Lynx lathe selected to produce new range of ball transfer units

Mills CNC has recently supplied Alwayse Engineering Ltd with a new DN Solutions’ two-axis lathe

Birmingham-based Alwayse Engineering Ltd, a globally-recognised ball transfer unit design and manufacturing specialist, has invested in a new DN Solutions’ two-axis lathe from Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of DN Solutions’ and Zayer machine tools in the UK and Ireland.

The machine, a Lynx 2100B lathe with Fanuc-controlled 8in chuck and 65mm bar capacity, was installed at Alwayse Engineering’s large, impressive and integrated manufacturing facility in Birmingham in March 2025. As part of the investment package, the machine was supplied with a HydraFeed MSV65 servo-driven, short magazine bar feeder to enable unattended production, and a HydraFeed ROTA-RACK parts accumulator and handling system with an integrated belt conveyor, for improved machined part storage and protection.

Since being installed, it has been put through its paces machining the new single-piece, carbon steel bodies for the company’s redesigned and ‘soon-to-be launched’ 805 series of low-profile, high-load capacity and heavy-duty ball transfer units, used primarily, in air cargo movement applications. The 805 unit bodies are processed from solid mild steel bar stock. They are characterised by their tight, tied up tolerances and exacting surface finish requirements.

The 805 ball transfer unit steel bodies have a 62mm dia x 34.5mm length and are machined in just one setup on the Lynx 2100B. Machining operations include rough and finish boring of the bodies’ interiors to produce the desired internal ‘hemisphere-shape’, and burr-free, parting-off operations to cut off the machined parts from the remaining bar stock.

Part cycle times are approximately 80sec and, once machined on the Lynx 2100B, the bodies are finish-machined on one of the company’s other Lynx lathes, where a series of multi-dirt exit holes —designed to prevent debris build-up and enable more efficient maintenance and cleaning — are machined on the bottom of every unit. Following case hardening and zinc-plating operations, the units are then assembled where a number of small diameter stainless steel balls and a larger diameter stainless steel or carbon chrome load ball, 30 or 45mm in diameter, are inserted to each unit’s interior before being sealed with a retaining (stamped) outer metal ring.

‘Core line’ products
The 805 ball transfer units are classified as ‘core line’ products by Alwayse Engineering, which means they are held in stock and are always available — ready to be supplied to customers quickly and efficiently. Alwayse works closely with its customers to design highly customised and modular ball transfer decks which comprise a series of 805 ball transfer units spaced in a grid pattern and mounted into steel top plates that are attached to strong and stable steel-fabricated sections or frames.

The shape of these sections, and the number of ball transfer units used, depend on the specifics of each application, including size of aircraft cargo decks and the ULDs (Unit Load Devices) used, warehouse floor space available, and the type of goods being moved and transported, such as cargo, mail or baggage.

Alwayse Engineering can provide customers with complete ball transfer decks, where required and, within its Birmingham facility, has its own fabrication department to produce the top plates and sections. As well as complete turnkey solutions, Alwayse Engineering supplies the ball transfer units to integrators and resellers who design the units into the final application. The company also supports them with its design services.

Alwayse 805 Air Cargo ball transfer units are recognised, internationally, for their reliability and durability, and are used extensively within tough and demanding materials handling environments, such as air cargo and freight movement. The company first introduced its precision machined 805 series of heavy duty ball transfer units into the market back in the late 1990s and, with International Air Transport Association (IATA) recognition, they rapidly became accepted as the industry standard.

Continuous improvement and innovation
Recent and successful Alwayse 805 ball transfer unit and ball transfer deck installations include those at Bogota, Columbia and Heathrow airports. Committed to continuous improvement and innovation, the company embarked on a major ‘root and branch’ product redesign and redevelopment programme in 2023. The programme coincided with the company being taken over in March of that year by Lifco, a Swedish-based investment company specialising in the acquisition and development of market-leading niche businesses. With prototyping and pre-production development and testing completed, the company is now in full production mode — ready to launch its new 805 series of ball transfer units into the market.

This new range are built to last and can operate, with no reduction in performance, in both wet and dry conditions. Like their predecessors, the new 805 units ensure smooth cargo movement with minimal resistance, but the newly designed units have specific advantages and strengths over their earlier counterparts — they are quieter and lighter. Alwayse Engineering is no stranger to DN Solutions’ machine tools, and its relationship with Mills CNC started back in 2006.

The new Lynx 2100B installed in the company’s well-resourced machine shop has been positioned adjacent to five older DN Solutions’ (previously Doosan) compact Lynx lathes acquired by Alwayse Engineering over the last 19 years. These machines comprise two x Lynx 220LC, one x Lynx 220C, one x Lynx 2100LMSB and one x Lynx 2100A.

Pictured left: Alwayse Engineering pioneered the invention of ball transfer units in 1941, revolutionising materials handling systems and solutions and is recognised throughout the world for its innovation, quality and customer care

Richard Cutler, engineering manager at Alwayse Engineering, said: “DN Solutions’ machines are proven performers and have significantly improved our in-house machining capacity and capabilities. Our Lynx lathes deliver the accuracies and repeatabilities, the fast processing speeds and the machining flexibility we need to increase our productivity (reduced set up and cycle times) and improve our process efficiencies. Over the years we have developed a good working relationship with Mills CNC. In addition to providing us with best-in-class machine tool technologies, we can also vouch for the efficacy of the company’s delivery and installation operations, its CNC training provision and its after-sales service and support too.”

Established relationship
Unsurprisingly, when the company was looking to invest in a new lathe dedicated to the manufacture of its newly-designed 805 ball transfer units — Mills CNC was one of three machine tool suppliers Alwayse Engineering approached. Mr Cutler continued: “Mills CNC provided us with a competitive quote for the new compact lathe. Our knowledge of, and previous positive experience with, DN Solutions’ Lynx lathes combined with our established relationship with the machine tool supplier put it in the driving seat and resulted in an order being placed.”

DN Solutions’ Lynx 2100B is a popular, best-selling compact lathe equipped with a 15kW 4,500rev/min spindle and a 12-station, servo-driven turret with fast tool change capabilities. The machine boasts 30m/min rapids on its X axis and 36m/min rapids on its Z axis, and features a 350mm maximum turning dia and a 330mm maximum turning length.

In addition to the HydraFeed bar feeder and ROTA-RACK parts accumulator, the machine supplied to Alwayse Engineering was also equipped with a Doosan Fanuc iPlus control with 15in touchscreen iHMI, a FilterMist extraction unit and a customised pneumatic arm integrated to the machine’s parts catcher that helps remove swarf and coolant from each machined part. Since being installed, the new machine has not missed a beat and is proving, like the other Lynx machines the company has at its disposal, to be a high-accuracy and reliable turning solution.