Following on-going growth, Tamworth-based Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC — www.itc-ltd.co.uk) has bought two more grinding centres to increase its cutting-tool production capacity.

The tooling specialist has already installed a new Walter Helitronic Power featuring a 24kW spindle and an Eco Loader; this will be followed by an Anca MX7 Linear that is due to be installed early this year.

The new Walter Helitronic — a five-axis CNC grinder — will complement the company’s existing 23 machines and will mainly be used for manufacturing high-quality cutting tools above 12mm in diameter; it will be the 17th Walter machine installed in the last 18 years.

Complete with a 40-tool capacity EcoLoad system, the Walter machine has a linear and radial resolution of 1µm to ensure that ITC can meet the requirements of automated round-the-clock production of extremely precise cutting tools.

The Anca MX7 Linear grinding centre will be dedicated to the production of tools in the 16 to 20mm-diameter range.

Like the Walter Helitronic, the Anca machine will feature an automated loading system for 24hr production, as well as in-process laser measuring technology and software designed to automatically monitor grinding-wheel wear and compensate accordingly.

As well as the two new grinding centres, ITC has invested heavily in its infrastructure over the last 12 months.

These investments will be underpinned by the addition of a machining centre this year to further advance the company’s abilities to develop next-generation cutting tools.