A&L finds solutions with SW Twin Cutter boring heads

A&L Machine, a shop that serves primarily the energy sector and its often on-demand needs, is always on the lookout for ways to expedite critical processes. For Allen Dvoracek, A&L Machine president, this occasionally means traveling to suppliers for a firsthand look at how their products work.

Dvoracek made one such trip to Europe to visit a machine tool builder and a side trip to our BIG KAISER manufacturing facility in Switzerland. He was in search of some insight into how Swiss toolmakers are addressing high-cost JIT production.

While on the tour, Dvoracek saw a demonstration of SW Twin Cutter heads.  The BIG KAISER representative demonstrated face grooving, balanced- and stepped-boring, and even compatibility with insert holders for back boring and chamfering. That got Dvoracek thinking about a challenging feature that A&L is often called on to produce that requires two different types of tools, and makes for long, complex cycles.

When Dvoracek returned home, he reached out to us, explained what he had seen on his trip and scheduled a visit with regional sales support engineer, Gerard Vacio, at A&L. Dvoracek explained to us how they were using the combination of a small-diameter, long-projection end mill and a grooving tool for the job. He also mentioned that in addition to the time involved with resetting depth offsets to blend the end mill and grooving tool, the end mill was prone to breakage.

Vacio agreed with Dvoracek’s initial instinct, that the SW Twin Cutter could improve the process. He also explained that the head’s versatility, whether running as a dedicated tool or only as needed for one of its varying capabilities, fit right in with the JIT work typical at A&L. Dvoracek’s saw results from the trial right away.

“The results were immediate and undeniable,” Dvoracek said. “We’re getting better parts off the machine sooner, allowing us to get to the next job ahead of schedule.“

To find out about specific application metrics and how much time A&L ended up saving, please click here.