“We've shifted gear”

The arrival of a Breton Eagle in SCA's workshop in Gessate (Milan) not only solved a host of operational problems, it also allowed the company to approach sectors and materials that were hitherto excluded.
(From: Meccanica&Automazione)

SCA

Founded almost fifty years ago as specialised manufacturer of foundry moulds, SCA is currently headed by the third generation of the proprietor family and, in a sense, it's experiencing the third “revolution” or – more accurately – conscious evolution of its operating activities.
The company was incorporated in 1970 by Domenico Scalzo and is currently headed by his grandson assisted by the second generation of the family.

The Breton Eagle of SCA 

Like many companies set up in the 1970s, the business started in cramped premises and worked with all kinds of industrial sectors: from moulds for motorcycle cylinder heads and interior light fixtures, to the initial production of parts for the Italian bottling industry.

In fact, it was a customer in the bottling sector that provided the basis for SCA's first turning point. With the customer in question, which remains a point of reference for SCA, the company began a journey into the world of industrial automation that enabled it to build its technological expertise until becoming a qualified supplier of parts for bottling plants (glass and plastic).

Rather than resting on its laurels and running the risk of supplying a single customer, over the years SCA maintained or developed a series of opportunities in several sectors that differed widely from the automatic machinery field, until it gradually left its origins in foundry mould-making in the past.

Competing in multiple sectors

This direction change led SCA to work with numerous industrial sectors, especially those calling for the ability to work with different materials with high levels of precision and the maximum operational flexibility.

From food and chemicals to pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, the marine and aeronautical industry, and also construction of large size components for theatrical stage sets. These various different areas of activity called for the ability to work with a large range of different materials, which is why SCA's machining shop today is equipped with machines for plastics, metals, and even, marginally, woodworking machines. The diverse range of applications calls for specific machines for each material type, each capable of producing optimal results.

Alessio Restelli explains “Several years ago we decided to focus our investments on machine tools for metals and alloys. That's why we decided to purchase a large size machining centre for specific work processes on workpieces in aluminium and lightweight alloys. Unfortunately however, we soon discovered that the machine we had identified was unable to cope with the work in our production programme. We were looking for a machining centre with large working dimensions, capable of processing different materials and providing absolute reliability. Above all, we were seeking a definitive solution to the problems we had encountered. And the need was all the more pressing because we were very keen to enter new business sectors and consolidate our capital equipment”.

SCA found the answer by embarking on a series of analyses and checks, trawling through the information available on the various companies and products on the market.

“We soon realised that our requirements in terms of equipment and solutions were a very good fit with the machine tools produced by Breton which, thanks to its long experience in building machines for a range of materials from stone to metal, was the ideal candidate to provide the tranquillity we were looking for. This saw the start of a period of negotiation that went extremely smoothly, especially when we went to visit Breton at the company's headquarters, near Treviso".

Breton Eagle

A paradigm of rationality and organisational efficiency.”
The final choice fell on the Eagle, a gantry-type machining centre offering exceptionally generous working dimensions: 4200 mm (X) x 3000 mm (Y) axis x 1500 mm (Z). We then requested that these characteristics be integrated with a separate lath so we could turn workpieces of up to two metres in length, using the Eagle head (shown in the attached photos) as a turning-milling device.

Restelli explains – “Our Eagle is not merely an extremely efficient machine able to produce work of the utmost quality and with exceptional dimensional precision, it also allowed us to benefit from the positive experience of working with the Breton team that were looking after our interests. Apart from absolute respect of precision and times, we were also impressed by the creation of a valuable collaborative relationship that was built on our combined efforts to find the best possible solution to our needs".

"For sure, the machine tool in question is extremely valuable, but the whole process was also accompanied by a truly exceptional the level of customer care and assistance. We quickly realised that the people at Breton were far more than expert engineers. In some cases the relationships we developed morphed beyond the professional realm and became more akin to actual friendship.

We started to perceive Breton's people as an integral part of our own team - a development that brought substantial value to the whole process. For companies working in our sector it's extremely important to be able to rely on a partner that allows us to focus on our core business, without having to lose sleep about possible breakdowns, problems, or the inability to achieve the quality levels we need. Setting aside the problems and focusing on the job means that we can relax and get on with what we do best. And that's just as important to us as the very air we breathe”.

