Mills CNC took orders for 472 new Doosan machines in 2011, with 443 machines delivered during the year.

Commenting on the sales results, Mills’ managing director, Nick Frampton, says: “Our order intake by value, let alone by volume, is up 55% on 2010; up 113% on 2009 and, more impressively,up 47% on 2007, which was, up until now, our previous best ever year.

“And, because sales have remained strong throughout the year, and certainly in the last quarter, we are going forward into 2012 with our largest and strongest looking forward order book ever.”

Breaking the sales down further, 32% of all machine orders during 2011 were from new customers, demonstrating the wide and growing appeal of Doosan technology with UK and Irish manufacturers.

Over 90% of all machine orders were fulfilled from Mills’ stock programme, with this underlining the reason behind Mills ordering and carrying such high levels of stock.

Says Mr Frampton: “Doosan machine tools are widely regarded as being technically excellent, reliable, and competitively-priced, as well as representing great value. But, equally important is their accessibility and availability too. You can’t simply promote your products and then expect customers to wait months and months for them to arrive.”

With 112 machines sold, the new-frame Doosan Puma 8″, 10″ and 12″ chuck lathes were the stars of the show and, in a little under 18 months since they were first launched, these machines have become the UK’s and Ireland’s favourite lathes.

The sales of large capacity (up to 32″ chuck size) Puma lathes and the smaller Lynx 220- and 300- series lathes collectively accounted for 168 machines sold.

On the milling side, Doosan DNM 3-axis verticals saw 94 machines sold; while the larger range of Mynx vertical machines, the Doosan range of VC (twin-pallet) verticals and Doosan horizontal machining centres also had a marked impact on sales.

Multi-axis machine tools (including Doosan mill-turn centres, twin-turret/twin-spindle machines and 5-axis milling machines), large horizontal borers and vertical turning lathes – many sold as part of turnkey solutions – were also in high demand.

Machines apart, other elements of Mills CNC service are also important. “We have continued to invest in and strengthen our service provision in 2011 and this year we have recruited additional service and PDI engineers, as well as appointing a new service manager and a new parts administrator to meet the needs of our large and growing installed base,’ Mr Frampton underlines.

A recently completed £100,000 revamp of its operations centre, stores and the CNC Training Academy, plus further investments lined up during 2012 to further improve the company’s infrastructure and facilities, demonstrate the importance the company places on ‘having the best customer service and support in the business.’

Concludes Mr Frampton: “2011 was unquestionably a great year for us, but we are now focused on the future and on making 2012 equally successful.

“We have a number of new machines coming on stream over the next few months that will provide us with even more impetus. These include a new range of Lynx sub-spindle lathes and new horizontal machines that will be available from spring 2012, and which we will be launching at MACH 2012.”

http://www.machinery.co.uk/machinery-news/mills-cnc-machine-tools-mill-turns-5-axis-machining-centres/39185/

According to Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland, investing in a well-resourced, highly-professional customer service and support operation with the right systems, structures and, above all, people in place is a pre-requisite to sustainable growth and success.

Mills CNC will sell well over 470 new machines in 2011 (the company’s best ever year in its 39 year history).

A large percentage of the machines sold will be to its existing customers and Mills, year-on-year, makes significant investment in its infrastructure and operations to build customer loyalty and maintain its excellent retention rates. It’s a strategy that appears to work well.

Says Nick Frampton, Mills CNC’s managing director:

‘We sell great products, and we back this up with great service. But this doesn’t happen by chance. We constantly review and evaluate our service and support operations to make sure they operate efficiently and effectively. When we identify areas that can be improved - we make the investment…which is what our customers would expect us to do.’

Such improvements could include recruiting new service engineers or investing in new technology. In a number of cases it can include both.

Mills employs 71 people, and over 60% of them are involved (directly and indirectly) in delivering customer service and support.

The company has 23 regionally-based service engineers that provide quick, rapid-fire response to customers and over £1 million of spare and replacement parts in stock at its facility in Leamington.

Also at Leamington are three technical help-desk engineers that man-the-forts and, for customers experiencing any machine issues are, ‘the first port of call’. These are joined by two engineers that manage the spare parts operation, two project managers in charge of machine deliveries, three PDI (Pre-Delivery Inspection) engineers, six application engineers and four pre-sales engineers that support customers at the initial machine tool enquiry stage.

But it’s not just the size or scope of the engineer resource that’s impressive.

Continues Nick Frampton:

‘We have recently revamped our Operations Centre and the facility now looks the part – modern, stylish and more business-like.’

The Operation Centre’s new interior decor and furnishings are certainly attractive, but it’s the technology in-place and what it signifies that makes the Centre so impressive.

‘Investment in new technology is critical’; continues Nick Frampton.

‘We have a large 6ft wall-mounted screen that displays, in real time, where our engineers are and what they are working on. This provides us with an up-to-the-minute status report on our operations and how we are performing.

‘We always show customers that visit Mills this facility because it demonstrates the importance we place on service and support.’

There’s the old adage in business that customers are nine times more likely to tell other people about poor levels of service they experience and that as a consequence it doesn’t take long for organisations to be tagged with ‘bad service’ reputations.

Concludes Nick Frampton:

‘Everybody remembers when they experienced great service. And, the fact you remember it is because it’s the exception rather than the rule.

‘At Mills we strive to make every interaction with customers a positive one…and really will try to go the extra mile to support anyone who has shown faith by investing with us and purchased a Doosan machine tool.’

http://www.machinetooldirect.co.uk/machine-tool-news/Customer-Support-Mills-CNCs_2011_12.asp

Major highlights of PartMaker Version 2011 include powerful milling functionality, more vivid set-up documentation, a more flexible tooling library, improved simulation of unique machine tool architectures, and a host of additional productivity enhancements.

PartMaker Version 2011 features the PowerSHAPE Companion for PartMaker, an optional module to allow users to design 3D models, repair poor quality 3D data, and modify 3D geometry to improve Design for Manufacturability (DFM). This new optional module features the powerful Solid Doctor utility, which allows users to read and repair models from all sources and tackle the common problems that can be found when translating low-precision and incomplete 3D data. This is done by detecting and repairing faults in engineering models and generating a valid, high-precision solid model ready for programming in PartMaker.

PartMaker Version 2011 lets users manage tool inventory in a universal manner using Master Tools Databases. Master Tools Databases can be edited, manipulated, and stored through external database programs, such as Microsoft Excel, and individual tools can be quickly imported for specific jobs. This approach makes programming more productive by allowing the user to choose previously created tools, enabling the reduction in the size of a given tool library for a particular programming job. Tools are interchangeable between PartMaker’s Tool Files and the users Master Tools Database. This feature will also allow individuals without access to or familiarity with PartMaker to manage the tool inventory available to the CNC programmers.

Bar-fed mills are a new breed of machine tool technology that is growing, and PartMaker introduces a number of features for handling the unique programming issues presented by these machines. PartMaker Version 2011 simulates the architectures and machine kinematics of bar-fed mills in its 3D simulation module and supports the bar-fed mill offerings with robust post-processors and vivid simulation of machines such as Willemin-Macodel, Bumotec, Chiron, Mazak, Star, and others.

PartMaker Version 2011 features a host of improvements to the PartMaker Documentation Wizard (PDW) module including a number of new standard set-up sheet templates as well as the ability to create mid process set-up sheets. Mid process set-up sheets display a picture of the part being machined at each step in the machining process, as well as a graphical view of the tool used in that process. Such set-up sheets can be a great way to communicate to shopfloor personnel exactly how to process a part, speeding up setup time and reducing the possibility of errors.
PartMaker Version 2011 includes a number of enhancements to the software’s surface machining strategies. These improvements include the addition of a more powerful Surface Swarfing strategy, makeing programming swarfing easier and more accurate. The new version also includes the addition of 4-axis swarfing, allowing users to perform more sophisticated milling on machines only capable of 4-axis cutting, which includes most Swiss-type lathes on the market today.

