Hard metal machining drives Dynamic NC

Dynamic NC’s ability to machine the hard metals used in aerospace has driven growth at the Rose Hill, Kansas-based company, leading to a recent expansion to a 63,000ft2 facility that specializes in high-temperature alloy and aluminum machining for complex aerospace parts.

Dynamic NC moved into the new location to keep up with high product demand as the aerospace industry shifted to hard metal components. Aluminum was the most prevalent material in aircraft manufacturing for years, but machines made to cut aluminum are made for speed and lack the power needed for high-temp alloys.

After receiving an order to machine hard materials, Dynamic NC began a search process to find equipment that was:

• Affordable without compromising on power
• Could accommodate titanium, stainless steel
• Reliable; available service, parts
• Available to ship, install with little production downtime

Dynamic NC got ahead of the game with machines that had a mix of capabilities while maintaining low product cost. Company officials selected equipment from Toyoda Machinery, seeking reliability, dependability, service, and performance.

Toyoda UA series multi-axis vertical machining centers (VMCs) offer precise, rigid 5-axis machining. High-speed simultaneous 5-axis capabilities with backlash elimination on the articulating head support high-precision machining. An 8,000rpm high-torque Big Plus #50 taper spindle and an 84" x 35" table provide power and flexibility.

Dynamic NC was the first company to install the Toyoda UA2090Ti, designed for high-temp alloys such as titanium and stainless steel.

“We were looking at different options for a significant hard metal package that we were awarded. We wanted a mix of capability and affordability and went with the UA2090Ti because it fulfilled all of our requirements,” says Brian Mackey, vice president of Dynamic NC. Initial success with the VMCs prompted Dynamic to buy six more, leading to the company’s current fleet of 39 machining centers.

Service was also a key factor for Dynamic NC. Toyoda’s inventory of available machines in the U.S. cuts lead times from overseas. Aerospace manufacturers only order new machines when they receive a purchase order, so uptime is critical. Within two weeks, the machines were up and running in the facility. Toyoda sent service/install engineers and application engineers to ensure the equipment would perform as expected.

Dynamic NC was able to increase revenue and reduce production costs. Toyoda provided value to the service by offering a machine that could effectively cut hard metals efficiently, reducing price per part.

With the new equipment, Dynamic NC’s business increased 10x, giving it a reputation for hard-metal cutting with aerospace companies. In addition, quality improved and production costs fell.

“Upfront cost is not the decision driver, overall value is. Toyoda offered the best value of all of the platforms we considered. Reliability, dependability, service and performance matched with a great price point,” Mackey concludes.

Dynamic NC
http://www.dynamicnc.net

JTEKT Toyoda Americas Corp.
http://www.toyodausa.com