Automation: wide range of solutions for Breton machines

No one seems to remember that the machine tool itself it’s an automation! 

Not too many years ago, the NC was the operator brain and robots were still to be invented.
Now the situation is completely changed and in the industrialized area, in order to be competitive, we need to remove the constraint of a ration 1:1 between operator and machine.
The automotive industry started with the massive production of few products, the high technology companies need to do the same with many small batches of complex and different products.

Breton production is dedicated to these customers, providing them solutions capable to run alone 24 hours/day with remote monitoring and control. The electronic and software improvements are a big help to reach this challenging target but they cannot work without a strong and reliable machine automation.
The best way to describe automation solutions that Breton can provide is to show some real applications developed to answer real customer claims:

PALLET CHANGER WITH 5 STATIONS

Customer claim: remove any time spent for machine setup, avoid mistakes due to wrong fixture setuo, disconnect operator setup time from machine operating time.

Solution: Breton designed and supplied to Piaggio Aerospace 6 tailor made Ultrix 800 machining centres featuring special ergonomic solutions for the best workpiece accessibility, each one is equipped with a total of 5 pallets (4 loading stations and 1 high precision setup station) and a manipulator. The result is a multi-pallet solution characterised by a very compact layout. The extreme accuracy of Breton Machine Tools is possible also thanks to the special pallet changer solution, based on a hirth serration that provides higher performances respect to the standard competitors system. Pneumatic, hydraulic and electronic connections can be supplied to the tooling.

HEADS CHANGER

Customer claim: strong reduction of cycle time while performing roughing and finishing operations on large size aerospace components.

Solution: Breton supplied to an important Aerospace company a Maxima 1600, fitted with a heads changer system. The head storage hosts a high torque milling spindle (up to 480 Nm and 14,000 rpm) suitable for roughing, and a finishing spindle (up to 94 Nm and 28,000 rpm). The machine is equipped with two bridges and is 16 meters in length, so can be configured to run two pieces together (for example one roughing operation and one finishing operation) or a single long piece removing material with the two heads. Breton Flymill 1600 HD K160 fully achieved the customer requirements providing a strong cycle time reduction together with a perfect flexibility.

PENDULUM MODE WORKTABLE CHANGER

Customer claim: avoid long machine stop during the setup operation of a typical aircraft structure big component.   

Solution: this problem can be solved providing a long machine with two separated areas (one for machining and one for piece setup) or by using a table change system. For TAI (Turkish Aerospace Industries) Breton chose the second solution, providing a total of 3  Breton Flymill 1300 2T K30 equipped with a table change system that allow the operator to spend all the time he needs to perform a perfect piece setup while the machine is milling another component on the second table.

MULTI POSITION TOOL STORAGE

Customer claim: the use of multitasking machines has increased the number of requested tools (milling, turning, grinding) but not the available space. Customers want smart solutions.

Solution: one Breton well know key feature is the development of tailor made solutions. We are capable to take the best-in-class tool storage solutions from the market and adapt to the different customer requirements.
One example is the 200 positions tower type tool storage integrated on our Breton Maxima 1600 (mixing HSK-A100 for milling and Capto C8 for turning) with up to 3500 mm turning capability.
Another solution is the 200 positions tool storage fitted on our Breton Maxima 2000 K80.
Breton designer used the 8 meter machine length to hide the system in the machine footprint. A robot picks up the tool and transfers it to a tool changer avoiding any waiting time.

MEASURING FEATURES

Customer claim: reduce the features cost and complexity, be sure to remove from the machine a conforming piece.

Solution: the machine probing systems are provided as standard solution by many different competitors. The difference of Breton solution is the strong integration with the machining process and the measuring performances thanks to high machine accuracy. Breton can provide a turn-key solution to check the machine condition before starting operation, perform a perfect piece setup, even on deformed components, machine, measure and automatically correct the part saving all the measurements for statistical analysis. The only thing that the operator has to do is press the start green button. The final result for an important Aerospace customer is a measuring difference between Breton Ultrix and CMM of less than 0,01 mm.

