Great milling expectations

Devon-based Rotamic Engineering, which specialises in high-precision manufacturing — anything from motor-sport components to specialist medical work, one-offs and prototypes — has taken delivery of its first Bridgeport CNC milling machine from Hardinge Machine Tools. The GX 1000 three-axis vertical machining centre was chosen for its ‘all-rounder’ capabilities, coupled with its higher-end specification.
Standard GX features include a thermally stable spindle, a C-frame fixed-column design and pre-tensioned double-nut ballscrews. The machine supplied to Rotamic has a top spindle speed of 10,000rev/min and a through-spindle coolant supply to enhance its versatility, plus a tooling package comprising 40 tools.
Production manager Gary Squires says that expectations for the GX 1000 are high. “The team at Rotamic prides itself on its passion for problem solving and efficiency, whatever the size and complexity of a project. The mix that turns average into outstanding is not just a mixture of skill, experience and a passion for engineering but one we support with investment.
“It’s early days yet, so we have not been able to put the Bridgeport machine through all of its paces, but we have bought for the future. When you have a machine of this capability, with the ease and speed of programming, it’s not difficult to see that it is going to be an invaluable investment.”