Investment in two CNC lathes has produced significant business benefits to a subcontractor including the winning of its first contract in the aerospace sector.

First investment in CNC machine tool technology creates solid platform for SB Engineering to take-off in manufacturing precision components for the aerospace sector. Leicester - based precision subcontract specialist - SB Engineering - has recently invested in two Hardinge 6/45-SV CNC lathes. The machines, both installed at the company's facility in November 2006, are the first CNC machines purchased by SB Engineering.

In only two months the machines are delivering significant business benefits to a company that has high ambitions and which, (owing to its recent machine tool investment), has just secured its first contract in the aerospace sector - machining complex high-precision titanium fasteners for aircraft wing sections.

SB Engineering is a family business run by three brothers - Sat Bhamra, Harj Bhamra and George Bhamra.

The company was first established in 1984 and was initially involved in machining parts and components for knitting machines.

To undertake this work the company invested in a range of manual machine tools - milling, turning and grinding, etc.

Whilst SB Engineering today still handles this type of general precision subcontract work - the company has raised its ambitions significantly - and sees its future in manufacturing complex, high precision components.

Said Sat Bhamra, director at SB Engineering: 'We have the skill, the commitment and now the technology to realise our ambitions.

The investment in Hardinge CNC technology is just the start.' He continued: 'We have made a real step change in the way we operate.

We knew we needed CNC capability and we chose Hardinge for two major reasons.

Firstly their machine tools, in terms of performance and price are second to none.

Secondly, they provided excellent pre-sales support - and their technical, applications and after-sales services cannot be faulted.' The aerospace contract won by SB Engineering is vindication of the company's machine tool investment programme and long term strategic aims.

The parts (titanium fasteners) manufactured on the Hardinge lathes vary in size and batch quantity.

Typically part dimensions can be from 5mm to 25mm - and quantities are required in hundreds or even thousands per week.

Both Hardinge lathes are used to make a complete finished part - and some 8 separate cutting operations are involved.

The first operations (on one of the Hardinge lathes) involve fine turning on the components back end - to remove the 'blue' oxidation layer on the titanium and to bring the part into tolerance - +/-0.001mm.

Secondary operations on the second Hardinge lathe involve drilling a small bore in the centre of the part - plus high precision chamfering and grooving operations.

Each part is completed (including set up) in 45 - 50s.

In addition to the Hardinge lathes - SB Engineering has also invested in inspection equipment to fulfil the demands of the aerospace sector - and is well on the way to achieving ISO:9001 (2000) certification.

Concluded Sat Bhamra: 'We are changing rapidly to ensure that we can exploit the business opportunities that exist in high-precision and high-growth sectors.

We have plans in the pipeline to relocate our business in the near future to a new and bigger site.

The investments we have made in Hardinge CNC machines will help us take on more profitable work - and will enable us to consolidate our position within the aerospace and other precision manufacturing sectors.' * About the Hardinge 6/45-SV lathe - the Hardinge Talent 6/45-SV lathe is a compact and rigidly constructed 2-axis machine.

It is equipped with a 15kW spindle drive (with Fanuc control) and includes a three-jaw power chuck as standard.

The machine also has an A2-5 (6,000 rev/min) spindle with 45mm through draw bar capacity.

Rotation time for the Talent's bi-directional 12-station VDI-30 turret is 1s (unclamp/index/clamp) to an adjacent station.

The non-rising turret index is achieved using a separate brushless servomotor and the turret positively locks into position using a three-piece curvic coupling.

Rapid traverse rates for the X and Z axes are an impressive 30m/min and maximum X-axis travel is 153mm and maximum Z-axis travel is 406mm.

The lathe has a ribbed 45 deg slant bed base that provides superior rigidity and durability.

All structural components and castings are qualified by finite element analysis (FEA)-a proven, highly-technical procedure that ensures a stiff, structurally-sound machine tool design.