HUMANOID ROBOT

Customer claim: create an automatic machining line to produce tire moulds with a minimum operator surveillance. 

Solution: Breton supplied to an important automotive company three machines, 2 Xceeder 900 and 1 Ultrix 800, with pallet change system served by a robot on rails collecting pieces and fixture from a big storage. Breton was responsible for the complete FMS solution and the final acceptance criteria were very severe but they have been achieved. The robot gives the system an higher flexibility respect to a classical FMS solution, in this way it will be possible to change easily the production in the future.

For further information, please write to mail@breton.it

Thanks for your attention!

Sergio Prior

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5 axis machining centers, aerospace, automotive machining centre, breton cnc 5 axis, change pallet, milling machine, mould

Your solution: Breton Matrix 1000 DYNAMIC for automotive industry

Innovative products incorporating the technology which has made Breton one of the leading enterprises on the world market for vertical machining centres for AUTOMOTIVE sector.

The Breton range of machines are acknowledged worldwide for the superior quality technology, their excellent production performance, the innovative solutions offered and unequalled quality of the products and services this company provides to each individual customer.

The gantry machining center with moving cross beam Matrix 1000 DYNAMIC was designed and built to respond to high-speed machining requirements in Automotive applications.

Breton Matrix 1000 Dynamic

LARGE PARTS
Conceived for large complex parts, with its distinctive properties of rigidity and dynamics, it can handle several types of parts at the highest speed, with excellent removal capacity.

The speed of linear axes up to 60m/min, the Direct Drive head with rotation speed up to 100RPM and the C axis with continuous rotation offer outstanding capabilities for profiling complex workpieces with 5 continuous axes ensuring and guaranteeing maximum machining precision and performance.

STEEL, ALUMINIUM, RESIN, COMPOSITES
The direct drive twist head, which can be positioned at any angle thanks to the powerful hydraulic brakes, uses fitting spindles up to 40kW, with 89 or 137Nm torque and rotational speed up to 28,000RPM.

The different configurations of the Matrix Dynamic (Z=1,000, X = 2,200, Y from 2,500mm to 4,000mm,) make the machine perfect for machining medium and large workpieces made of steel, aluminium, resin and composite materials.

Various solutions for the best machine configuration to satisfy each need, conform to the highest standard of innovation and quality. Read the catalogue:

For INFO and request about 5-axis machining centre Matrix 1000 Dynamic write now to mail@breton.it.

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5 axis CNC machine tool, 5 axis machining centre, aluminium, automotive, automotive machining centre, Breton machining centres, large parts, steel workpieces

Breton at IMTS fair - Chicago USA

Good morning,

Breton S.p.A. is proud to invite you at the world reference meeting of machine tools that will be held in Chicago during next “IMTS 2014” fair from September 8th to 13th, 2014.

We will be glad to show you personally our updated range of high speed machining centers and solutions developed to achieve a top efficiency in composite materials.

The completely automated combination of ultrasonic cutting and 5 axis milling, routing and drilling is now possible, reliable and affordable.

Get everything from a single machine with the easiest and most efficient programming and setup operations.

We are waiting for you.

Bye-bye

Sergio Prior

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5 axis machining centers, aerospace, automotive machining centre, breton machining centre, continuous 5-axis machining, imts fair

Fast, for complex moulds

Mondialstampi needed to produce large, high quality moulds with complex profile shapes as quickly as possible; the answer was the Breton Flymill 1000 machining centre, and considering the mould improvements achieved, it was exactly the right choice. 

When we move around the home or the garden we rarely pay much attention to the objects around us because we see them every day and know them well. If we did stop to look at them closely we'd soon realize that most of them are made of plastic. The same conclusion would be reached also if we were to examine our cars, both inside and out.   What's fascinating about this is the complexity of some of these parts: wafer thin in sophisticated shapes. A lot of work goes into the design of parts like these, not just the design of the part itself but in particular the mould into which the plastic will be injected. 

