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Wednesday, 23 December 2015

No win without a winning team

For multinational corporations or SMEs, the key is always teamwork, strategic vision and persistence.
Like in the case of Merletti Aerospace and Breton's Matrix 1000
(by Paolo Beducci - M&A Meccanica e Automazioni)



Among the classic profiles of Italian family-run businesses we believe some events are more Italian than others, because certain affairs are a more accurate reflection of typical Italian business practice, the will to succeed and the resilience, meaning the ability to adapt to different situations and make positive changes in the organisation when facing challenges.

Incorporated in 1972 by Gianluigi Merletti and his wife Narcisa, Merletti Aerospace was founded under the name of Meccanica Merletti, a general mechanical engineering contractor dedicated to the production of limited series with high value in terms of the exceptional quality of the machining work. 
It's worth noting that Merletti operates in a high-tech industrial district: the Varese industrial area, specifically Arsago Seprio, where the majority of Italian aeronautical companies have their headquarters. It should come as no surprise to learn that Varese is known locally as the " the province with wings” (provincia con le ali)


AgustaWestland and AleniaAermacchifor example, are just two names in a long list of companies whose presence has led to the emergence of a high value added industrial settlement. 
From its beginnings, Merletti achieved recognition for its exceptional operational competences and its ability to interact, directly or indirectly, with large industrial concerns, including several companies active in the aeronautical and aerospace industry.

Arrival of the second generation
In the mid-1990s the Merletti husband and wife team realised they needed to address two types of problems. The first concerned the technological strength of the company, while the second was related to the ability to prepare the family business for a future that would no longer be constrained by the need for the active participation of the two founding partners. 
The solution adopted by Gianluigi and Narcisa was to bring their two children (Ruggero and Sabrina) into the business and simultaneously launch an investment plan aimed at modernising the company's capital equipment. 
At that time NC machine tools were making their presence felt (also in smaller companies), resulting in a technological paradigm shift of revolutionary proportions

The era of highly skilled lathe and milling machine operators was drawing to a close, giving way to the era of machining tolerances of tenths or hundredths of a millimetre and ultimately, microns
Despite being born and raised in a family focused in high precision mechanical engineering operations, Ruggero and Sabrina had followed different career paths that were far removed from the vocation of their parents. The Merletti husband and wife had now started to plan the introduction of a significant new aspect that was proving extremely successful in terms of the times and results. 
Having always focused on Quality in all its operations, Merletti was among the very first small companies to secure EN ISO 9001 certification in 1995, going on to obtain certification in compliance with EN 9100 in 2006.
In the words of Ruggero Merletti – whose role in the family business is to run the Engineering Department and handle technical management – "One of the most significant aspects of our strategy was that at that time many of our customers lacked our qualifications and certifications, either in-house or in their supply chains, so we were perfectly placed to provide the support they needed. In certain cases our company was more highly qualified than the customers we were serving".

Aerospace becomes the core business
The gradual but increasingly massive shift towards the industry that would lead to the company name being changed to Merletti Aerospace, slowly led the Arsago Seprio-based company to focus its operations on increasingly specialised production activities and high-end materials. At this time, the company started working increasingly with special materials such as aluminium alloys, Inconel, high-tensile steels and titanium: all of which, for different and even opposite reasons, call for advanced levels of production expertise
Apart from the materials, following a trend that was gaining ascendancy also in the aeronautical industry, over the years Merletti Aerospace specialised in high level machining operations and also in the production of mechanical parts with a range of processes from the procurement of raw materials to heat treatments, construction and dimensional checks, galvanic treatments, surface coatings and assembly of mechanical units and sub-assemblies. 
The entire process also involves the design and construction of machinery for the production of aircraft parts and equipment, completing the offering with full verticalisation of sub-assemblies, including assembly and testing procedures. The result is a fully-developed industrial system that boasts exceptional levels of know-how and skills.
In this panorama, the company clearly needed a design department and machining operations of a level that is greatly superior to the norm. The company's resources comprised a dozen 4- and 5-axis machining centres plus CNC lathes and multitasking machines capable of working with very large size parts for the aerospace industry.
Ruggero Merletti explains, “I believe a company needs to evolve constantly, changing and growing wherever possible
As soon you relax and start to enjoy the results already achieved, hard-won market positions start to recede. And in a market like ours, which is among the most competitive in existence today, this requirement becomes an absolute must. That's why we decided to make new investments aimed at growing the business, and in our case it was literally a question of growing, having decided to acquire a machining centre capable of working with larger size parts. This decision was aimed at gaining a foothold in a new market area in terms of dimensional characteristics


A new push towards the future
Essentially this meant identifying and purchasing a gantry machining centre capable of working on very large parts
It was no chance that we decided to opt for a Matrix 1000 by Breton, with axis strokes of 3000x6000x1000mm. 
In practical terms, this decision allows us to tap into new possibilities, especially in the production of structural components, working with high precision on five continuous interpolated axes in order to perform 3D machining operations: basic requirements that are not easily fulfilled by manufacturers of high-end machine tools.

