Mitsubishi FA 10 EDMs easily handle Morgood Tools complex forms and close-tolerance radii to reportedly slash manufacturing costs in most instances by 50%.
With upgraded wire-EDM capability, Morgood Tools, a precision cutting tool manufacturer, reduces product-finishing operations and EDM maintenance to pass increased savings on to its customers.
The Rochester shop uses Mitsubishi FA 10 EDMs with AE power supplies. The machines easily handle the shop's complex forms and close-tolerance radii and reportedly slash up to 50% of manufacturing costs in most instances.
"Prior to acquiring the FA 10s, complex forms and tight-tolerance radii required a grinding operation, which created a bottleneck," says Ken Kellerson, vice president of Morgood Tools. "The FA 10 makes such complex tools as fast as making simple ones to eliminate any bottlenecks, and its threader cycle time is fast," he explains. Also, grinding dovetail form tools, for instance, dropped from 5 hr to less than one because of the FA 10s.
Morgood also streamlined its milling-operations cost using the FA 10. Special broaches, such as the wobble broach, used to require purchasing and altering a special cutter to the broach's form and milling in the soft state. Now, the shop creates these parts in less than an hour with the FA 10.
"Another milling example is our ability to make insertable tools," explains Kellerson. "Instead of using an entire dovetail blank, we use the EDM to make a less-expensive insert."
Because of their steel tanks and use of few parts in general, the FA 10s are easy to maintain. "Our maintenance time dropped from 5 to 1 1 /2 hr/month/machine," says Kellerson. "The stainless steel tanks make for easier cleanup without using chemicals."
Mitsubishi EDM/Laser
Wood Dale, Ill.
mitsubishi-world.com
