Workholding fixtures on the Mazaks are basically the ma-
chine’s chuck and collets. Teir tilt milling heads along with programmable C-axis turning spindle movement provide ac- cess to all part surfaces and eliminate the need for form tools. “Since we machine parts from bar stock, we essentially
program parts in space using the machines’ Matrix 2 pro- gramming platform,” said Spah. “With the Mazaks, there is no fixturing to restrict programmers or limit machine movement, and we hold parts the same way every time, except a collet diameter might change depending on bar stock diameter.”
Tooling Capacity Crucial Before the Integrex i-150s, turning machines with Y-axis
capability and live-tool turret stations gave Lowell multi- tasking part-processing ability. Te shop did a lot of work using angled heads and form tools to go beyond the normal capabilities of its conventional machine tools. However, as part complexity increased, the shop found that those called for more tooling capacity than a turret could supply. “Almost all of our parts require surfacing, so we need
roughing and finishing tools. And with the tool capacity of the Mazaks, we are able to load the machines with resident tooling likely to be used on most jobs and still have plenty of room for custom tools for specific jobs as well,” added Spah. He also mentioned that when compared with the shop’s
vertical machining centers (VMC) and horizontal machin- ing centers (HMC), the Integrex i-150s handle parts within their much smaller work envelopes, while also providing a higher degree of motion below center. Tis, according to Spah, reduces interference and allows the shop to use shorter, more rigid, tooling. Processing smaller medical parts on the VMCs and HMCs required longer tooling overhangs to work around fixturing and compensate for the inherent greater masses of those style machines. Within the Integrex i-150s, Lowell runs pure oil as a
cutting coolant, which is why the shop elects to not operate the machines light-out, per se. Rather, it runs them lightly tended—even at night—with someone always close by to check on them periodically.
The Advantages of Oil Coolant “Because we run pure oil, we equipped our Mazaks with
fire suppression systems and modified pumps and filters that Mazak and its distributor Northwest Machine, in Rogers, MN, helped us with,” said Spah. “For our small diameter tools, we believe oil performs much better as compared with a water soluble coolant. Oil stays in the cut longer, helps generate smoother surface finishes, increases tool life and does not provide a habitat for bacteria growth.” Rick Cullen, VP of Operations, added there are several jobs
the shop would have shied away from had it not been for the done-in-one capabilities of the Integrex i-150s. He mentioned
one job in particular involving a cardiovascular component comprised of right- and leſt-hand halves. Without the Mazaks, the shop would have been unable to cost-effectively produce the parts or meet the job’s extremely tight delivery time. Te right- and leſt-hand sides form the complete titanium
cardiovascular part. Lowell machines them complete from bar stock using cutters as small as 0.020" (0.51-mm) diameter. In operation, the Integrex i-150 performs all the front-working operations with its milling spindle while the part is held in the turning spindle. Ten aſter a cut-off operation, the machine’s back-working vise clamps on to the part and flips it over for back-working milling operations. Once the part is complete, the machine automatically unloads it. “Without the Mazaks, we would have to mill basically
all the part features—the majority of which actually involve turning,” said Tim Nelson, manufacturing engineer and lead programmer for the Mazak cell at Lowell. “Te Integrex i-150s let us turn and mill exactly what and where we want, and all in one setup. Instead of painstakingly having to prepare part blanks if the job were run on our conventional milling ma- chines, we can run them from bar stock and use a bar feeder as part of a fully self-contained fully automated system. With other more standard machines, we’d have to machine a few features on the part, remove it from the fixture, reposition it and finish the rest.”
The Power of Partnership Lowell strives to be their customer’s “premier partner for
the development and production of technologically advanced, implantable medical devices.” Te Integrex i-150s are a key component of reaching that goal. Because of their processing flexibility the i-150s are used in both quick-turnaround de- velopment jobs that can range from 1 to 50 parts to full-scale production in the tens of thousands. Lowell works with its medical OEM customers throughout all
stages of the product development cycle. Tis extensive involve- ment coupled with advanced machine tool technology such as that of the Integrex i-150s contribute to the increased speed at which those customers can bring their products to market. 2014 marks Lowell’s 50th year in business. In the future,
they plan to continue their growth and to look at expanding into new applications in cardiovascular components as well as jobs for other medical submarkets such as craniomaxillofacial, vascular and neurology. And according to Cullen, the Mazaks are a big step in the “part processing versatility direction” the shop has taken to handle these other jobs and do so quickly and cost-effectively. While at the same time, Lowell will also continue to fixate on increasing its overall throughput and thus its profitability.
This feature edited by Yearbook Editor Michael Anderson from information provided by Mazak.
Medical Manufacturing 2014 63
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