Coventry-based Pailton Engineering has installed a new Sohmax horizontal multi-axis machine.

Manufactured by Cambridge Dynamics in partnership with Fanuc, this is designed to machine both ends of shafts, rods, bars and axles simultaneously (www.cambridgedynamics.com).

Pailton makes bespoke steering columns for specialist vehicles — including buses and coaches, utility vehicles and military vehicles — and the Sohmax machine is part of an on-going project to invest in machinery to increase productivity.

The new machine does the job of up to 12 CNC lathes and milling machines, reducing set-up times and speeding up the production of complex parts.

It will assist in the manufacture of parts for commercial, construction, emergency-service and military vehicles — as well as components for bus and coach steering systems.

It has a central carousel (with six beds that can accommodate components up to 1m long); this indexes by 60deg after each pair of simultaneous operations.

Production manager Matt Fisher said: “Not every steering-system manufacturer is as flexible as us.

"We are customer-focused, and our attention to detail when manufacturing bespoke steering systems reflects this.

"The commercial- vehicle industry often demands a fast ‘prototype to production’ service, so we are continuing to invest in our ‘state of the art’ production facilities.

"The installation of the Sohmax machine is another way for us to meet the time-sensitive needs of the industry, fulfilling customer demands and urgent orders.”