Continuing its inward investment programme, Qualiturn Products has purchased yet another Miyano Turning Centre. The innovative subcontract machine shop has always kept one step ahead of the competition - and the Miyano BNJ-42SY is the next progressive step in the company's development. Implementing a strategy of innovative production techniques and high levels of quality through investment in CNC bar-fed lathes, the 7-Axis Miyano BNJ-42SY fits in well with Qualiturn's vision.

The Miyano BNJ-42SY will suit the subcontractor's 24 hour a day operation and will compliment the 16 Star sliding head turning centres already on site The sliding head lathes accommodate parts up to 32mm, so the company has purchased a Miyano BND-42S and BNJ-42S in the last four years to enable turning up to 42mm capacity.

The BND-42S and the BNJ-42S both boast 6 revolving tools and 12 tool turret stations that provide exceptional capability and reduced set-ups on a rigid machine base.

However, it is the new BNJ-42SY that will be the jewel in the crown with its Y-axis that offers vastly improved capabilities.

Qualiturn Director Mr Nick Groom comments: 'The Y-axis on the Miyano BNJ-42SY will give us the capability to conduct off-centre cross tapping and helical milling to name a few difficult tasks.

This will immediately enable us to bring more work in-house as opposed to subbing it out.

It will eliminate a lot of second operations on alternate machines thus improving productivity.' This is not the only advantage, as Mr Groom continues: 'The BNJ-42SY will enable us to quote for work that was either outside our scope or could not be produced in one-hit.

This new machine will change all that.' When looking for added capacity and capability, the Miyano was a straightforward choice as Mr Groom says: 'We researched the marketplace and the Miyano machines appeared to be a huge success wherever they were employed.

We were familiar with Macro CNC; and the capabilities of the Miyano's combined with the excellent service of Macro CNC were major contributors to our decision.

Another factor was the ease of use.

Our operators are familiar with the operating system of the Japanese Star machines we have.

Transferring this skill base to the Japanese Miyano machines was never an issue.

Our operators needed very little training!!' The Miyano will be used to manufacture anything from 5 to 10-offs to batches of 10,000+.

Working with a wide variety of materials including steels, aluminium and brass; material selection becomes a less expensive exercise due to the Miyano.

Mr Groom visited Miyano in Japan in late 2004 to witness the exceptional build quality of the Miyano brand and recalls: 'When I visited the Miyano manufacturing plants in Japan, the investment in developing innovative new products was immediately apparent as was the build quality.

It is this quality that gives the machines their robust and rigid nature that when combined with the high power will enable us to work with tougher materials at much improved metal removal rates.' The ISO registered manufacturer works with the demanding aerospace, electronics, military and medical industries and has little doubt that its new acquisition is guaranteed to be a huge success.