For Mondialstampi  a company that has become highly successful in the industry since its incorporation in Vicenza in 1990, solving problems in the plastic injection-moulding process is their daily bread.

For your home and car

“Our company is entirely dedicated to the production of injection moulds,” says Mondialstampi owner Giorgio Cortese. “We specialize in medium-large moulds mainly for household goods, such as under-bed storage units, boxes and other storage units of various shapes and sizes. We also produce moulds for automotive parts, such as bumpers, wings and interior trim, and last but not least, we make moulds for various garden articles such as outdoor storage cupboards, plant containers, composters and ornamental objects. In collaboration with third parties we also touch on many other minor sectors, but the three I have mentioned are the primary drivers of our business.”                  

“We've always worked very intensively in Italy, although market conditions have led us increasingly to look towards exports,” continues Diego Bertollo, Head of Mondialstampi's Engineering Department “Today, our production is roughly half and half: 50% for the domestic market, and the rest for export, mainly to other EU countries. We also export to Russia, Canada, and South America and, on a smaller scale, to several other countries.”
Today the company has a workforce of around 50, of whom 10 in the Engineering Department, where mould design activities are conducted using CAD/CAM systems. We have 20 technicians in the workshop and another 15 people engaged in mould assembly and testing procedures.

A well-defined structure

The Engineering Department has a very delicate job: the moulds are produced in a co-engineering process together with the customer since this approach has proven to be the optimal way to produce any given component, but it means we must also adapt each and every solution to comply with the technology and plant available to the customer.                               

Once the 3D model of the part has been created, meetings are held to eliminate any possible misunderstandings between the mould designer and the customer in terms of the solutions to adopt. When the project has been approved, the 3D model is used to produce the actual mould. First, the guidelines of the mould are defined, and then the engineering department uses CAD software to produce the definitive 3D model. The next stage involves the transition to CAM, the implemented features of which mean it can automatically recognize a large number of the work processes defined in CAD. 

“At this point the production department takes over, but first the steel ordered by the engineering department for the mould is checked before it goes into production,” explains Cortese. “The initial roughing operations are now performed on some of the machine tools at our disposal. As the production cycle proceeds, the plates are moved to the finishing machines to create angled holes and for other special machining processes.”

Once machining chips have been removed, the plates are transferred to the assembly area, where operators check conformity of the parts before proceeding with assembly. “To aid our personnel and minimize the risk of errors we've equipped the various assembly areas with CAD stations,” explains Bertollo. “Thanks to this solution, our personnel can actually see how the various parts fit together, leaving no room for doubt.” Once finished, the mould is tested in a mould testing press to check for any problems and see if any minor corrections are needed. Final testing is performed in the presence of the client, and if all requirements are met, the go-ahead for production can be given.

There's no dedicated unit in charge of quality control, which is instead performed directly on the machine using probes that can detect even the smallest imperfection so that the part can be reworked without having to remove it from the machine. Mould quality is therefore guaranteed by the two Breton machining centres installed in our factory, which are used for mould finishing operations.

Reliability pays

“In the household articles industry in particular we work with very thin parts where even one-hundredth of a millimetre can make a difference”,  continues Bertollo – “We need machining centres that can guarantee the highest quality and that’s why we chose the Breton Flymill 1000.”

“Producing large, complex moulds, reducing milling times, improving surface quality and increasing working life.  These were the requirements we wanted to address by purchasing a new 5-axes machining centre,” says Cortese. “Ten years ago we bought a Breton Matrix 800, and we've never had any problems with the plant or the after-sales service. That's why we decided to look at the possibility of purchasing another Breton machine.”

