RWOOBROK TS IHCOSP
MAZAK
TOOLS YOU UP
TO BE COMPETITIVE
Victor Hydraulics recently
installed a Mazak HCN
4000 horizontal with multi
pallets and tool hive with 312 tool
locations.
This was driven by the need
to be focused on how to keep
competitive. In the past, Victor
Hydraulics also bought ‘like for
like’ machines for “standardisation
reasons,” but then realised over time
they were not getting any gains from
new technology and were stuck in
a rut.
“This need for standardisation was
constraining our thinking,” says
manufacturing manager Darryl May.
“But the constraints are mainly in
the mind, because we tell ourselves
this is the way we have always
done things, by doing this we were
seriously limiting ourselves.”
So, Victor Hydraulics sent out
specification requirements to four
different suppliers; the overall
offering that met Victor Hydraulics’
vision for the future in terms of size,
controller, tool hive, pallet system
and market support was Mazak.
“There was quite a bit at stake and
the specifying and install process
was very smooth - no-one cut any
corners and I am very comfortable
with the support we are getting from
the team. From a commissioning
point of view, it was well coordinated
with good communication
in advance so there were no
surprises,” he says.
No-one attends the machine during
the night shift. The tool hive allows
the Mazak to run unmanned using
the tool monitoring and there are
enough tools in the machine to
call back up tools. Without the hive
Victor Hydraulics would not have a
chance of aiming for this goal.
“The technology and configuration
allow you to achieve delivery
nimbleness. This machine gives
us zero set-up time by the ability
to set up pallets while another is
being machined, our spindle cut
time is very high and the smooth
controller is super impressive and
very intuitive.”
Even with adding more operations
to the part being machined, within
two months Victor Hydraulic have
doubled production rate and halved
labour content, and throughput per
hour has gone up considerably - the
machine is now running 21 hours
per day.
With any machine tool investment,
the quality of the after sales service
is a huge decider in which direction
the purchaser will go. When put to
Darryl, he says: “Victor Hydraulics
realised that while NZMT is a new
agent for Mazak, its associated
company Iscar Plus was not going
to put their cutting tool business
with us at risk with poor service, and
we realise that Iscar have been in
the industry for a long time. Victor
Hydraulics trust they will get it right.”
Director John McCallister adds:
“Victor Hydraulics are focused
on through-put, that’s our main
measure”, we have added value
by adding to our capability which
appeals to our clients and we can
also offer design improvements
because of the new capabilities.”
FIND OUT WHY
EVERYONE IS
TALKING SMOOTH
19” Touch screen operation
Fastest CNC in the world
Easy conversational
programming of multiple
surface machining
Smooth user graphical
interface and support
functions for unsurpassed
ease of operation
MAZAK Sales Office
2/501 Mt Wellington Highway
Mt Wellington
Auckland
www.nzmachinetools.co.nz
Freephone: 0800 85 87 84
REN261
42 February 2019
/www.nzmachinetools.co.nz