×

Allied Tooling has, throughout its 35 year history, invested in the latest in manufacturing technology to ensure that it is operating at its most efficient. Its most recent investment is also benefitting from a change of cutting oil supplier.

Initially founded as a facility to provide a regrind service for metalcutting and woodworking tools Poole-based Allied Tooling has gradually transformed its business into one of the largest manufacturer and regrinder of precision cutting tools in the UK. It has achieved this through diversification and a willingness to invest in the latest manufacturing technology. This has resulted, over the past 15 years, in a substantial growth in the manufacture of new cutting tools, which now account for around 60 per cent of the company’s turnover. With a diverse customer base that includes engineering, woodworking, and plastics that operate in sectors such as aerospace, medical, Formula One and  motorsports, marine, and automotive sectors (with major growth coming from some of the world’s leading prestige brands), this trend looks set to continue.

This ongoing growth resulted in the company’s latest investment in production equipment, namely a Walter Helitronic Power CNC tool and cutter grinding machine with robot loading, which is enhanced with a cnc Helicheck  checking system and a laser etching facility. This £250,000 purchase was installed at the end of 2011 and will augment Allied Tooling’s lights out capacity, producing batches of solid carbide cutters of up to 200 off unmanned. To further maximise any potential gains this investment would bring Rod Knight, Allied Tooling’s Engineering Director, also wanted to improve component quality and wheel life. To achieve this he turned to Jemtech (UK) who recommended neat grinding oil from Blaser Swisslube, namely Blasogrind HC10.

“We have several CNC grinders in the factory, but with this new machine we decided to have a fresh approach when it came to the grinding oil, which is a vital part of the grinding process and impacts directly on performance and quality,” says Rod Knight. “In the few months that the machine has been in full production we have already seen some major benefits in terms of surface finish thanks to the Blasogrind product. Additionally, the grinding wheel is cutting much cleaner, reducing the amount of dressing that we have to do, which in turn will lead to extended wheel life.”

Blasogrind is part of a range of mineral hydrocrack oils from Blaser Swisslube, which are designed for surface, profile, tool, centerless and cylindrical grinding applications on a wide range of materials. One of its key features are the low misting and smoke properties, with a high flash point. “We have noticed that the environment around the new grinder is much cleaner and our operators have not reported any issues or problems,” says Rod Knight.

“These environmental issues, combined with the potential to increase productivity and performance by as much as 40 per cent when using Blasogrind neat grinding oils are important and are two very good reasons why customers such as Allied Tooling are looking beyond the price per litre of their cutting fluids  and focusing on the direct benefits that they can deliver,” says Stewart Coull, Director, Jemtech (UK).