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A51nx's and MMC

Seekins

Stainless
Joined
Jan 10, 2005
Location
Lewiston ID
Our trip to Makino went very well. we were very impressed how everything is done there and the machines definitely are not lacking. I'm sure we will find something cause im picky, but the new horizontals really look like they are meant to run forever and easily be serviced. Allot of things on them just make sense where others just "stuck it on" because the design called for it. Something as simple as a very good float for the coolant level and how easy it is to get to the grease pack, oil and air system. We have always had issues with aluminum chips, but i see that as days of the past.

After running production on horizontals for a while i sure wish i could have gotten these sooner. 11 pallet pool machines are heads and tails better than 2 pallets and they were a great stepping stone and learning curve (and allot less money so doable then). We have a new facility being built and after much consideration its just a good chance to start over. The MMC will allow me or Makino to remote in if we have any issues and everything will integrate well with other PC's, something i have not been super successful with. We also did away with the NC4 laser and went to a integrated tool presetter and tool breakage inside the tool magazine. The first of 2 A51nx's is sitting in the parking lot waiting on the riggers to unload in the AM. The other machine and complete 36 pallet MMC delivers Dec 15. Getting the one early will let us get all the programs we are moving over proofed out, start building fixtures, tombstones and getting ready for integration. I will have extra pallets, but we have been on the "wish i would have" side long enough so a few extra for capacity wont hurt my feelings too much.

MMC is 3 level, 18 pallets per machine. getting 2 machines to start with and 2 loading stations then just plugging more machines (and 18 more pallets) in as needed . The machines are pretty loaded with options, full fourth, probe, tool breakage, fastest look ahead makino offers, lots of program storage, some other things i cant remember and 219 tools. Pretty excited to get them going and into our new shop. Going from 7000 sqft to 26,000 will get me and everyone else our own office, inspection room and lots of room to just spread out a bit.
 
Thank you, its been quite the learning experience.. I remember looking at notes i wrote down on how to turn on (a borrowed) VF2, set offsets and square a vise (prior to the mini mill) and making my first parts that night :)
 
MMC is some kind of pallet pool system? Can pallets move from machine to machine as job flow requires?

Anyway, sounds like a well thought out investment, good luck and all that.
 
I've chatted with at least one living human owner of such a sytem (DMG + fastems -> similar concept albeit it full on 5 axis) - he reported that once sorted, it was a huge cost saver. As in run unattended all weekend. Parts are large high value weldments that get quite a bit of machining. I suppose he could have given me bull, but I don't think he'd have any reason to. Hopefully you will come to a similar result Seekins.
 
Glen, congratulations on the new building and new horizontals. The decision for a Makino cell cannot be wrong...you just cannot have too good of a machine! In my opinion, Makino reins as the high volume horizontal guys, so once up and running, you should have exception throughput, and no change over time!

Again, Congrats!

Steve
 
Excellent!! You are going to have to keep us posted as this developes.

When you say "Our trip to Makino went well", did you go to Mason or Tokyo? Just asking because I got to tour the 3 Makino plants in Japan in Febuary. Not bragging (well, maybe a little) but it was an awsome trip.
 
Congrats on the new shop! How many different part numbers will you typically be running on your system?

Do you offer shop tours?
 
Dont forget the pics indeed!

Is the MMC feature just a pallet loading system or does it also offer data output features like machine monitoring spindle usages, tool breakage, etc?

Im not familiar with these systems. Is it something like telling the computer:

Pallet 1 - Job 1
Pallet 2 - Job 2
etc

Job 1 can run on machine 1, 2, 3
Job 2 can run on machine 1, 3
Job 3 can run on machine 2
etc
based on tooling in the machines

Then the MMC software automatically schedules and loads the machines based on maximizing spindle usage in a day or 12hr or whatnot?
 
tank, We went to Mason. Japan is too far for me, they might not let me back in :)

Im not sure exactly how many part numbers we will run on the horizontals. All depends on time. We run as much as we can on them. Initially it will be setup with 5 product families and 35-40 part numbers. Most likely use approx 20 pallets initially.

We don't offer tours, but have been known to show customers around the shop a bit. Nothing is really a secret but we have our own way to fixture parts that i don't share and have some parts that we cant share :)

The MMC is its own critter. Basically a computer controls the pallet system and schedules pallets to whatever machine is available next. it has all kinds of reports and data. its a windows ran program so lots is possible
 
Instal is going pretty smoothe. I should have some pics shortly. The layout on this seems so well thought out. I hope the same approach was taken on the control. I'm used to 31i's but the pro5 looks like its going to be very intuitive to learn.

They are digging footings tomarrow on the new place! The steel building arrives Monday on 3 trucks :)
 
Lol oh it's happening! Got the go fast software installed Friday and probe should be finished tomorrow. Then we start making tombstone bases and tombstones. all 36 of them :) the hard part is figuring out how may tombstones of what product to setup so it won't ever shut off!

Footings for the shop are poured and the floor next week. Sitting on 1500' of bedrock. Couldn't have picked a more stable spot :)

I'll post pics when chips fly..
 
Did you buy the 18 pallet MMC right off the floor in Mason? If you have any questions feel free to post them during it's install, I'd be interested to hear about the quality and knowlege of the tech's installing your new Cell.
 








 
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