Breton Eagle, range for resins, composites and alloys

Eagle is fully articulated range of travelling bridge gantry machining centres dedicated to the world of composite materials, resins and aluminium. These machining centres are perfect for fast, high precision 5-axis machining of 5 faces of the workpiece with a single set-up operation.


The various configurations of EAGLE machining centres for composite materials make it possible to perform even the most complex tasks with the maximum flexibility and operating efficiency, with working dimensions from 2,000x2,500x1,000 mm up to 10,500x5,000x2,500 mm and beyond.

The machine offers the maximum production flexibility thanks to the possibility of configuring the work area, which can be optimized for machining single parts or pendulum machining operations. Our job is further facilitated by the optimal visibility of the work area and the double front and rear access doors, allowing easy loading and unloading procedures, tooling set-up and monitoring of machining operations.

Would you like to find out more about the Breton Eagle? For INFO and inquiries write to mail@breton.it.

Read More

5 axis CNC machine tool, 5 axis machining centers, aeronautical industry, breton, breton eagle, breton machine tools, composites, metals, parts, plastics, sca

The 5-axis machining centre of the month: Breton Eagle

High-speed and developed to meet the needs of workshops that deal with materials such as resins, composites, aluminium and carbon, while guaranteeing dimensional accuracy. (From: Tecnologie Meccaniche)

Breton Eagle

In its history as a manufacturer of machine tools, Breton has always stood out for its care and quality in designing and manufacturing solutions for removing metal chips.

High accuracy combined with powers and torques capable of processing new materials have always been the strong points of the company from Castello di Godego (TV), to meet the needs of sectors such as aerospace, automotive and pattern making.

Breton Matrix 1000 Dynamic

For the best results, it has designed models like the Matrix machining centres, also used to process the lighter materials (aluminium, resins and composites), which still require fairly high accuracy and a good degree of chip removal.

However, Matrix is a model that, in some cases, could be overspecified for the real needs of these sectors in terms of power and accuracy and, as we know, users tend to prefer solutions that match their needs perfectly.
Often the market offers lower-performance solutions with inadequate volumetric accuracies. Eagle is Breton’s solution to meet these expectations.

A new application sector

Breton Eagle, the 5-axis machining centre of the month

Breton decided to create a product that is not in direct competition with other manufacturers, nor of course with any of the machines that it was already manufacturing, but to enter a niche that requires good accuracy without the need for large investments.

Not all customers can afford (or need) a high-power machine nor an extremely accurate one. This requirement is typical of those making aluminium moulds or carbon, composite or resin patterns and it became increasingly evident that there was a need to offer a product that could meet this demand. None of these applications requires very high accuracy, but they do need a higher accuracy than can be obtained with low-end machines.

Therefore, Eagle is a high-speed, 5-axis machining centre for milling, drilling and trimming medium and large components made of composites, sandwich structures, light alloys, resins and plastics, all with good dimensional accuracy.

This machine is conceptually simpler and more economical than a Matrix, but at the same time, it is able to guarantee an accuracy that is higher than anything available in the lightweight material machining sector.

Eagle is based on the manufacturing philosophy that has always distinguished Breton’s machines: vertical spindle, high-quality recirculating ball screws, axes drives with backlash recovery to ensure the desired accuracy, thermo-symmetric elements, symmetrical fork head and high-performance cooled motor spindles.

From an economic point of view, Eagle requires a much lower investment than buying a Matrix (about 30% less, depending on the configuration). This is a significant amount for a single machine, but often users need several machining centres dedicated to these tasks, so the economic benefit is even more apparent.

Modular construction

Eagle brings the construction philosophy of other Breton models: in fact, it is a gantry machine with high columns, balanced vertical axis and heads with a symmetrical structure so that thermal dilatation is always limited.

Not all workshops are equipped with air conditioning systems, and thermo-symmetric design reduces structural deformation and makes it easy to correct via software. Naturally, the points where heat is generated (like the head, A-axis and motor spindle) are cooled by a dedicated chiller to reduce heat transfer to other parts of the structure.

Like most of the machines manufactured by Breton, Eagle is also a highly modular design.
It is made entirely of electrowelded steel and is dimensioned using finite element analysis to reduce vibration and limit twisting. This choice allows it to meet the machine users’ need for modular dimensions, allowing Breton to customise the standard product easily to satisfy market demands.

