Investment adds value-add service for customers wanting squared to size material that will save valuable machining time as the material arrives as machine-ready blanks and can be machined as soon as it is received.

“One of the most time-consuming operations in a machining or fabrication shop is material preparation. Programming rough machining operations for efficient removal of material is crucial when preparing a workpiece for finished machining or fabrication. Ultimately it can lead to large losses of material, especially if the material has to be scrapped because of incompetency. Additionally, these more mundane and less cost-effective operations occupy expensive equipment that should rather be performing the tasks that require micron precision,” explained Lance Tondolo, an Engineer at Axiom Hydraulics.

“For a busy manufacturer there can be fewer harder challenges to productivity in your machine shop than having to first prepare material on your expensive CNC machine before you can actually start machining, particularly when you do not have the equipment to do so. We should know. Established in 1959, Axiom Hydraulics is one of South Africa’s oldest hydraulic companies, specialising in the design, supply, repair, reconditioning and servicing of a comprehensive range of hydraulic equipment.”

The new Amada THV460 double head milling machine

“From idea to reality it all begins in our integrated manifold design centre. With an accumulative experience of over 120 years in the hydraulics industry, we have the expertise you need in designing high-quality, durable manifolds.”

“We design and plot all manifold functionality using schematical circuitry. Once the design has been approved, our engineers design intricate, integrated manifolds to suit your systems’ every requirement, using only the latest CAD based build of Hydrosym, Hydroman and Inventor 3D design software and five 3-axis CNC milling machines, as well as the new Amada double head CNC milling machine with genuine Sun Hydraulics precision tooling.”

“All raw manifold billets are high-quality and certified ductile iron, imported from the USA. We not only use Dura-Bar for our products but we also stock and distribute a comprehensive range of sizes in Dura-Bar ductile iron square and rectangular bar stock. We have represented the company in South Africa since 2021 and are now their official distributors.”

Material being processed on the new Amada THV460 double head milling machine

“Dura-Bar’s superior machinability and minimal need for deburring means decreased cycle times, and therefore more parts per hour can be produced. Dura-Bar’s superior machinability increases machining speeds by a minimum of 30%, and often as much as 50%. Increased feed rates are due to a reduction on spindle load and less cutting force is required as compared to steel. Improved tool life results from consistent material structure and graphite content.”

“Applications for Dura-Bar include machine bases, manifolds, pump and compressor components. Dura-Bar iron bar stock is frequently specified over steel for better machinability and lower part costs. For example, recently, a spindle housing was converted from leaded steel to Dura-Bar 65-45-12 ductile iron, reducing part cost by 33%.”

“From a process perspective, Dura-Bar’s continuous cast process is one of the main differentiators. The process begins with a water-cooled graphite dye that is machined to form the shape of the desired bar. The dye is mounted on a bar machine crucible, and then the bar is pulled horizontally from the crucible. The head pressure feeds molten iron into the dye producing a fine grain cast bar. The process enables the microstructure of the iron to be free from impurities, such as slag, gas holes, and other tool-wary inclusions, producing material that is a superior alternative to carbon steels.”

“The first obvious advantage is that Dura-Bar is 10% lighter than steel. So you’re saving money on the weight immediately. Another advantage is the formation of chips when machining. When steel is machined, as many of you know, you get very sharp, not easy to handle stringers. When machining Dura-Bar, though, you’ll get chips that are not sharp, more compact, lead-free, and easy to handle. And in Dura-Bar, you’ll see a dense, fine-grain microstructure with a uniform graphite distribution, which makes all of the material easier to machine and leads to longer tool life.”

The facility where the new machine and the Dura-Bar material is housed

“As said before the Amada THV460 double head milling machine was purchased as a value-add service for customers wanting squared to size material. The twin head milling system saves valuable machining time as the material can be machined as soon as it is received. Average delivery time for squared material is one to two working days in sizes not exceeding 190mm x 190mm x 460mm.”

“A meaningful percentage of our business is the designing and manufacture of manifolds for the hydraulics market. The Amada THV460 is used to square our internal material for manufacture, as well as these manifolds.”

“Prior to the arrival of the Amada THV460 we were using two manual conventional milling machines to perform the process of squaring. We have now deployed those machines to a different department and we estimate that the Amada THV460 has increased productivity three-fold.”

“Dura-Bar’s superior machinability and minimal need for deburring means decreased cycle times, and therefore more parts per hour can be produced. Dura-Bar’s superior machinability increases machining speeds by a minimum of 30%, and often as much as 50%. Increased feed rates are due to a reduction on spindle load and less cutting force is required as compared to steel. Improved tool life results from consistent material structure and graphite content.”

“Additionally, there has been an upgrade to the throughput and quality of supplied product, as well as increasing output and quality of production.”

Typical applications for Dura-Bar
“Typical applications for Dura-Bar material in the automotive industry are gears, in the fluid power industry cylinder blocks, end caps, gear rack housings, glands, manifolds, pistons, rotors and valves, in the glass mould industry bank moulds and plungers, for machinery bushings, chuck bodies, die blocks, flywheels, gears, housings, journals, pulleys, rams, rotary tables, side frames, spindle housings and tie rod nuts, in the power transmission industry coupling hubs, gears, pulleys, sprockets, in the pump and compressor industry gears, housings, pistons, rotary screw and rotors, in the transportation industry coupling hubs, gears, pulleys, rail spacers and sprockets.”

“Dura-Bar is stocked in several grades of ductile iron and grey iron, as well as additional non-stock grades which can be ordered in volume quantities. The type and distribution of graphite influences most of the properties and results in the free machining characteristics, excellent noise and vibration damping, thermal conductivity, and wear resistance.”

Axiom Hydraulics is one of South Africa’s leading hydraulic specialists, serving the unique requirements of a range of industries through a comprehensive range of hydraulic products.
Axiom Hydraulics specialise in the design and supply of complete hydraulic systems, including hydraulic drives, integrated manifolds, power packs, oil cooling and braking systems

“There is a myriad of further information on the Dura-Bar website (www.dura-bar.com) where you can find out all the information on the material and its uses.”

“On the floor we have five CNC vertical mills and machines for spline hobbing, broaching, keyway cutting, lathes and manual drilling. If necessary we can offer these processes for further machining but we are mainly doing inhouse work on these machines.”

“The effect of load shedding has been mitigated by installing our own solar system enabling us to maintain our supply chain and meet customer needs in the challenging time we all find ourselves in.”

“This investment in the Amada THV460 has been an invaluable investment in our organisation and depending on future growth we are considering purchasing a larger version of the machine, as well as purchasing an Amada band saw to give us more cut-to-length options.”

The Amada THV460 double head milling machine was purchased as a value-add service for customers wanting squared to size material. The twin head milling system saves valuable machining time as the material can be machined as soon as it is received. Average delivery time for squared material is one to two working days in sizes not exceeding 190mm x 190mm x 460mm

Axiom Hydraulics is one of South Africa’s leading hydraulic specialists, serving the unique requirements of a range of industries through a comprehensive range of hydraulic products.
Axiom Hydraulics specialise in the design and supply of complete hydraulic systems, including hydraulic drives, integrated manifolds, power packs, oil cooling and braking systems.

The company also imports, supplies, repairs, reconditions and services hydraulic equipment from some of the world’s leading hydraulic technology brands, facilitating cost-effective, innovative and flexible solutions for Southern Africa’s hydraulic requirements.

Axiom Hydraulics’ head office is in Wadeville, Johannesburg, Gauteng.

For further details contact Axiom Hydraulics on TEL: 011 334 3068 or visit www.axiomsa.co.za