Multi-Spindles Can be Used for Low Volume, Too

One of the machine’s key attributes is the ability to set up for and run small batches, eliminating holding huge stocks of components and trying to anticipate customer requirements.

A couple of years ago, I was on an editorial trip to England, which is among my favorite places to visit. I made several stops to visit manufacturers, attended an aerospace conference in Sheffield and was able to visit my son who was living in London at the time. All in all, it was a good trip.

One of the stops I made was a visit to Wickman, which is located in Coventry. My host was Chris Barret who is managing director of the company’s U.K. operations. As luck would have it, they were finishing up a runoff for an interesting application that used the multi-spindle capability of the machine in a counterintuitive way.

Mr. Barret explained that by the machine’s CNC capability coupled with 28 axes under control, the machine could switch seamlessly form one part to another with no intervention. It was a fascinating application. The visit resulted in a feature article that details the application.

Read “A Collaborative Approach to Custom Machine Design,” an interesting take on the flexibility that is possible on a CNC multi-spindle machine.