Industry first

With a capacity of 3,400mm in X, 3,400mm in Y and 2,000mm in Z this machine has four pallets, is capable of handling workpieces of 16 tons, has a rapid traverse rate of 60m/minute and a tool magazine holding 180 tools each of which can weigh up to 30kg.

James Tucker, managing director of Dynamatic UK says: “The versatility of this machine in the manufacture of complex parts in aluminium alloy, steel and titanium alloy fits well into our existing machine pool. The machine will help us to serve our existing and new customers and deliver larger and much more challenging parts.”

Started in the 1970s, the Dynamatic Technologies Group comprises companies specialising in the hydraulics, automotive and aerospace industry sectors. For the aerospace industry, Dynamatic-Oldland Aerospace has four manufacturing plants Bristol and Swindon in the UK and Bangalore and Nashik in India.

The company supplies aerostructures and assemblies for the fuselage and wings directly to aerospace primes including Airbus, Boeing, Bell Helicopter and Hindustan Aeronautics. It is also an Airbus Centre of Excellence for Flap Track Beams and is reported to be the only company in India to be a single source supplier.

Dynamatic produces two variants, one for the A320, manufacturing around 50 sets per month and the other for the A330 at eight sets per month.

Ajay Gururaj, project manager at Dynamatic-Oldland Aerospace says, “We have a very good relationship with DMG Mori. The quality of the German manufactured machines is exceptional and the combination of precision and high speed they deliver is a capability which is difficult to find.

“Reliability is good with hardly any downtime, whilst both service and spares are delivered very efficiently. Local support is available in the UK and in Bangalore where we can have access to telephone support or, if necessary, an engineer can be onsite in two hours. Because of the cost of the DMC 340 U RS4 the support we get will be a key factor as we will need to keep the machine running.”

For Dynamatic-Oldland Aerospace the size of the machine and the number of pallets was an important factor. The large bed size enables it to machine larger parts, while the four pallets make it possible to run the machine unmanned. With the four pallet arrangement on the DMC 340 U RS4, parts can be set while the machine is running and complete components can be produced in one cycle cutting one side of the component in one fixture and the other side in a second fixture.

Additionally, the arrangement gives more flexibility allowing unmanned machining overnight and the ability to choose the order in which parts are run. If the company had chosen a single or dual pallet machine, two to four hour set-up times would have resulted in significant idle time and much less flexibility.

Already the company has sufficient work to fill the capacity of the new DMC 340 U RS4, where parts are cut to a tolerance of 50-60µm, well within the capabilities of the machine. However it also sees an opportunity to broaden its horizons with engine and landing gear parts where tolerances are 15-20µm, which are also easily achievable.

Mr Gururaj adds: “We get involved in projects at an early stage with a nine to 18 month cycle of industrialising and optimising for cost effective manufacture. During this phase we develop special tools and strategies and identify machines, for delivery in nine to 12 months, necessary to solve complex problems. Because of the scale of our operation we are able to plan well ahead as we are dedicated to longer term contracts from a minimum of five years to the life of the product. We have a strategy for investing in capital equipment and manufacturing in the UK as the cost of money is low and we are close to our market here.”

Steve Finn, managing director of DMG Mori UK adds: “The quality of our machines and the aftersales service we can offer are clearly crucial to the high value manufacturing ethos of Dynamatic-Oldland Aerospace.

“Investing in the DMC 340 U RS4 will give the company a very significant advantage in its marketplace enabling it to offer a unique service to its customers. We are delighted that it has chosen to work closely with us both in the UK and India and we look forward to continuing and expanding our collaboration.”

DMG Mori www.dmgmori.com

Dynamatic-Oldland Aerospace www.dynamatics.com/daero.shtml