“The best path to follow was to draft a set of specifications – explains Merletti – and then perform a field evaluation of the compatible machines available for purchase. I have to admit that our specifications were highly demanding and difficult for any machine tools manufacturer to meet. After performing an internal selection to narrow the field of potential suppliers, we were left with just four companies, to which we submitted our requests. 
And it didn't end there... the specifications also called for field trials and specific guarantees in terms of presence and assistance – both for the choice and installation of the machine and also during routine machining operations. We awarded a score to each machine and each company, together with assessments ranging from the characteristics of the machines to their presence on the market, the number installed machines and numerous additional factors." 

The solution is Matrix
"We performed a workpiece test. 
The results obtained were all fairly satisfactory, but in relation to certain points Breton was a step ahead of the rest with respect to our requirements. From the  vacuum system to the chip removal equipment – critically important when working with high material removal rates per unit time – up to the electrospindle which, in the case of Breton, offers a power rating of 70kW and maximum rotation speed of 28,000 rpm.” 
Merletti continues "Over the years Breton has developed a preferential path, with collaboration with one of the top electrospindle manufacturers right from the design stage, thus providing our company with a further guarantee that we would be getting a machine tool that is entirely representative of the state of the art.”

One of the first aspects visible when analysing the Matrix 1000/2TK60 Dynamic is the extremely comprehensive enclosure system, an important requirement when working with materials that are difficult not merely in terms of machining work but also in relation to the management of processing residues. The vacuum system is an integral part of the machine, which is also equipped with a 180-position tool magazine. Given the solution adopted, it's clear that Merletti covered all the bases when selecting their new machining centre!
However, that's what it takes if a company plans to keep one... or even two steps ahead of increasingly fierce competition – competition that is starting to feel the effects of the arrival of newcomers from low-cost countries operating in the lower and less remunerative end of the market.

Ruggero Merletti concludes “While we were impressed by the performance of the machine, we realised we'd chosen well once we started the procedure to install the Matrix. Apart from the fact that rather than a simple machine tool we were dealing with an authentic plant presenting a series of complexities also in the installation stage, I was impressed by the fact that Breton's technicians followed the process step by step, displaying a level of dedication that was invaluable for our company. 
The attention we received went well beyond our expectations, including the constant presence of Breton personnel during construction of the foundations, painstaking attention devoted to details, and the maximum availability throughout the process
And the assistance was provided by a youthful and dynamic team who displayed great dedication and passion for their work, as clearly reflected in every activity and in the way they went about each task.
It seems to me that apart from offering truly exceptional products, Breton understand that it takes a perfectly coordinated team to win the race”.

For INFO and request about 5-axis machining centre Matrix 1000 Dynamic write now to mail@breton.it
Well, that’s all for today. 
Bye-bye
Sergio Prior

Friday, 4 December 2015

A suite for 5 axes

BRETON, MANUFACTURER OF 5-AXIS MACHINING CENTERS, PROMOTES THE INNOVATIVE BRETONGEAR SUITE TECHNOLOGY, A VERTICAL SOFTWARE PACKAGE FOR THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF GEARS
Cogwheel for wind turbine
The world engineering market is constantly evolving, and the gears sector follows the same trend. Modern gear manufacturers require machines that are accurate, versatile and user friendly to compete in a market in which production lot sizes are shrinking, and in which production requirements can change abruptly.
                                                                      
Traditional processes (with gear cutting machines) have some significant limitations, concerning product design, prototyping and manufacturing phases. They remain competitive only for high production volumes, but are unsuitable for producing prototypes and small lots (typical of large gears from 500 mm to 3,500 mm in size) as the tools are very expensive, have long procurement lead times and the geometric tooth finishing process is normally very long. It is in this niche that the commercial 5-axis milling machine shows its effectiveness.


Thanks to a partnership with KISSsoft - world leader in developing computation software for the mechanical engineering industry - together with decades of experience in manufacturing numerically controlled machine tools, Breton has developed BretonGear Suite, a vertical software package (BretonGear CAD and BretonGear CAM) developed in synergy with the machine tool for designing and manufacturing gears.