The machine is driven by brushless motors. The bridge on which the gantry moves has racks with two motors and pinions with backlash recovery, which offers a stroke of 2 m and higher thanks to the modularity of the rack solution. Depending on the choice of model, in the Y-axis, the stroke starts from 2.5 m and can reach up to 5 m. Finally, the Z-axis stroke is 1 m for the most compact model and reaches 2.5 m for the largest one.



The streamlined structure can also reach considerable speeds and accelerations: 70 m/min on the X- and Y-axes, 50 m/min on the Z-axis (all the linear axes are equipped with encoders) with accelerations of up to 4 m/s2, 12 rpm on the A-axis and 19 on the C-axis.

The motor spindles are partly inherited from the Matrix, while others have been specially developed to meet the specific needs of users of this type of machine. Breton’s entry-level model offers a torque of 52 Nm, 16,000 rpm, 25 kW of power and is lubricated with grease. This choice was dictated by the typical field of application, namely aerospace, where lubricant leaks onto the composite or carbon parts are strictly forbidden.

Alternatively, there are other spindles developed in co-design with Breton's partners, which offer up to 40 kW and air/oil lubrication.
The machining head was developed to ensure the accuracy and performance required by this type of application sector: a solution that is compact, mechanically driven to achieve the desired performance without using the more expensive direct drive. It also has smaller pivots for improved penetration inside the workpiece, allowing it to perform all the required operations.

It is made from a cast iron block, a solution that effectively damps vibrations directly at the source. Equipped with brakes to work in 3+2 mode with locked axes, it ensures maximum rigidity even with challenging material removal.

The machine received a positive reaction from the pattern makers who make rotational moulds, which typically require heavy aluminium removal. The same goes for pattern makers who make scale Ureol parts, resin products and other prototype components.

Power and control

A requirement related to machining composite materials is that sometimes the structure contains threaded inserts to be drilled or small titanium strips.
Other solutions on the market are not able to cope with this kind of machining, which must therefore be carried out manually by an operator, with the problems of accuracy and productivity that this entails.

On the other hand, Eagle can even handle those workpieces that contain composites, aluminium and various inserts, completing the task directly in the machine.In the civil aerospace sector, Eagle is ideal for all the structural aluminium machining, interior structures, honeycomb panels, aramid fibres, aluminium and composites that required drilling and countersinking.

Obviously, Eagle is also able to machine harder materials, taking into account that its performance will be lower than that of, for example, a Matrix. The choice, therefore, will be dictated by the predominant type of machining to be performed and the materials to be used.

The accessories

Ultrasonic cutting head

In addition to the more traditional optionals, such as video cameras to monitor the machining area and tool magazines of various sizes, Breton has come up with a series of accessories dedicated to the specific application fields for which Eagle is intended.

An ultrasonic cutting head has been developed to prevent tearing or chipping the workpiece when machining composites. It can be managed like a common tool (in fact, it is housed in the magazine).

Also for composites and carbon parts, there is a countersinking control head. This is controlled automatically through simple templates in the numerical control and allows the effective hole position to be verified before countersinking. This procedure is essential, for example, with carbon aircraft doors because the carbon mould geometry is rarely exactly the same as the CAD model.
So, the system carries out a check to establish the effective hole position on the workpiece (using mechanical or laser sensing) at three points to determine its exact coordinates before counterboring. With respect to a sensing cycle, the times, and therefore the costs, are reduced significantly.

The numerical controls that can be installed on the Eagle are the Siemens 840D sl and Heidenhain 640 iTNC, both with full software options. Moreover, at the customer’s request, it is possible to develop applications, cycles and specific interfaces that run on the numerical control to improve machine utilisation.

Finally, there is an accessory with a 6th horizontal positioning axis, to perform turning that requires special workpiece positioning and complete accessibility in any situation.

Safe and productive

Depending on the specific use, the user can choose whether to machine dry or using cooling lubricants, as the machine can do both. Breton has provided for the use of evacuator belts, extraction systems or both. Where there are laminated materials, for which it is necessary to mill the carbon and then thread the aluminium inserts, the carbon dust can be handled by the extraction system and the aluminium chips by the evacuator belts.

