Super Precision & Productivity Magazine - Volume 2, Issue 2 - (Page 31)

New European Directive In brief, this Directive concerns applying specific Braille information on the secondary packaging of pharmaceutical products (name of the product, strength, dosage etc.). New regulations (such as the EU Directive) – not only have to be complied with – they also can affect the ability of pharmaceutical companies to get their products to market quickly and to satisfy huge consumer demand – in what, is in effect, a FMCG business. Within the packaging industry, as in other industries, time is money! As a key partner in the pharmaceutical packaging supply chain, Lasercomb Dies has made a strategic investment in advanced milling technology (via the two HSC 500XP3s) to achieve the incredibly tight lead times (2-3 days) for die manufacture and supply, demanded by its customers. To further ensure customer productivity (and to control costs), the Braille embossing operation is performed in-cycle (in process) – added at the same time that the packaging (carton blanks) are cut and creased. Bridgeport at Lasercomb Dies’ facility in Redditch Bridgeport HSC 500XP3 machines have a rigid cast iron portal construction and are equipped with high-speed, heavy-duty 40,000-rpm spindles that provide Lasercomb Dies with fast, high-accuracy machining capability. The HSC 500XP3 spindles (HSK E32) have ceramic bearings, which generate less heat than conventional bearings. These, plus thermally-controlled refrigerated cooling jackets, help reduce thermal distortion and improve part accuracy and repeatability – even during long and unattended machining operations. The machine’s linear guides, fast acceleration/deceleration (0.85g) and 15m/min feeds and quick-change tool changer all help to increase work throughput and reduce part cycle times. The machines are also supplied with the Heidenhain iTNC 530 control which provides short block processing times (0.5ms); jerk limitation and good look-ahead functionality, enabling reliable high speed cutting and contouring. Braille embossing dies The embossing dies (male) are made from brass. (Brass is used because of its low wear characteristics, the sharpness and clarity of the final embossed dot profile, relative ease of machining, etc). The Bridgeport HSC 500XP3s, using small diameter tools, are used to machine-out the specific Braille dot profiles from the brass to create individual dies – supplied as brass strips. Depending on customer requirements, any number of original and identical dies (strips) can be manufactured simultaneously from the same solid brass plate (billet). Clearly, issues such as accuracy and surface finish are of critical importance. Each dot, the gaps between dots and the specific configuration of dots and spaces, make up individual Braille letters and numbers. Not just the machine specification The decision to purchase the Bridgeport machines, was however not just driven by technological arguments. In addition to the machines’ high specifications – and their attractive price – the technical back-up, applications and after-sales services provided by Hardinge were also telling factors. Says Alistair Baxter, Sales Director at Lasercomb Dies: “Of equal importance in our machine tool decision making process was after-sales and service back-up provided by the machine tool manufacturer. Bridgeport HSC 500XP3 machines Designed and built for high precision tool, mold and die-making – and the machining of intricate and complex forms to high accuracy and fine finishes – the Bridgeport machines match Lasercomb Dies’ (and its customers’) manufacturing imperatives – perfectly. S.P & P Magazine . . 31

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Super Precision & Performance - Volume 2, Issue 2 Contents Corner View Worth Noting World View Jig Grinding From Farm Branson-Tooling Radical Sportscar Creating The Impression Hardinge QUEST GT 27 S Hardinge ELITE 27 MS Propelling Productivity Bridgeport FGC 2

Super Precision & Productivity Magazine - Volume 2, Issue 2

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