Numachine turns to Ward CNC for new vertical lathe

Hereford-based Numachine, a fast-growing business that specialises in CNC machining and subcontract manufacturing, is leveraging the benefits of a new Hyundai Wia LV800RM vertical turning lathe (VTL) supplied by T W Ward CNC Machinery Ltd (Ward CNC). Pleased with the quality and performance of the machine, the new VTL is now helping to optimise processes at this progressive manufacturing business.

Numachine matches the latest CNC technologies with best-practice operations and 24/7 working to offer cost-effective machining services. Managing Director Brandon Davies, a passionate mechanical engineer and Numachine’s driving force, personifies the company’s pioneering spirit and industry-renowned expertise.

“I enjoy solving problems,” he states. “Even if I work 15-16 hours a day I don’t feel tired because my hobby is my job and I absolutely thrive on it. I like to come in every day, go around the shop and see how we can improve. I’d say this character is something we all share at Numachine: everyone is trying to contribute to our continuous improvement.”

Quality time

Numachine predominantly serves the automotive, medical, aerospace, laboratory/instrumentation and renewable energy industries, all of which require the highest quality standards. However, the company has experience of most other sectors where the precision demanded is not about being in tolerance, but on zero. Numachine says the key to achieving repeatable high-quality machining is simplicity, and that only comes from a fundamental understanding of every aspect of the CNC machining process. This quality-conscious business holds ISO9001, TS16949 and AS9100 accreditations.

With so much success in precision markets, Brandon Davies is currently following developments in the electric vehicle (EV) segment attentively.

“I drive an EV myself and I’d like to see how this industry evolves and changes over the next few years. At the moment, we supply parts to various prestigious automotive companies. Some of the components we make are actually for use in EVs produced by those auto manufacturers.”

Value judgement

Another major focus at Numachine is reducing costs for customers, a goal it achieves by fully applying the disciplines of value engineering to every aspect of the CNC machining process. The company holds the belief that the correct application of superior technology and technical understanding is the best way to deliver a lower cost solution. The savings of this multi-disciplinary approach can be breath-taking and justify the claim that Numachine has moved far beyond the simple machining of components.

“We have a good and diverse capacity, from various lathes and mills to five-axis machining centres, vertical lathes and multi-tasking machines,” reports Brandon Davies. “This extensive range provides differentiation from the competition, while our in-house quality control and measurement capability is another key factor for many customers. We’re always thinking about how we can expand our service capacities and are now in the process of selecting a metal 3D printer. Additive manufacturing will allow us to produce prototypes much faster for our customers and, with our machining capabilities, we can achieve high-quality finished parts in a very short time period.”

Numachine has invested over £2 million since 2021 in everything from seven-axis milling, turning and mill-turn centres, to the latest in 3D printing, metrology, finishing and fixturing options. This breadth of equipment, combined with the experience and skill set of the company’s seasoned team, give it the ability to improve any machining solution, lowering costs for clients and turning components around in as little as 24 hours.

By design

Among further prominent services at Numachine is design for manufacture (DfM), a provision that actively reduces the cost of machined components for everything from planes and trains to breweries and roulette wheels. The company is confident it can find a better solution for every component. As another point of note, Numachine makes all of its own fixtures in-house to support optimised clamping mechanisms in a very short timeframe.

“Customers these days are looking for high-quality, rapid services,” he says. “That’s why we’re a one-stop-shop for many customers.”

Numachine recently embellished this one-stop-shop ethos by adding a new high-specification CNC machine tool: a Hyundai-Wia LV800RM VTL from Ward CNC.

The Hyundai-WIA LV800RM VTL has a rigid, heavy-duty cutting platform with a one-piece, square-type column that provides maximum stability. Machine features include a stable shaft structure with high cutting capacity for heavy loads, a two-step chuck pressure mechanism to minimise workpiece deformation, and optimal chip evacuation. Here, the LV series features a protection device to keep chips and other foreign materials from entering the main spindle, ensuring long-term high-precision performance.

Regarding capacity, the Hyundai-WIA LV800RM offers a maximum turning diameter and turning length of 800mm, while the maximum spindle speed is 2000 rpm.

Smooth operator

“It was an entirely smooth experience,” says Brandon Davies of the investment process. “Ward CNC took care of processes such as specifying the machine based on our application, placing the order, delivery, installation and operator training. We’re pleased with the quality and performance of the Hyundai-Wia vertical lathe; it’s a good addition to our range of machines. There was only one small issue a few months ago which was solved rapidly by Ward CNC and we’re completely satisfied with the performance of the company’s service.”

Customer satisfaction figures from Ward CNC’s aftersales service currently stand at over 92.5% based on thousands of service incidents captured across many years.

Moving forward, Numachine has plans to enter the bespoke motorbike and mountain bike manufacturing segment. Off-road biking is another passion held by Brandon Davies and some of his team. He believes that by combining his biking experience with Numachine’s manufacturing capabilities, it’s possible to bring something different and new to the market. Ward CNC could well figure in projects of this type.

“For our future projects we need to work with partners like Ward CNC that can help us select good value-for-money machines, deliver them, install them, and train our operators in their use,” he concludes. “Ward CNC has proven to be expert in all of those aspects, so I’ll definitely work with them again.”