Starting from the very high accuracy of the surfaces generated in KISSsoft, the designer now has a freedom in defining the tooth geometries never seen before with traditional methods. With the BretonGear CAD application (using the CAD Rhinoceros engine) it is possible, in bevel helical teeth for example, to machine the relief groove at the tooth root in the same way as it is created using hobbing cutters with protuberance on cylindrical teeth. Or making topological changes to distort the surface itself, moving the contact area between mating teeth, which is key in reverse engineering.
Double-helical pinion for excavator

Once the gear geometry has been defined, you can pass to the BretonGear CAM environment, available in both the PC and the touch screen version installed on-board the machine, which through an integrated approach can guide the operator in selecting tools and defining cutting strategies. Today, in version 2.1 with an even more intuitive interface and with a tool library that now, for the first time, includes side cutters as well as the more generic cylindrical, toric and spherical end cutters.

This innovation introduces a further degree of versatility to the cutting methods available, resulting in considerable time savings when machining gear wheels with straight or helical teeth. Side cutters can be of two types: shaped (where the tool defines the shape of the tooth), or the more common variety, straight sided, where the machine creates the shape of the tooth by envelopment. All of this can be viewed by the operator through real-time simulations, offering him complete control over the cutting strategies, thereby eliminating the need for the dedicated CAM office required in other specialised sectors such as aerospace.


BretonCAM accompanies the operator throughout the cutting process with dedicated applications even after the gear has been case-hardened. Careful management of the excess metal and a best fit function that determines the piece’s ideal position within the machine with a measuring cycle before and after hardening, limits the distortion that follows heat treatments. In addition, the T.A.O. (Tooth Accuracy Optimizer) algorithm calculates the tooth cutting order to distribute the tool wear and improve the accuracy of the tooth. These technical solutions are the result of research and development in the field alongside experts in the gear sector.


So far we have only talked of 5-axis gear cutting using commercial milling machines, which is competitive compared to the traditional bevel gear cutting methods for more than 5 modules and diameters greater than 300 mm. 
For smaller numbers of modules and diameters, face milling strategies are more effective. The basic difference between the two lies in the fact that, in the face milling method, the profile of the tooth is created by the synergy between the machine’s movements and dedicated shape of the cutter
Breton Ultrix with “face milling”

Traditional CAM software is not able to simulate this delicate interaction between the machine and the cutter. For this reason, Breton has undertaken a collaboration with HyGEARS, developer of a powerful gear design and analysis software.
Through an interface designed together with Breton, HyGEARS replicates the movements of a conventional gear cutting machine. 
The result? A considerable reduction in cutting times. A case study conducted on the same bevel gear cut using both methods found execution times four times shorted (25 mins against 100 mins),  ideal for medium sized lots.


Of course, developments in the world of 5-axis gear cutting are not just limited to software but also hardware. Breton has optimised its range of machines with an emphasis on monoblock models ULTRIX and XCEEDER, now equipped with trunnion tables with a central hole which allows machining pinions up to a maximum length of 850mm and shank diameter of 220mm (until now a limit for this kind of machine), and FLYMILL and MAXIMA gantry models that can machine gears with diameters up to 3500mm.
For INFO and request about Breton machine for gear production, write now to mail@breton.it
Well, that’s all for today. 
Bye-bye
Sergio Prior

(Software KISSsoft, Rhinoceros and HyGEARS are trade mark ®)

Monday, 23 November 2015

HIGH SPEED PRECISION with Breton MATRIX 1000 DYNAMIC vertical machining centre

Breton has chosen to install the high-end HEIDENHAIN TNC 640 numerical control on the renewed versions of the Breton Matrix Dynamic 5-axis machining centres.
(By Claudia Pirotta - TECNE' )

In this edition of EMO 2015, Matrix, the 5-axis continuous high speed machining centre manufactured by Breton is presented to the public for the first time in the renewed version equipped with the HEIDENHAIN TNC 640 numerical control.  


In fact, at the stand you can admire a Matrix 1000 K60 Dynamic equipped with HEIDENHAIN TNC 640 numerical control. 
The operating dynamics (acceleration and movement) of the machining centre manufactured by Breton has always been one of the strong points of this family of machines dedicated to milling medium and large parts from steel, aluminium, composite materials or resin. 

On the improved Matrix Dynamic version, Breton has chosen to install the HEIDENHAIN TNC 640 numerical control for the first time, offering further a performance improvement in terms of chip removal and milling quality.
INCREASED EFFICIENCY
Three years after its launch, the TNC 640 control is now a consolidated product for combined milling and turning applications, and it has the right characteristics to serve the range of machine tools manufactured by Breton. Fast block processing, short control loop cycle time, smooth motion that ensures an accuracy not commonly found in machined surfaces and, not least, fast data transfer distinguish HEIDENHAIN control for High Speed applications. 

