MACHINING & MACHINERY
TRANSPORTATION AND DEFENCE
UNISIG
PRODUCTION GUNDRILLING OF TRACK PINS
“The machines are perfectly paced to keep
up with production. The machines do exactly
what was promised. UNISIG knows what they
are talking about, and our expectations are
exceeded.”
William Cook is a UK manufacturer of
track running gear for armored vehicles.
Their relentless drive to engineer, test, and
produce the best products in this category
has propelled them to their position as a
global industry leader. William Cook is the
main supplier of vehicle tracks to the British
Army, in addition to having their products
on the majority of armored fighting vehicles
worldwide.
These vehicle tracks include a key
component – track pins – which are
designed to endure intense wear and
tear from large, fast moving vehicles on
uneven terrain. Components are produced
to be strong, lightweight, and durable – at
enormous production volumes. The material
used is challenging to machine, and the
combination of design and production
demands leaves no room for compromise.
Track pins have a deep hole throughout
the length of the part, which William Cook
had previously been sending out to be
gundrilled. A company-wide initiative to
further modernize production provided
plant systems engineer Brian Birkett with
the responsibility of not only bringing
the process in-house, but to also educate
himself and his team on the foundations of
deep hole gun drilling.
CONFIDENCE BEGINS WITH
EDUCATION
Deep holes exist in the majority of industries,
and many manufacturers such as William
Cook encounter these applications, typically
considered holes with a depth-to-diameter
ratio of 20:1 or greater. When manufacturers
are inexperienced with the process and
equipment, the specific challenges can
seem intimidating to go through alone.
However, deep hole drilling uses modern
tools, machines, and technology and follows
proven methods. With the right partner and
experience, in- sourcing the process and
planning for long-term gundrilling success is
easily manageable.
The team at William Cook initially brought
their application to UNISIG for a machine
solution, but according to Brian, UNISIG
provided more than just a recommendation.
UNISIG’s technical team provided in-
depth foundation information about the
gundrilling process, available tooling, and
the right machine to meet their needs.
130
PECM Issue 40
Brian and UNISIG discussed a heavy duty,
multi-spindle gundrilling machine, designed
to maximize the production potential of
high-feed indexable gundrilling tools.
Following this initial proposal, the team
visited the Wisconsin, USA facility to see the
process and machines first hand, meet with
the technical team to review the application
in detail, and learn what goes into the
precision of UNISIG machines.
“UNISIG’s knowledge of how our application
would benefit from indexable gundrilling
was influential in our decision to go with
them” he stated. “They clearly explained
what we needed to know, addressed all the
questions we had, and brought confidence
in what ultimately was our solution.”
Brian went on to explain that the
combination of process, plus procedure,
plus expertise contributed to their first-
class experience with UNISIG, throughout
the entire process. He praised the team for
immediately being able to recognize and
understand the demands of the application,
and do a thorough job of presenting
a solution – one which has lived up to
expectations.
INTUITIVE AND POWERFUL
The UNI-25HD machine at William Cook
is currently running full production with
three products, and plans to expand their
part lineup. The machine is surpassing
William Cook’s expectations for required
cycle time, with the high gundrill feed rates
and multiple spindles, made possible with
matched power and torque requirements on
the machine.
Loading automation is seamlessly integrated
to maintain a steady production pace with
less operator effort. Brian believes that they
have a solution that is perfectly aligned to
their part and performance requirements.
Brian also praised the ease of operation,
with UNISIG’s standard PLC interface and
a thorough training session, allowing the
team to feel completely confident with deep
hole drilling. The straightforward operation
allows them to set up their program
and let the machine do the work, while
operators monitor the process and look for
improvements. “It’s such a benefit. It’s so
easy to learn”, he commented.
Overall, the initial payback from the
investment is expected to take place within
2 to 3 years, according to the team, and the
long-term impact will be substantial.
SUPPORT FEELS CLOSE
TO HOME
Having close support post-installation
was another priority to William Cook.
Partnering with an international supplier
can sometimes create distance, but this
was not the case with UNISIG. Technical
support teams are quickly able to access the
machine and the operating staff to diagnose
and troubleshoot, even when remote. The
technical support from early on in the sales
process, to responsiveness after installation
has set UNISIG apart from others.
“UNISIG’s service team responds quickly to
take care of any issues, just as if we were
next door. Support feels close to home.”
Brian’s confidence with the UNISIG machine
and partnership has influenced William
Cook’s long-term reliable production, and a
modern solution that aligns with the future
of their company.
UNISIG is also exhibiting at the EMO
show in Hannover, Germany 16.-21.
09. 2019, Hall 15, D34
Further information on all machines
of the UNI series and the complete
UNISIG machine program is available
at: www.unisig.com or follow the
company on LinkedIn and Twitter (@
UNISIG).