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Re-Engineer and Conversion to CNC

Our Customer was wanting to replace their existing 3 Webster Bennett machines with one CNC machine as part of a stream lining process.  The aim was to do all the existing work on one machine by reducing set-up times and automating the processes.  A suitably sized none operational donor machine was found and a package proposed.

The 48" EV was a Hydraulic machine with feed controlled and powered by Hydraulic valves.  The 48EV has a 48 Inch Table and and Elevating Rail

The main issues with the donor machine were;

• The Hydraulics system could not produce and maintain pressure
• The Feed valves were leaking
• The Table gears could not all be selected
• The Table fell out of gear
• The Horizontal slide was worn and the geometries were poor
• The Vertical slide was worn and the geometries were poor
• The beam elevation jammed and was not reliable
• The Axis screws were worn
• The lubrication system was not effective
• The Machine was very noisy and generally worn out

The Project

The aim of the project was to provide a good quality, accurate and easy to use CNC machine.  The machine had to be easy to set-up so that the product programs that were developed and stored were quick to call up and fast production turnaround could be achieved.  The ability to develop and store programs for the specific products would allow the single machine to do the work of the existing 3 machines.  This also helped with future planning as the existing operator was planning retirement, the transition to CNC would allow him to develop the programmes for the products and ensure the knowledge of how to produce them was captured and retained for future operators.

The project included;

• Complete Strip down of the machine
• Returning the slides to the original accuracies
• Rebuild and refurbishment of the table bearing and rotational mechanics
• Removal of all the fault feed Hydraulics
• Removal of all the axis drive leadscrews, transfer boxes and associated mechanics
• Removal of all the faulty Table drive hydraulics
• New Hydraulic system for the Table gear selection
• CNC controlled automatic 12 range gear selection
• New Lubrication system
• Re-build Rail elevation mechanics
• New Vertical and Horizontal Ballscrews with re-Engineered mountings and drive systems
• New Servo motors and Drives for the Vertical and Horizontal axes
• Complete new Electrics - Compact and efficient design
• New Slide way covers
• New integrated Guarding system -
• New Fagor 8040T CNC control system
• New operator console safely outside the guarding with good visibility
• Centrally mounted table encoder for CSS (Constant surface speed)
• Full commissioning Factory Acceptance Testing in our Works
• Installation on our customers site
• Commissioning on site
• Operator Training
• Developing of program templates with the customer for their product range
• Technical support

 Design efficiency

The machine utilizes the Seymour E-SHOP, E-Turn philosophy.  The complete Re-Engineering of the machine to allow the exact specification of the customer to produce their unique products was essential.  The complete Mechatronic Re-Engineering of the machine ensured efficiency of design and implementation whilst meeting requirements and dealing with product specific issues and challenges were all balanced and accounted for throughout the project.