In particular, the ADP function, which calculates the maximum feed rate in advance, has been further enhanced in the TNC 640 giving it a strong “look ahead”, with enhanced block reading that allows the machining path to be adjusted in order to optimise it for the 5 axes in terms of machining time and surface quality. 

Tests conducted in Italy have given significant results, confirming that the TNC 640 is specialised for 5-axis machining control. The programmer, in collaboration with the creator of the CAM program, is given the opportunity to decide the most appropriate way to manage and set up the machining. 

The HEIDENHAIN TNC 640 offers even greater opportunities to improve the machining results compared to the iTNC 530. With suitable modifications, tests have shown, a 10% efficiency increase under "normal" work conditions, that is, without taking the machine to its limit.

UNCOMMON PRODUCTION
Breton’s reference target in the machine tools sector is to build “tailored” machines intended for manufacturing high quality, high technology products, generally in small lots. Strong customisation is one of the company's distinctive features: starting from the catalogue range, Breton customises the machines to adapt them to their customers’ production needs. 
In the machine tools field, the company has concentrated on the continuous 5-axis high speed machining centres for the die manufacturing, aerospace and racing sectors. Fields for which machining of materials such as aluminium, special alloys, titanium and composites is required, sometimes with uncommon profiles (just think of the prototypes), characterised by very high surface quality, maximum respect of the design tolerances and first class finishing. 
In recent years, Breton has also paved the way towards gearing, a very delicate niche sector. Large gears, small lots, prototypes or special spare parts that cannot be made conveniently with traditional machines: any of Breton’s 5-axis centres is able to manufacture these parts.


When the finished product requires high technology and surface quality, the HEIDENHAIN TNC 640 control proves to be a winning choice because it enhances the HSC precision machining of the 5 continuous axes. Like all the Breton machines, Matrix has a vertical portal gantry structure, which optimised the machine’s footprint and ensures high precision over the axes’ full travel, thanks to the neutrality of the RAM configuration. Moreover, the vertical configuration aids chip removal and makes access to the work area safe and immediate.

All the heads are developed internally and are integrated with various motor spindles with innovative solutions developed by Breton in collaboration with its suppliers, with various powers and rotation speeds, suitable for machining different materials. 
In particular, the machine on display is equipped with a very high speed spindle, with a nominal power of 70kW, which guarantees a constant machining torque up to 10,000rpm (see graph). This innovative solution guarantees excellent chip removal in the aluminium and aerospaces sectors, embracing the HSM philosophy in full.

The machine has been developed to ensure machining of the highest quality, starting from the spindle and the high-speed milling concept. All the motors in the Matrix have thermostats to limit the heat dissipation. Carefully combining and manually fitting the individual parts that make up the machine cancels structural deformation caused by temperature variations. The bridge travels on columns and guideways filled with Metalquartz®, a compound of resin and aggregate developed by the Breton research centre, that damps the vibrations and helps stabilise the structure.

The build characteristics of the Matrix Dynamic, together with the power of a control like the TNC 640 ensure the machine has better HSM machining performance, offering a valuable instrument to all those working in this sector.

For INFO and request about Breton MATRIX 1000 Dynamic, write now to mail@breton.it
Well, that’s all for today. 
Bye-bye
Sergio Prior

Monday, 9 November 2015

Listen up some brief video interviews of our Area Manager illustrating the strengths of the exposed Breton machines at EMO 2015

Hello, everybody,

If you haven’t visited Breton booth during the last EMO in Milan, listen up some  brief video interviews of our Area Manager illustrating the strengths of the exposed Breton equipment.
Enjoy it!




For INFO and request about our Breton vertical machining centres, write now to mail@breton.it
Well, that’s all for today. 
Bye-bye
Sergio Prior

Thursday, 24 September 2015

Breton virtual tour, visit our company.


Do you want to do a virtual tour inside Breton?

Click on this link >>: Breton dept.  

You can move in our departments clicking on the arrows..

Good vision.
See you soon.
Sergio Prior

Friday, 11 September 2015

Breton launches Matrix 1000 and Ultrix 1000 at EMO 2015 in Milan

Good morning,

Our solutions for your success: we look forward to seeing you at the exhibition EMO 2015, in Milan (Italy), from 5 to 10 October
[Hall 1 - Stand D 19].


Come and see closely the two Breton's CNC machining centres:
MATRIX 1000 K60 DY and ULTRIX 1000 RT HD.


