Prototyping, rapid manufacturing and industrial model-making specialist
Ogle Models and Prototypes, Letchworth, has taken delivery of its first five-axis machining centre, a
Hurco VMX42SRTi with a B-axis spindle head and flush rotary table.
The machine is equipped with a 60-station toolchanger, as premiered at MACH 2026, rather than a standard 40-station version to allow extended periods of unattended production. The extra tool capacity also lends itself to the retrofitting of robotic automation, should it be required in the future.
Ogle invested in the advanced machining centre to gain maximum flexibility within a compact footprint for producing large, complex 3D shapes without the need for multiple setups. This expansion in capacity, both in size and capability, provides critical support for producing the vast variety of components manufactured in the Letchworth facility.
The VMX42SRTi is a high‑performance machining centre with a standard specification that reflects this, including a 12,000rev/min, 36.5 kW motor‑spindle with integrated chiller, 20‑bar through‑spindle coolant, direct drives in the B and C rotary axes and linear scales in X, Y and Z. An advantage of the SRTi configuration is that, when five‑axis machining is not required, the machine functions as a three- or four‑axis machining centre utilising the entire working envelope. This flexibility is particularly valuable in mixed‑production environments like Ogle’s.
Pic: A Hurco VMX42SRTi with 60-station toolchangerContinuous investment by Ogle in modern production technology complements a long history of engineering excellence that dates back to the company's founding in 1954. With more than 70 years of experience, it serves as a key development partner across the product design, film, architecture, aerospace, defence, medical and automotive sectors.
Customer CAD data is translated into precise, exhibition-grade, aesthetic models and high-performance functional parts, backed by comprehensive expertise in 3D printing, vacuum casting, industrial modelmaking, CNC machining and post-process finishing.
This latest five-axis delivery builds on an ongoing partnership with Hurco that began in 2017 when Ogle acquired its first machine from this supplier, a VM30i 3-axis model. Over subsequent years, the facility integrated two additional Hurco machining centres into its production, including an extended-travel VMX42Ti.
Ogle's production relies on the versatile Hurco WinMax control system, which delivers the operational agility needed to efficiently program and execute one-off custom components and low-volume production batches. While the prototyping specialist invested early in additive techniques like stereolithography and powder bed fusion, the business maintains a strong commitment to CNC machining as a core capability, ensuring the company remains at the leading edge of the industry.
Top pic: A model produced by Ogle for an automotive industry customer