Nakamura WT series – unrivalled multi-tasking capabilities

Nakamura Tome WT series machines are twin-spindle, twin-turret turning centres that offer exceptional cutting power in a range from 15-30kW delivered through synchronised spindles.
The configuration of the upper and lower turret construction provides 4-axis machining capability as well as other combinations available on either spindle.  The opposed spindle layout also contributes significantly to cycle time reductions.

But don’t just take our word for it…

Adrian Day founded Gloucester based Adnet Precision Engineering in 1990 with the company specialising in the manufacture of ultra-high-quality components demanding high precision and finish. Customers include major companies in the fields of metrology, scientific instruments, aerospace, pharmaceuticals and food manufacture.
The company first moved into CNC machining around 18 years ago, investing in turning and machining centres and sliding head machines.
In the last couple of years it became clear to Mr Day that he needed to complement this sliding head capacity with a machine that could work on larger components and offer more milling and drilling power for materials such as stainless steels.
Adnet invested in an ETG supplied Nakamura-Tome WT150 twin spindle, twin turret turning centre which has a 65mm through-spindle bar capacity and can hold 12 driven tools in each of its turrets, with an additional driven tool machining power of up to 5.5kW.

Mr Day explains; “We had sliding head capacity up to 32mm, but that didn’t really give us the power to drill large holes in stainless. The Nakamura can take bar work up to 65mm and so it gives us a much larger capacity and is a much more powerful machine that will let us get turned and milled parts off in one operation.”

One component that has featured on the new machine is a disk-shaped component that is part of a piece of seismology equipment. At present this is made on the WT 150 using two turning operations and three milling operations, while also being engraved on the milling machines.
Another component is a turned and milled handle that is finish machined from bar in under 3 minutes.  Previously this would have to be scheduled across three different machines.

“We bought the Nakamura with an 8” chuck on the main spindle and a 6” chuck on the second spindle so we have the option of doing these disk-type components. We will turn, mill, face off and then do the other side – wrapping five operations in one. We can also be much more flexible on the twin-turret machine and the Y-axis allows us to machine off-centre holes,” he adds.

One of the first jobs done on the new machine was a knurled nut with a drilled and tapped hole through the side that is destined for the pharmaceutical industry. This is now being made in one from bar.
Adrian Day explains the benefits that have come from putting this on the WT150:

“The hole in the side was always a problem in the past as we had to put in a deburring operation and a polishing operation to remove the burrs on the internal bore. Now it is all done on the same machine we can simply re-machine the bore so there are no burrs – and we have eliminated an extra operation.
“With this new capacity we are now looking to take on more medium-volume, high-complexity work in demanding markets. With this new machine we are stepping up in size and stepping up in quality and precision,” he adds.