The company finally opted for a Flymill 1000, a 5-axes machining centre that differs from the Matrix in its working range, structure and spindle power: longitudinal travel of the new machine in fact is up to 8 meters and it is equipped with a 5-axes head with Direct Drive motors. In any case, both solutions were designed specifically to meet the requirements of high-speed machining in the mould  making industry, so they are the natural choice for these applications. 

In particular, the Matrix is a travelling cross beam gantry type machining centre with a fully enclosed structure and drive assemblies located at the top of the machine, making it extremely safe for operators and guaranteeing the highest level of reliability and precision during machining. The high quality and precision of the machining work are also a result of the thermal symmetry of the structure, while a thermal stabilization system for the Z axis ball nuts and bearings and axis drives keeps the temperature of these parts the same as the machine structure.

Both the Matrix and the Flymill are equipped as standard with a continuous rotation Direct Drive twist head with C axis continuous control, and the spindle can be used with a continuous power output of up to 40 kW at 18,000/28,000 rpm giving the machine considerable chip removal capacity. 
Mondialstampi actually purchased the Flymill with a more powerful head to use the new machining centre not only for finishing, like the Matrix, but also for prefinishing operations.

In addition, the new machine is much faster than the original one: 60 m/min for the X and Y axes and 100 rpm for the C axis compared to the 40 m/min and 19 rpm of the Matrix. This performance derives from the choice to equip the machine with guideways mounted on racks rather than on recirculating ball screws, giving the system a more rigid structure and allowing it to reach higher speeds.  
Furthermore, the Flymill is ideal for machining complex profiles thanks to the generous working range of the A axis, which is from –105° to +120° thus making it possible to machine difficult undercuts without having to reposition the workpiece.

“Both units are extremely high-tech solutions and that's why they're entrusted to highly specialized technicians dedicated exclusively to running the machine”. Cortese concludes – “Our aim is to exploit the Flymill to its maximum potential in order to transform our investment into a technological advantage that will help us consolidate our market position.”

For more INFO about Matrix  800 and Flymill 1000 write to mail@breton.it.

Thanks to Mondialstampi

Thanks to TM - Tecnologie Meccaniche, by Davide Davò. 
By-by
Sergio Prior

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aerospace machining, automotive machining centre, breton flymill, breton machining centre, breton matrix, mondialstampi

MATRIX 1000 - Ideal machine for aerospace, automotive and die-manufacturing

A competitive solution 
High-speed precision machining centre for milling complex three-dimensional work-pieces which require accurate machining and continuous axis interpolation.

MATRIX 1000 is the ideal solution to satisfy production requirements across a multitude of industrial applications from aerospace industry to automotive, die-manufacturing and design.

Wide choice of configurations for customized performances
Various solutions for the best machine configuration to satisfy each need:
- Standard model with one working area
- Model with two working areas for pendular machining.

Easy access and perfect visibility
Great accessibility and visibility of the working area thanks to the machine gantry structure with moving bridge and wide frontal doors.

High precision, dynamics and speed with 5 continuous axes
In order to ensure high performances, the new MATRIX 1000 is provided with heavy-duty shoulders manufactured using the ground-breaking Metalquartz technology.

Shoulders consist of a sandwich structure made of stabilized arc welded steel, whose ribbing is embedded in a quartz composite material with a polymeric matrix. 
This exclusive technology ensures a very high structural rigidity and vibration damping, which guarantees a better surface finish and a longer service life of the cutting tools.

A superior head
The electrospindles offer always the best machining performance thanks to the cast-iron fork designed head which offers structural rigidity with efficient vibration damping properties. The most high-performance machining centres are provided with Direct Drive motorized heads.

High-speed, Performance and Precision
The carriage and beam travel on properly dimensioned recirculating roller guideways ensure machining precision and stability. Axes are moved by a ground ball screw and double preloaded ball nut assembly.
Maximum axis precision is achieved thanks to the micrometric technology applied. Axes are powered by digital drives and ultimate generation brushless servomotors.

