Southwestern Industries will feature its TRAK 2OP portable VMC at this year's Mfg4 show. "Designed for second operation machining, TRAK 2OP streamlines a shop's workflow by bringing an additional spindle quickly and easily to an operator idled by the cycle time of his or her primary machine," said a company spokesperson.
Like all Southwestern Industries products, TRAK 2OP utilizes ProtoTRAK CNC technology with conversational language programming. Programs can be generated either at the machine or remotely to perform tasks normally associated with second operation machining including: drilling, tapping, countersinking, face milling and the machining of profiles, pockets and bolt hole patterns.
Other TRAK 2OP standard features include an eight-station ATC, built-in Jergens ball locks that facilitate quick changeovers and a pallet jack. The latter is designed to allow a person to move the compact (2.5' x 4') TRAK 2OP to any desired shop location within minutes to improve workflow.
For example, a TRAK 2OP can be placed near a primary machine that is performing both primary and secondary operation machining. Once the TRAK 2OP is in place, the primary machine can be re-purposed to perform the primary operation while the TRAK 2OP can be dedicated to perform the less time consuming and less complex secondary operation. The operator who had been running the primary machine and had been idled by its long cycle time can be re-tasked with running both machines.
TRAK 2OP increases the ratio of spindle minutes/labor minutes, and also reduces part cycle times as the secondary operation may be done within the cycle time of the primary operation.
TRAK 2OP can also improve workflow by being moved to an area where the primary operation is accomplished by batch processing on a turning center and the secondary operation is accomplished by batch processing on a manual mill. Once the TRAK 2OP has been placed near the turning center, the operator can be re-tasked with running both machines (turning center primary operation/TRAK 2OP secondary operation). These changes not only provide the benefits listed in the previous example, they can also simplify the scheduling of parts through the shop floor.
For more information contact:
Bruce Meredith, Marketing
Southwestern Industries, Inc.
2615 Homestead Place
Rancho Dominguez, CA 90220
310-608-4422 / 800-421-6875
info@southwesternindustries.com
www.southwesternindustries.com
Mfg4 Booth 1351