Heller five-axis machine boosts AMRC research

The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) in Rotherham has enhanced its machining capabilities with the May 2025 installation of a Heller F6000 five-axis horizontal machining centre. Located at the AMRC’s Advanced Manufacturing Park, it will support subtractive machining activities.

As an industrial research organisation, the AMRC benchmarks the machine tool market on behalf of its membership to identify the most effective production equipment and techniques. Across its sites, the AMRC operates more than 60 CNC machine tools, including several horizontal-spindle platforms.

Installing the Heller machine strengthens the AMRC’s efforts to secure high-value manufacturing jobs in the UK, many in the aerospace sector. A key aim is to transfer Heller’s reputation for high reliability and uptime – proven in automotive production – into aerospace applications.

The mill-turn F6000 will also play an integral role in the AMRC’s new autonomous toolroom demonstrator, part of its Factory of the Future. More broadly, it will contribute to projects tackling supply chain resilience, skills gaps, the integration of digital technologies, production automation, real-time process analysis and ecological sustainability.

Tom McCready, Engineering and Operations Manager of the AMRC Machining Group, says: “The exceptional capabilities of Heller horizontal machining centres make them ideal for processing hard metals like titanium, which is vital for structural aircraft parts and aero engine components. The F6000 will be the first machine in our Factory of the Future to use the Siemens SINUMERIK ONE control system. Combined with Heller software, this will be a valuable platform for research into connectivity and manufacturing traceability. Beyond its high chip removal capacity, the twin-pallet machine is automation-ready, allowing retrofitting of various pallet storage systems, paving the way for potential autonomous production cells.”

Even before the machine’s arrival, there was considerable interest among the AMRC’s 100+ members, especially major aerospace firms like Boeing, Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems. The F6000 will serve as a benchmark for comparing its pivoting spindle head, which can transform it into a flexible universal machining centre during a cycle, against five-axis machines with swivelling trunnions.

Such was the anticipation that projects had already been lined up over six months in advance. Equipment suppliers, manufacturers and OEMs had submitted detailed requests to use the machine, resulting in an unprecedentedly busy research pipeline for a new installation.

Tom McCready also highlighted the advantage of Heller’s manufacturing base in Redditch, where the company produces four- and five-axis machining centres (though not the F6000). The UK facility brings deep expertise in design, procurement, service and turnkey solutions, providing a strong platform for collaboration. This capability builds on the AMRC’s work with Heller since mid-2023, especially after the company became a tier-one member in October 2024.