Helipebs Controls has a history that can be traced back over 100 years. A manufacturer of pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders, Helipebs has further developed its products over the past 10 years and created a ‘more bespoke’ business designing and manufacturing cylinders for the sub-sea oil and gas sector.

Indeed, the success of these products saw the company’s overseas sales grow by 142% between 2013 and 2015; as a result, it recently received a Queen’s Award. Ron Tyler, Helipebs’ director of manufacturing and finance, said: “In the past decade, as our reputation for excellent customer service, precision, high-quality engineering design and manufacturing has grown, we’ve extended our reach into international markets — for both ‘off the shelf’ products
and highly bespoke applications. We now export around the world and continue to open up new markets and develop partnerships.”

Not a company to ‘rest on its laurels’, 60-employee Helipebs is embarking on further business expansion, targeting customers in industries that include offshore oil and gas, aerospace, Formula One and pharmaceutical, as well as wave and tidal energy. Helping the company to meet its production requirements has been the on-going investment in machine tools, specifically a diverse selection from the XYZ Machine Tool range (www.xyzmachinetools.com).

Mr Tyler says: “Four to five years ago, we wanted to upgrade our existing machining capacity. We didn’t simply want to replace like for like, but wanted machines that would enhance our machining capability. The XYZ machines — all but one fitted with the ProtoTrak control system — were totally appropriate for our needs.”

Confidence to invest

Production supervisor Paul Perkin added: “The ability of XYZ machines to produce low-volume components efficiently gave us the confidence to invest. The first machine we bought was a ProTurn SLX 425 lathe, which took our existing skills to the next level.

“One of the key features of the ProtoTrak control that made a significant difference to our production was the Traking facility, which allows the operator to move through the program by winding the hand-wheels. This facility, combined with the 3-D representation of the part on-screen, gives the operators bags of confidence that the machine is doing exactly what they have told it to do.”

Helipebs soon added an XYZ TC 320 LTY turning centre — the only non-ProtoTrak-controlled XYZ that the company has purchased. This machine has the easy-to-use Siemens 828D Shopturn control with conversational programming and posed no problems for Helipebs’ operators.

“It was bought to replace three older machines, its driven-tool milling capabilities and 100mm Y-axis capability allowing the company to machine parts in a single cycle that would previously have required three operations.

Mr Perkin said: “This is an example of purchasing machines that could push our capability and improve our productivity — an ideal that has been repeated with every XYZ machine we have bought. Indeed, each new XYZ machine has replaced one or two of our older machines.”

The next machine to be installed was an XYZ ProtoTrak LPM. Termed a ‘lean production’ machine, this is a particularly versatile machining centre that is being used by Helipebs for a multitude of applications previously undertaken by two older machines; and the fact that it has a ProtoTrak control means that any of the five operators trained on that control can move between it and the other XYZ machines. The LPM has a 900 ¥ 500mm table, a 16-position tool magazine and an 11.2kW 8,000rev/min spindle, making it capable of undertaking a variety of work.

Looking to ‘go large’

These first XYZ machines focused on smaller components. With the need to accommodate larger and longer parts, Helipebs’ next purchase was an XYZ ProTurn SLX 555 lathe with 3m between centres and a 560mm swing, giving the company the ability to turn large-diameter flanges and long piston shafts.

The SLX 555 also has an 11kW spindle with 30 to 1800rev/min over two speed ranges. To complement this large lathe, Helipebs also brought in an XYZ SMX 4000 bed mill. This has a 1,475 x 356mm table, plus a 5.75kW 40-5,000rev/min 40-taper spindle. This machine is used not only for larger milling jobs, but also for quite complicated work that is programmed using the ProtoTrak control. Helipebs latest machine is another ProTurn SLX 425, this time with 2m between centres.

In conclusion, Mr Perkin says: “The return on our investment in XYZ machines has been exceptional. We have also developed a great working relationship with XYZ, particularly with Mark Matthews — our area sales manager. He understands our business and updates us as and when, but only with the new machine developments that he knows will work for us.”