Breton puts considerable effort into satisfying the Atex standard. When it comes to safety, especially in industrial systems, nobody wants to run into problems or “surprises”.
The machine is therefore fully closed, with top bellows to avoid dust dispersion within the workplace. There are also extraction systems on the table and spindle nose.

When machining graphite, whose dust is extremely aggressive to both mechanical and electrical parts, Breton offers IP65 cabinets for the electrical panels or, alternatively, located at an appropriate distance from the point where the dust is created.

Would you like to find out more about the Breton Eagle? 
For INFO and inquiries about this 5-axis machining centre write to mail@breton.it.

Well, that’s all for today. 
Bye-bye

Sergio Prior

Read More

5 axis machining centers, 5 axis milling, breton, breton eagle, carbon fiber, Composite materials, honeycomb, large components, trimming

Countersinking and ultrasonic cutting: two major breakthroughs

Aerospace, the industry continuously searching for innovative materials offering better performance and always looking for micrometrical accuracies.

An industry that needs someone who can promptly develop cutting edge production solutions which could be both competitive and reliable.

That's why many major Aerospace players selected Breton as a partner, the Italian company manufacturing high-speed machining centres who recently introduced two revolutionary technologies that open up new machining horizons for the aero-applications.

COUNTERSINKThe heart of one of these is a machining head that can drill and countersink not only faster but also more precisely than ever before. It can be installed on a variety of 5-axis machining centres, such as those of the Breton Matrix and Breton Eagle families.

No special programing is required since automatically 3 accurate probes around the cutting tool come into contact with the surface of the workpiece to detect the real position in the space, directly adjusting the perpendicular direction to the surface and measuring the exact countersinking depth.

All in one shot!

It's a unique solution, which has already been adopted by various aerostructure manufacturers who now supply components with a higher degree of accuracy in much faster lead times.

ULTRASONIC
Another exciting innovation focuses on the accessories Breton has developed for ultrasonic cutting, ideal for machining core materials with aramid and aluminium honeycomb, for structural components which must be lighter than ever while maintaining their structural rigidity, produced at incredible speed.

MULTITASKING CONCEPT
Both technologies are automatically managed and are interchangeable with other conventional rotary cutting tools, for a perfect multitasking concept, performing a series of operations with just one machine thus reducing investments, production costs and times, while guaranteeing greater accuracy and more efficient productivity.

For info and requests about Breton machining heads, write now to mail@breton.it.

Read More

5-axis high-speed machining, aerospace, aerostructure, breton eagle, breton matrix, countersink, drill, honeycomb, ultrasonic cutting

Breton stand at MOULDING EXPO fair in Stuttgart

Good morning,

Breton S.p.A. is proud to invite you at the world reference meeting of mould and die protagonists that will be held in Stuttgart during the next MOULDING EXPO exhibition from May 5th to 8th.

You'll see Breton EAGLE, 5-axis vertical high-speed machining centre designed for milling light alloys, composite materials and resin in action.

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

We are waiting for you at Halle 4 - Stand C 75.

Bye-bye

Sergio Prior

Read More

5-axis vertical high-speed machining centre, breton eagle, Composite materials, light alloys, milling resin, MOULDING EXPO

EAGLE - Customized Efficiency

High-speed 5-axis machining centre for milling, boring and trimming small to large size work-pieces in composite materials, sandwich structures, light alloys, resin and plastic.

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

- Model with automatic loading/unloading of the workbench.

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.

Precision, Dynamics and Flexibility when machining at high speed with 5 continuous axes

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.

High-speed, Performance and Precision

The carriage and beam travel on properly dimensioned recirculating roller guideways en-sure machining precision and stability. Carriage and beam drive assemblies consist of a precision rack and pinion system, whereas the ram is driven by a ball screw and pre-loaded ball nut assembly. Axis motion is powered by ultimate generation digital ser-vodrives and brushless servomotors.

Wide choice of electrospindles

The EAGLE machining centre can be supplied with a wide range of electrospindles depend-ing 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 devel-oped to compensate natural thermal expansion and drift in the electrospindles when ma-chining conditions vary.

M30/14

16KW electrospindle with a 30 Nm class S1 continuous torque and a rotation speed of 14500 rpm, the ideal solution for machining composite materials and resin from rough milling to precision finishing operations of light alloys.

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 alloyprecision 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.

Simple and reliable tool magazine

The wheel-type tool magazine can hold up to 30 tools with diameters of up to 140mm and 300mm in length. Completely isolated from the work area, this tool  magazine ensures the greatest reliability with reduced tool changeover times. Upon request EAGLE an be sup-plied with rack-design tool magazine for holding up to 150 tools. The tool magazine 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, EAGLE an 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.

Monitoring and in-process inspections

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

The ideal cooling system

Depending on the type of machining operation, the tool cooling system can use a coolant liquid which flows inside and outside the spindle (60 L/min) at an internal operational pressure of up to 40 bar, or incorporate a spray mist system, or simply use compressed air.

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

Write to mail@breton.it

By-by

Sergio Prior

Read More

breton eagle, breton vertical machining centres, carbon fiber, light alloys, milling machine, milling resin

Aerospace Manufacturing’s John Helm looks at how one company is responding to the composite CNC machine tool challenges of an ever-changing world.

The extraordinary growth in the demand for composite materials has forced CNC machine makers to adapt and devise new solutions to keep pace with ever changing market conditions.

Breton is one such company: It was established by Marcello Toncelli in 1963, and still remains a family controlled concern. Its original remit was to manufacture processing machines for the stone industry, but the company diversified during the 1990s and began designing and manufacturing CNC machines. Of these, the Matrix and Eagle are probably being the best known. They are quite flexible and can be used - if suitably modified first - for either composite or metallic work.

UK sales manager, Enrico Bragagnolo reckons the main customer concern with composite materials is dust.

“The dry machining involved requires an efficient dust extraction plant,” he begins. “Ideally, this should be directly placed on the spindle front in order not to impair machine capability - as done in our ‘rollover dust collector’ solution. Almost all latest company developments combine air filtration with special coolants round and through the tool .This increases cutter life and avoids heat transfer to the workpiece.

“CFRP machining centres need to be completely enclosed in an envelope, along with dust extraction and dedicated coolant filtration plants. Good lubrication techniques are essential for long life, and the oils and lubricants for machine drives must avoid leakage to prevent contamination getting to the composite parts. All covers need sealing and excess oil has to be extracted.

“The abrasive qualities of composite material generate excessive wear. So it is crucial that motors, direct drives, ball screws, racks, guideways and bearings are both accurate and durable.”

Breton machines can be customised to meet specific requirements. The Matrix 800 is a vertical 5-axis machine ideally suited to medium-sized milling, with 50kW electro-spindles and rotational speeds of up to 40,000rpm. For larger tasks, the Matrix 1000-1300 is more suitable. It has a gantry structure and moving crossbeam, but is slower (up to 40kW spindles and up to 28,000rpm). Breton's Eagle series is ideal for high-speed production requirements.

Bragagnolo maintains that one of the company’s biggest challenges is meeting ever-increasing demands for greater accuracy.

“Both civil and military aircraft parts require tighter tolerances,” he declares. “Machines need to be faster and more reliable. Downtime has to be minimised. We can guarantee 94% uptime availability spread over three working shifts.

“There is also increasing customer demand for greater automation. We provide automatic pallet changes, integrated in-process inspections, automated reading of parts codes, machining parameters, as well as cleaning and parts storage. Breton has also developed a ‘self-calibrating’ machine. This operates over a wide temperature range and maintains accuracy for longer periods, all of which goes towards reducing downtime.”

As for research & development, Breton  uns its own chemical laboratory. The company also employs a dedicated team of seven engineers and recently installed a third machine centre in the internal workshop.

“They are dedicated to cutting trials on composite materials,” he notes. “We are also working with developers to improve our CNC software and we have an agreement with a major global tool producer.”

Breton has co-operated with several leading European universities and has collaborated with some of the top names in motorsport, including F1 Red Bull Racing and Formula 3.

“We get positive feedback from our customers, many of whom place repeat orders” concludes Bragagnolo. “Our precision machines have saved many companies from the need to invest in expensive new equipment. Their confidence in our products encourages greater utilisation, and this enhances productivity.”
(Thanks to Aerospace Manufacturing)

Read More

aerospace machining, breton eagle, breton matrix, breton vertical machining centres

Carbon fibre monocoque chassis machined by Breton EAGLE vertical machining centre

Click here for more INFO
By-by
Sergio Prior

Read More

breton eagle, breton vertical machining centres, carbon fiber, high-speed machining center