en.Wedoany.com Reported - Ram Reman, a hydraulic equipment manufacturing and refurbishment company based in West Moors, Dorset, UK, has invested in an XYZ 320 LTY turning center to machine high-precision complex parts within shorter production cycles. The company reports that the equipment has halved the machining time for a large stainless steel component compared to its previous machine tools.

Founded as a family business and joining the Rotec Group in 2015, Ram Reman has provided design, manufacturing, repair, and machining services to the hydraulic industry for over 30 years, serving sectors including defense, maritime, aerospace, and utilities. The manufacturing of components such as cylinders, manifolds, fittings, and end caps has always been core to the company. These parts were previously produced using a range of manual and CNC machine tools, including a manual lathe with a 6-meter center distance, an XYZ SLX 425 x 2m lathe, and an XYZ RMX5000 bed-type milling machine with an X-axis travel of 1500mm. As production pressure increased, the company needed to accomplish more work with fewer resources and reduce costs.

Tony Foster, Technical Manager at Ram Reman, stated that the company manufactures many parts requiring mill-turn machining. While existing capacity could handle the workload, a solution was needed to reduce manufacturing costs by minimizing setup times and freeing up other machines for more suitable tasks. Following regular visits from Russell Bedford, XYZ's Regional Sales Manager for Dorset, the company decided to purchase the XYZ 320 LTY. Foster noted that the machine offers a 78mm bar capacity, a maximum turning diameter of 320mm, a spindle speed exceeding the existing 3300 rev/min, and a 32kW (43 hp) spindle motor. Additionally, the advantages of driven tooling and a Y-axis travel of 100mm help accelerate production. After receiving the quotation, the company purchased the machine.

Since joining the Rotec Hydraulics Group, demand for parts manufactured by Ram Reman has increased, with some requirements not directly related to fluid control. Foster stated that since installing the 320 LTY, there has been a significant improvement in the speed and flexibility of part manufacturing. For example, the machining time for a large stainless steel component has been halved compared to the previous machine tool. Spindle power is a key factor, while the 12-station VDI turret allows tool changes without operator intervention, and tool calibration is faster thanks to a Renishaw tool setter arm mounted on the machine. Foster concluded that speed and performance are just two benefits of the investment; the company can now also rethink the manufacturing of parts such as scroll lines on end caps. Traditionally, machining end faces via "thread turning" was limited by cutting depth, but now, if needed, scroll lines can be milled without depth limitations. This investment has created opportunities for the company to improve efficiency and capacity, gradually enhancing its competitiveness with the help of XYZ.