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Expedite has two Sodick wire EDM machining centers they use in production as well as support equipment for the shops manufacturing capabilities. Because of the versatility and quick setup, the EDM department could be running customer parts one day and make tooling for an upcoming job the next.
support our customers. Our E2 Shop System is an end to end solution capturing everything from the RFQ stage up through accounting. We utilize the latest in CAD/ CAM software as well, running MasterCam, GeoPath, FeatureCam, Part Maker, Solid Works and SurfCam. We have all the bases covered and can utilize as much or as little as needed. We have 5-6 really good programmers, but at least ten guys can program as needed.”
Expedite Precision’s milling department consists of one Matsuura horizontal H-Plus-405 10 pallet cell system with 240 tools, one YCM FX380A 5-AXIS vertical machining center with glass scales on all axis: X, Y, Z, A, C and Renishaw spindle and tool probing, three YCM vertical machine centers, one MATRIX XR510, high precision/high speed vertical machining center, three Haas Super VF-2, one standard VM2 and a single Fadal VMC 4020. Turning is accomplished by Kia and Hyundai lathes that include: KIA Turn 21, KIA Super Turn 21, KIA KIT 450 and two Hyundai WIA machines. Expedite got into Swiss turning the second their customers had a need, after that there was no turning back. The Swiss department is made up of six Star machines and a single Nomura. The Stars all have live tooling with full C axis, but their Star SR20RIV-B takes things even further with full B axis with 3 front milling and 3 rear milling units, live tooling, full C axis with sub spindle and broken tool
detector. Orlando and his team learned long ago that the more processes they control in house the better the parts and the happier the customer. “We have PO’s that require us to do all the manufacturing in house,” tells Orlando. “Even the ones that don’t mandate in- house manufacturing still like that their job is under our complete control. In-house manufacturing is always less money than sending it out, and we are able to pass that savings along to the customer.” “Not only do they get a better part, but they get it at a better price,” adds Yousuff. “That’s how we got into wire EDM machining. We had a part that required EDM and we would have lost the job if we sent it out. So, we purchased a SODICK AQL325L and the next week ran the part. Wire EDM’s are super versatile machines and we added a larger SODICK VL 600Q not long after. We use it for manufacturing as well as making our own tooling.” “Next up for us is a cryogenic deburring machine” continues Martin. “We were manually doing it for years, then it became an outside process, but we’ve reached a point where we need to have it back under our control again. It is a very efficient way to deburr parts and should be on our shop floor very soon.”
Orlando can’t think of a single piece of equipment that wasn’t purchased because of a direct need. They don’t buy machine tools in the hope that someday it will get used. If there is a better, faster, more efficient way to do
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CNC WEST October/November 2020