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Images courtesy of Makino. The core-cooled spindle on the F5 helps eliminate thermal growth, allowing Batesville to maintain precise cutting over extended run times. and toolholders. After it combined these with the rigidity and speed of the F5, Batesville witnessed not only improved workpiece quality but also a 25- to 50-percent increase in tool life. To ensure unattended accuracy, the company also uses a Blum laser tool-length measurement system and remote machine monitoring capability. "The core-cooled spindle on the F5 does an excellent job of eliminating thermal growth, allowing us to maintain highly precise processing over extended run times," Dan Blair says. "Whether a process lasts an hour or 10 hours, we meet exacting tolerances every time. As a result, we're seeing highly repeatable performance, and perfect blends and matches. Even in certain rib features, we're producing better results than what we could achieve through our EDM technologies." Single Setup Saves Time and Serves Customers With the improved workpiece accuracy and quality achieved on the F5, Batesville has been able to greatly reduce EDM processes from many of its applications, performing many of its operations in just a single setup. "In our former processes, we would have to design the electrodes, set up the graphite machine, cut the electrodes, rough out the workpiece to near-net form, set up the work- piece on the EDM, burn the detail and then polish it," