CITIZEN M32 PROMISES 50% CYCLE TIME SAVINGS FOR RIVERSIDE ENGINEERING

Riverside Precision Engineering's 170,000 (Pounds Sterling) investment in a new Citizen M32 CNC sliding headstock automatic lathe promises massive 50 per cent savings in cycle times for the precision subcontractor.

Even as it was being commissioned the M32 - supplied by NC Engineering of Watford - was immediately proving its worth, says Michael Ditchfield, joint managing director. "When we required additional capacity we decided to update our plant with a Citizen M32 because of the advantages we had already gained from using existing Citizen L20 machines."

The M32 is initially producing 20 mm diameter brass components in batches of 30,000. This relatively simple part is ideal for Riverside to become familiar with the new machine, adds Michael Ditchfield, before utilising the full capability of the machine for more complex work.

The Citizen M32, has two opposed spindles and triple tool carrying areas of turret and twin-tool posts to provide high levels of flexibility. This tooling configuration provides extensive tooling options for simultaneous front and back machining giving the combined versatility of a machining centre and CNC lathe for parts up to 32 mm diameter.

Blackburn-based Riverside Precision Engineering, is a general subcontracting company serving customers throughout the UK, producing a variety of high quality precision components to tight tolerances.

he eight employee company, with a 750,000 (pounds sterling) turnover has a total of seven CNC machines which includes the highly successful Citizen L20, purchased 12 months ago. All machines are programmed in WinCNC from an office PC, though the company is now considering NC Engineering's customised off-line programming software, Alkartpro.