Wide choice of electrospindles
The MATRIX 1000 machining centre can be supplied with a wide range of electrospindles depending on the type of material to be machined. Machining precision is always guaranteed by the thermal stabilising system which consists of a special software designed and developed to compensate natural thermal expansion in the electrospindles when machining conditions vary.

M38/28
A 20 kW electrospindle with a 38 nm continuous torque in S1 and 28,000 rpm is the ideal choice for high-speed machining requirements for steel and light alloy from rough milling to precision surface finishing operations.



M51/28
Electrospindle featuring a power of 40 kW, continuous torque of 51 Nm in S1 duty and 28.000 rpm: the ideal choice for customers requiring high-speed machining on either steel or light alloys, from rough-machining up to precision finishing.



M100/18
Electrospindle featuring a power of 40 kW, continuous torque of 100 Nm in S1 duty and 18.000 rpm: smartly performing any machining operation on either steel or light alloys, from rough-machining up to precision finishing.

Simple and reliable tool magazines
According to the various models, wheel-type or chain-type tool magazines with fast manipulator to reduce tool changeover times are available. Installed outside the work area and therefore free of dirt, these tool magazines ensure the greatest reliability over the time. 

They can be equipped with an automatic chip coding system containing tool data and information.

Dust extraction and ceiling enclosure

When machining composite materials and resin, MATRIX 1000 can be fitted with an efficient and effective dust extraction system which is installed on the spindle nose. In addition, top-roof bellows can be fitted to the machining centre creating a complete enclosure isolating the machine from the surrounding areas. 

Different models of dust extraction systems are available to satisfy any customer’s requirements.

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

Monitoring and in-process inspections

MATRIX 1000 can be supplied with a laser tool presetter and a radio frequency probe for acquiring work-piece size and coordinates.

So, why don’t you request a quotation for a MATRIX 1000?

Write to mail@breton.it

By-by

Sergio Prior

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aerospace machining, automotive machining centre, breton matrix 1000, breton vertical machining centres, die manufacturing

Breton Open House 2012

We perfectly know how important it is nowadays to be competitive, to make the most of the challenges the ever-demanding market throws down each day.

To do so, it's essential to use modern high-tech production systems, and keep constantly up-to-date with the latest technological developments.
It will therefore be an honour for me to welcome you on the 5th, 6th and 7th of July to show you some of the latest, interesting innovations in our works, with machining cells running specific applications for the aerospace, energy, automotive and transmission sectors. 16 installations, each with a high level of customization and the most innovative, efficient accessories.
For me, and the rest of the Breton staff, it will be a pleasure to welcome you.
Best regards
Luca Toncelli
President of Breton Spa

Don't miss:
Special materials such as carbon, resins, and fibres require specifically configured machines like the EAGLE range of machining centres, examples of which will be on show with fully-functional machines and detailed structural views.  

The XCEEDER 900RT 5-axis trochoidal machines also offer a solution for increasing productivity and reducing consumption.  

The reduction in setup times makes all the difference. You won’t believe how fast it is to change pallets on the FLYMILL gantries, the compact XCEEDER 900 RT, or how efficient it is to change the tool automatically on the ULTRIX 800 RT lathe-milling machine.

Not only is there a reduction in setup times, but also an exceptional increase in part accuracy and flexibility as on the MAXIMA 2000 K60, the big 5-axis turn-mill gantry.   

There have been new breakthroughs in the machining of gears and transmissions, thanks to the new Breton technological packages, which you'll be able to see at work on 2 ULTRIX 1000 RT machines.  

What's more, we'll be presenting the new version of our best seller, the MATRIX machine, a true evolution in design and performance.



Sergio Prior

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aerospace machining, automotive machining centre, breton vertical machining centre, change pallet, CNC turning and milling center, eagle, flymill, high speed cnc, matrix, Maxima, open house, ultrix, xceeder