Narrowing the skills gap

Inca Geometric, a specialist engineering and subcontract machinist, has committed over £500,000 for re-investment in new machine tools that will initially create five skilled CNC programmer/operator

positions within the Canterbury, Kent-based company.

The first installation of a £300,000 Dugard Eagle HMB-4 horizontal borer has been completed to satisfy a recent contract for the long-term supply of valve bodies and a range of complex military components. The components were initially produced on existing boring machines installed at the 16,000 ft² factory. With the new machine installation and further contract-winning potential, Inca has an immediate need for additional skilled machinists.

Inca Geometric's joint managing directors, sister and brother Ann and Mike Cain have embarked on the investment programme in response to a significant rise in the demand for subcontract machining. This has occurred as Inca has progressively diversified from its specialist machine tool, engineering and tooling operation to capitalise on design, application, machining and build skills.

While the previous core business is still very active, some 200% growth in orders largely from new customers in marine, defence, power generation, gaming, food and mechanical handling has led to the upgrading of production areas. Recent contracts have included components as small as miniature ball stops to the machining of generator frames 6m by 2m.

Says Mike Cain: “The Eagle HMB-4 is a high specification machine that will enable us to multiple load pallets of smaller parts or produce single complex components up to the working strokes of 2,200mm in X and 1,600mm in Y and Z. The 110mm quill diameter provides a W-axis of 550mm over the 1,200mm by 1,500mm, five tonne capacity table.”

Controlled via Heidenhain's high specification iTNC530 CNC unit married to its high accuracy glass scales for positioning, the table is also able to rotate at up to 200rpm. This capability enables the single cycle turning/milling/drilling of features such as registers, faces and bores.

Ann Cain adds: “The ability to run unmanned over long cycles was an important factor in selecting this machine. Even though it was a recent installation it has already saved up to 60% on machining times compared to previous horizontal boring and machining centre methods which were all very skill dependent.”

To ensure tolerances are held on the type of work being undertaken, the 22 tonne HBM-4 has a temperature controlled spindle, on board Renishaw tool and in-process probing. With a 60 tool magazine supplying the 30kW spindle, which has through coolant supply at 20 bar, Inca Geometric has established a flexible machining facility to achieve continuous production of multi-featured components.
Inca Geometric was originally established in north London in 1956 by the Cain's father Geoff to design and produce multi-drill heads. A move to Kent in 1962 initiated subcontract machining for an automotive pump manufacturer that led to retooling of special purpose rotary and inline machine tools. By the late 60s, Inca was building its own special purpose equipment and test rigs many of which are still in production around the world including 17 machines in the Korean automotive industry.

Inca Geometric
www.incageometric.com

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