BRETON MATRIX 1000 K60 DY
The perfect solution for aerospace industry. A 5-axis high-speed machining centre for milling large-size aluminium components equipped with an electrospindle that can machine workpieces up to 6 meters in length (removal capacity: 11000 cm3/min). 
Click on the image to read more. 


BRETON ULTRIX 1000 RT HD
Are you looking for a machining centre that combines milling and turning? 
Your solution is ULTRIX 1000 RT HD, the multitasking machine for working superalloys, steel, aluminium and composite materials, already chosen by first-class energy, aerospace and gear industries. 
Click on the image to read more. 

Well, that’s all for today. 
Bye-bye
Sergio Prior

Monday, 31 August 2015

New partnership for Breton in USA

In March 2015, Selway Machine Tool Co. became Breton’s new sales & service agency for the territories of California, Washington State, Oregon and Nevada.

Selway is one of the largest providers of CNC machining centres of the West Coast, and works daily with the biggest aerospace, automotive, semiconductors, power generation, and general industries.

SELWAY MACHINE TOOL
With 110 employees; which includes 56 service and application engineers and 2 Siemens CNC specialists, Selway is giving a great support to Breton USA to expand their presence in the american market

WESTEC 2015
Selway will be joining the Breton Team in Los Angeles, CA for the Westec trade show, the West Coast’s premier manufacturing exhibition.

So, if you want to have access to advanced technologies, new products, applications, and especially meet the industry experts, save the date and join Breton USA from September 15-17, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, in California, booth #624!
Bye-bye
Sergio Prior

Tuesday, 25 August 2015

Breton Matrix 800 - Interpolated 5-axis high-speed machining centre for milling steel, aluminium, composite materials and resin

Pure flexibility

High-speed precision machining centre for milling complex three-dimensional work-pieces that require accurate machining and continuous axis interpolation. Matrix 800 is the ideal solution to satisfy production requirements in the aerospace and automotive, toolmaking and design industries.


Easy access and perfect visibility
Matrix 800 allows optimal accessibility and visibility of the working area thanks to its large front doors and gantry structure.


Precision and Flexibility when machining at high speed with 5 continuous axes
As a guarantee of high performance Matrix 800 is equipped with heavy-duty shoulders built with innovative Metalquartz technology:  an high tech material including special resin and a high percentage of quartz to guarantee optimal vibrations dampening and the same thermal expansion as the metal structure it self for enhanced surface finishes and longer working life of the cutting tools.



A Superior Head
All electrospindles offer the highest performance thanks to the cast-iron fork head, which gives both structural rigidity and the ability to absorb machine vibrations.


High-speed, Performance and Accuracy
Carriage and beam travel on generously sized recirculating roller guideways to ensure precision and stability. Axes are moved by a ground recirculating ball screw systems. Optical linear encoders ensure maximum axis positioning precision. All axes are powered by the latest generation brushless servomotors controlled by digital drives.



Electrospindles and Tool magazine
Matrix 800 machining centre can be supplied with a choice of electrospindles depending on the type of material machined.Precision is always guaranteed by the spindle thermal stabilisation system and software compensation of the natural thermal expansion that could be caused by changing operating conditions.
Matrix 800 is available with wheel-type tool magazine with min. 30 tools (150 tools max) installed outside the working area to protect it from dirt and ensure the maximum reliability through time.Tool magazine can be equipped with an automatic tool coding system with chip. 

M 48/28
An electrospindle with 20 kW power rating, continuous torque in S1 of 48 Nm and 28,000 rpm is the most appropriate choice for companies that need to perform high speed machining of steel and aluminium, from semi-finishing to precision finishing.

 M 64/28
An electrospindle with 37 kW power rating, continuous torque in S1 of 64 Nm and 28,000 rpm is the most appropriate choice for companies that need to perform high speed machining of steel and aluminium, from roughing to precision finishing.


Roof-top bellows and Dust extraction
Ideal for machining aluminium and composites, Matrix 800 can be equipped with an efficient extraction system for composite materials dust installed on the spindle nose, and roof-top bellows that completely seal the working cell, isolating the machining zone from the outside environment.Various alternative fumes and dust extraction systems are available in accordance with specific customer requirements.




The ideal cooling system
Depending on the type of machining, the tool cooling system can use coolant outside or through the spindle (mac 60l/min) with fixed or variable internal pressure up to 70 bar, incorporate a spray mist system or simply use compressed air.

Monitoring and in-process inspections 
Matrix 800 can be equipped with a laser tool presetter and a radio frequency probe to acquire work-piece dimensions and coordinates, so to simplify the worpiece setting.



For INFO and request write now to mail@breton.it
Well, that’s all for today. 
Bye-bye

Sergio Prior