General machined parts/CNC machined parts
Machining has always been the ideal production route for low-run and prototype components, ranging from the precision requirements of the aircraft industry to large scale components for off-shore installations.
Tufnol has, for many years, invested heavily in their in-house CNC machining Birmingham facility and has established one of Europe’s largest machining centres, through which millions of components pass each year.
Engineers at Tufnol are able to advise on both materials and the most efficient general/CNC machining methods for the particular component, thus helping to cut unit costs.
CNC machined parts are often the most cost-effective method of producing CNC composite laminate
components in small to medium batch quantities. A wide choice of materials is available, and machining offers great flexibility in design, without the heavy tooling costs associated with moulding.
CNC machining/milling Tufnol
CNC machined parts dimensions and design can often be easily altered without incurring excessive expense. CNC composite laminate with high quality fibre reinforcements are not suitable for moulding of sophisticated shapes so machining is often the only practical method of producing
complex components in these materials.
Tufnol CNC machined parts and machined thermoplastics are readily machined on normal tools and the usual operations can be carried out satisfactorily.
Some adjustments to tool forms and techniques are required to obtain the best results but, as a guide, the procedures are basically similar to those used for brass, with tool angles amended to reduce heat generation. The thermal conductivity of composites is much lower than metals and if heat build-up is allowed it will impair the production of accurate, burr free, CNC machined parts and general machined part components.
In the case of CNC composite laminates, care should be taken to choose the form best fitted for the job, e.g. gears should be cut from a sheet, not a rod, and it is essential to clamp the workpiece when drilling in line with the laminations. Maximum strength is obtained with holes at the right angles to the laminations.
CNC Machining Services
Our technical capability and cnc machining services combine high performance up-to-date CNC equipment with an unmatched depth of experience in machining cnc composite laminates and general machined parts and other machined thermoplastics.
Today, Tufnol components are used in a huge range of applications, from oil platforms to super cars, large electrical machines to medical instruments, and for critical parts in many of the world’s best-known aircraft.
CNC Milling Services
Tufnol is renowned for its quality.
CNC milling is one of the most common forms of machining. Using a full suite of CAD CAM software Tufnol created tailored machining solution for its customers.
The demonstration shows the typical route for programming through to finished machine component.