MNB Precision has installed new mill-turning and machining capacity as part of its long-term growth strategy.
Established over 40 years ago MNB Precision, a family-owned business providing manufacturing and precision engineering services to a growing number of OEM and Tier One companies operating primarily, but not exclusively, in the oil and gas sector. Other sectors served by MNB include power generation, rail, defence, nuclear, automotive etc.
Two new Doosan machines have been supplied by Mills CNC, a large-capacity Doosan SMX 3100 multi-tasking mill-turn machine and a Doosan DNM 6700 vertical machining centre.
The machines were installed at MNB’s 36,000sq. ft. facility in May 2021 and their arrival is part of a larger new technology investment package that, over the next seven months, will see MNB take ownership of four more advanced Doosan machines – two lathes, a vertical machining centre and a mill-turn machine.
By the end of the year MNB will have 20 Doosan machines at its disposal - a sizeable proportion of the company’s 55 total machine tool resource.
Elliot Benton, Commercial Director, said: “We are committed to continuous improvement and, as such, are no strangers to making strategic and prudent investments in advanced manufacturing and machining technologies.
“The sectors where we operate are ultra-competitive and the investments we make are all intended to help us improve our quality, productivity and operational efficiencies.”
The Doosan SMX 3100 is a high-productivity, multi-tasking mill-turn machine equipped with a 12” chuck and features a 30kW/4000rpm spindle, a B-axis milling spindle, a 40 tool magazine, a servo-driven tailstock, linear scales and the latest Fanuc 31iB5 control.
As part of the investment package the machine was supplied with a SLU-X4 steady rest, which in conjunction with the tailstock, enables the reliable and high-accuracy machining of long workpieces.
The SMX 3100 is the first Doosan mill-turn machine acquired by MNB but the company is no stranger to the technology itself.
Elliot Benton said: “Mill-turn technology enables us to machine complex, high-precision parts in one hit. The technology can make jobs, previously considered unprofitable, a more attractive proposition and helps significantly reduce job set-up and part cycle times.
“The investment in the SMX 3100 has been made specifically to machine high-precision, low alloy steel, oil and gas plug-type components, required in large volumes, for a customer in Norway.
The DNM 6700 is a large-capacity vertical machining centre equipped with a 12,000rpm directly-coupled spindle, a 30-position ATC, roller LM guideways and thermal compensation systems, and features the latest Fanuc 0iMP control with the advanced touchscreen iHMI. To increase productivity and ensure machining flexibility the DNM 6700 was supplied with an integrated 4-/5-axis rotary table.
Says Elliot Benton: “We invested in a Doosan DNM 5700 vertical machining centre in 2017 and can vouch for the machine’s accuracy, speed and reliability. Our latest (DNM 6700) investment provides us with a larger travels (1300mm x 670mm x 625mm) and a bigger working table (1500mm x 670mm).
“The DNM 6700 increases the machining capacity of i8 Ltd - a new, precision engineering subsidiary we created and absorbed into MNB in 2019, following the purchase of the assets of Integr8 - a local engineering subcontractor. The machine was acquired to initially machine complex parts for a water treatment customer.”
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