Three-dimensional simulation in PartMaker Version 2011 is much faster than previous versions – more than 50% faster in many cases – with this increase in speed particularly helpful for cutting simulation of complex parts with a number of features. The version also lets users see and verify all the toolpaths at once when programming on a solid model. By simply clicking on a hole or profile on a solid model, PartMaker will place the user into the profile or hole group where that feature has been defined.

http://www.onlinetmd.com/tmd-0511-programming-machines-partmaker.aspx

Mills CNC has taken £11 million of machine tool orders for the January to March 2011 quarter, equating to 136 machines ordered.

The Leamington-based distributor also delivered over 100 machines to customers during the same period.

The exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland, Mills CNC has carried on from its strong, record-breaking sales performance achieved in the last half of 2010.

Mills CNC managing director Nick Frampton (pictured) comments: “”It’s been a great start to 2011, and I’m delighted with the results.

“The strong sales performance in the UK and Ireland is continuing and demonstrates the strength of the manufacturing recovery.

“To meet demand and ensure fast delivery to customers we have significantly increased the number of machine tools we order for stock at our Leamington facility. The growth in the range of machines we offer has also continued to improve our ability to meet and fulfil customer requirements.”

An analysis of the machine orders showed 26% of orders are from ‘new’ customers.

Mr Frampton continued: “The popularity of our DNM vertical machines (both Fanuc and Heidenhain-controlled), show no sign of abating and account for 26% of the orders taken to date this year.

“Our new 8, 10 and 12 in chuck Puma lathes, launched at MACH 2010, have continued to be amongst the best-selling machines we supply and account for 22% of new sales during the quarter. Our small Lynx 2- and 3-axis lathes and large Puma lathes have both made a significant contribution to overall sales performance (28% and 12% respectively).”

http://www.machinery.co.uk/article/32965/Mills-CNC-starts-year-with-orders-of-11-million-in-Q1.aspx

Burnex Corp.
5418 Business Parkway, PO Box 187
Ringwood, IL, 60072, USA
Press release date: March 28, 2011

RINGWOOD, IL - Burnex Corp. is excited to announce the addition of a Water Jet CNC Mill. This additional manufacturing machine compliments our Tool and Die shop. We are now able to provide our customers quick turn prototypes, or small run projects at a very competitive cost. Along with reducing tooling time and cost for our own internal usage.

Family-owned and operated, Burnex Corp. pioneered the planetary geared high speed stamping & bending machines and also operates traditional stamping punch presses. The planetary geared high speed stamping and bending machines have a center component which rotates and draws tools to form the product. Burnex Corp. is the only manufacturer which uses this equipment in a job-shop atmosphere. The result is the flexibility to change between production jobs like conventional punch presses at a competitive cost and consistent quality.

For more information, visit www.burnexcorp.com or call Matt Gilmore, Regional Sales Manager, at 815.728.1317, extension 204.

http://news.thomasnet.com/companystory/Burnex-Corp-Adds-WaterJet-CNC-Mill-593874

Established in November 2010, Sussex-based Fine Machining has wasted no time investing and installing a Doosan Puma 2600M lathe, a Doosan Puma 3100 lathe and a Doosan DNM 650 vertical machining centre at its Littlehampton facility.

Start up subcontractor orders three Doosan machines from Mills CNCWith a number of ‘letters of intent’ from customers guaranteeing the placement of work once the company was up-and-running, and several serious enquiries from different companies with imminent machining projects about to start, it was critical that Fine Machining was cutting metal as soon as possible.

Nick Moore, director at Fine Machining, says: “The projects, although different, were (and are) characterised by their high-accuracy and short lead times. Although the materials required for the parts vary – a significant percentage involve the high-precision machining of bronze, Inconel, Monel, Hastelloy, super-duplex steels and LF2 carbon steel for high-pressure valves (i.e. gate valves; needle valves; control valves) used in the petrochemical sector.”

To meet the exacting part accuracy and surface finish requirements, that in many instances match aerospace quality standards, it was necessary for Fine Machining to invest in new (as opposed to used or reconditioned), high-performance machine tools.

