge,” claims Federico Veneziano. That is why he intends to continue with this strategy: “We have seen a few bad years, but the economic situation has now picked up enormously, so our order situation will certainly entail further investments.“
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