Dalau machines larger more-complex parts

So that it could machine larger and more-complex plastic parts to high levels of precision, an Essex company has installed a new DMG machine tool — programmed with FeatureCAM, the feature-based CAM system from Birmingham-based Delcam plc (www.delcam.com) — and a Hexagon inspection arm using Delcam’s PowerInspect inspection software.

Founded as a family business in 1955, Dalau — based in Clacton-on-Sea — is now the largest processor of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in the UK. It has subsidiaries in New Hampshire, USA, and in Turkheim, Germany. Moreover, the company recently opened a factory in Suzhou, China. Dalau has always focused on challenging applications. In the early 1970s, it supplied over 100 slide pads for the Sydney Opera House to sit on. More recently, the company has been manufacturing parts for Formula One racing cars; it has also been given AS 9100 approval to produce components for the new Airbus 380 and the Eurofighter — plus it machines miniature components for electronic applications using the latest micro-machining technology.

Philip Alston, the company’s production manager for machined components, says: “We started out machining small parts on a sliding-head lathe. As our customers began to demand larger and more-complex designs, we realised that we would need to move to five-axis milling to remain competitive. I first saw Delcam’s software when I visited a company in Coventry to evaluate a five-axis machine we were thinking of buying. I visited Delcam in Birmingham for an in-depth demonstration soon after and was really impressed with how easy the operator made the software look.

“Of course, it wasn’t as simple for us at first, because all our expertise was in turning rather than milling, but we were soon taking full advantage of the software. Delcam’s PowerShape has been a real bonus, as our design capabilities were limited before we had 3-D software. Even though we try to get 3-D models from our customers as often as possible, we still use PowerShape to develop some designs from drawings. PowerMill has also made a big contribution to us making the most of our five-axis machine.”

Most recently, Dalau has increased its capabilities with a DMG CTX Gamma 2000 TC, the first machine of its type to be installed in the UK. This incorporates a combination milling and turning spindle, with an NC-controlled B axis to allow the production of even larger and more-complex designs.