The three machines purchased froms Mills CNC have been arranged to form manufacturing cell. First and second operations are handled by the two Puma lathes, and parts are finished on the DNM 650 vertical machine.

The 8 in chuck Puma 2600M lathe is equipped with driven tools (5.5 kW/5,000 rpm) and is used for some milling as well as first operations. The larger 12 in chuck Puma 3100 lathe can also support a 15 in chuck providing the subcontractor with additional capacity for turning larger workpieces. The large capacity DNM 650 vertical machine with an integrated 4th axis unit, enables parts to be machined in a single set-up.

Mr Moore commented: “Valve parts with intricate flange and thread-end connections can be machined, from start to finish, in a single cycle within this cell.”

In the near future, Fine Machining aims to increase the capabilities of its manufacturing cell further by investing in a new large capacity Doosan Mynx 750 vertical machining centre (with 1.5 m capability in its X-axis), again equipped with a 4th axis unit.

http://www.machinery.co.uk/article/32017/Start-up-subcontractor-orders-three-Doosan-machines-from-Mills-CNC.aspx

Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland, has announced that sales in 2010 exceeded £30.6 million (up 20% on 2009) and that 307 new machines were ordered by customers during the year.

Nick Frampton (pictured), managing director, commented: “Although trading conditions at the beginning of 2010 were tough – the introduction of new, advanced and innovative Doosan machine tools certainly captured the imagination of customers. This, in conjunction with our policy of holding high levels of stock (for fast delivery) at our Leamington facility, and the strategic decision not to reduce our headcount ensured that we were able to capitalise on the up-turn.”

The results also reveal the positive impact on sales generated by the 2010 MACH exhibition and the new range of Doosan machines that Mills launched at the show.

“Sales took off during and after MACH – and didn’t stop.” Continued Mr Frampton. “Customers were particularly impressed with the new range of 8, 10 and 12 in chuck ultra-reliable, high-accuracy Puma lathes we launched at MACH (Puma 2100, Puma 2600 and Puma 3100 models), which, by the end of 2010, resulted in us selling over 40 of these machines from what was (in June 2010), a standing start.”

The result was that after a sluggish first quarter, sales grew exponentially throughout the year resulting in a £11.1 million order intake in the 4th quarter, the best ever final quarter in Mills’ 38 year history. This, following hard on the heels of an impressive 3rd quarter, saw sales in the second half of the year reaching £19.9 million the best second half sales performance in the company’s history.”

Likewise, the prospects for 2011 are looking promising with a current order book of £9.25 million.

http://www.machinery.co.uk/article/30677/Mills-CNCs-sales-exceed-30-million-in-2010.aspx

XYZ Machine Tools has revealed that Mills and Coombs has selected the company’s CNC/manual bed mills to produce replacement parts and specialist cutting knives for paper-bag making machines.

The variable speed VM 3500 bed mill has a 1372 x 355mm table with travels of 762 (X) x 508 (Y) x 508mm (Z), while the two larger 7.5HP/5000rev/min SMX 5000 bed mills have a 1930 x 356mm table with travels of 1524 x 596 x 540mm, providing a 5ft-plus cutting length for larger components.

Tim Cousins of Mills & Coombs praises the the programming simplicity of the XYZ ProtoTRAK control.

Tim Cousins of Mills and Coombs runs the CNC/manual bed mills to make the knives, and selected the machines due to the simplicity of the Prototrak control.

He said the choice of an XYZ VM 3500 CNC/manual bed mill was based on the ease with which its Prototrak CNC could be programmed simply by following plain English prompts, and being able to use the Traking facility to manually wind the machine through the entire program to check for problems before beginning the machining process.

The three bed mills have been installed at two-yearly intervals, with XYZ Machine Tools helping to arrange the appropriate financial package on each occasion.

Cousins said that XYZ’s after-sales support and training has been helpful and technical advice is readily available free-of-charge over the phone.

He has also bought a right-angle head attachment from XYZ as it is relevant to another part of his business, making the stringer needles and other spares needed for machines that punch a hole through each batch of 100 paper bags and thread through the cord by which the bags can then be hung up.

http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/xyz/xyz270.html