Truly responsive

Precision sheetmetal and machining specialist, Cube Manufacturing – part of the Bedfordshire/Hertfordshire-based Cube Group – has extended its subcontract manufacturing capabilities with the installation of a Haas TL-25 turning centre at its Dunstable site.

Incorporating C-axis/live tooling and sub-spindle capabilities, the new machine is also equipped with a toolsetting arm and a dedicated bar feeder capable of handling up to 76mm diameter stock.

“The investment not only enables us to streamline the production of turned parts for our sister company Cube Lighting, but also to extend our cost-effective subcontract services and offer faster delivery times,” says Cube Manufacturing's managing director, Dean White. “The purchase also demonstrates our ongoing commitment to developing our in-house capabilities, as well as the strength of our Group during some of the toughest trading conditions in a generation.”

Allowing a wide variety of close tolerance turned pasts to be produced in aluminium, brass, mild steel, stainless materials and engineering plastics, the new Haas turning centre allows Cube to extend its customer base beyond traditional sheetmetal based industries to target users in the general engineering, rotating equipment, hydraulics, agricultural, process, material handling and automation sectors.

The machine is also complemented by a One CNC offline programming system and the company's existing SolidWorks CAD installation, enabling fast machine changeovers and program prove out.

“We are therefore able to provide a responsive, all encompassing service covering design, prototyping and manufacture of both sheetmetal and machined products, as well as undertake regular build-to-print work – all with the option of electronic data transfer of 3D component models,” adds Mr White.

The decision to specify the Haas equipment followed a rigorous evaluation of several machine tool suppliers.
“It has certainly proved to be the right choice,” continues Cube's machine shop CNC section leader, Tony de Angelis. “Haas engineers gave us excellent support throughout the machine's installation and commissioning. In addition, the TL-25's accuracy, repeatability and throughput have helped us to achieve very competitive charge out rates, which are already attracting high levels of customer interest.

“The capability to run lights out also offers us additional capacity, although if demand continues to grow at its current rate, we may need to invest in a second machine sooner than we expect.”

Cube Manufacturing
www.cubemanufacturing.com