BETTER PRODUCTION Shops Using Technology
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on the Datron, I was running at 200-220 ipm,
which is incredibly fast, and I'm still dialing in the
feeds and speeds." He says that Datron applica-
tion technician Dann Demazure has helped him
optimize the program for the titanium par t by
researching and sending information. "It would
have been hard to figure out without a lot of trial
and error," he says, "but the Datron guys always
come through."
Hudson purchased the machine just over a
year ago, and Mr. Fisher says it already has saved
the company costs up front. "Originally, we were
looking at the two- to three-year mark to get
everything we needed through outsourcing, and
t h e c o s t o f t h e s e v e r y l a r g e m o l d s w a s
astronomical," he says. "In less than a year, we're
where we wouldn't have been until about four
years from now."
The machine mills conical cavities into its table,
resulting in a "boss-in-cavity" system for ensur-
ing workholding location repeatability, which
Hudson has found useful as it transitions into the
production phase. "I still had a mold fixture on the
machine last week, and another part came in and I
never took the other fixture off the machine,"
Mr. Fisher says. "Because of the conicals, I posi-
tioned the new part where I wanted it and was off
and running."
Datron Dynamics Inc., call 603-672-8890
or visit datron.com.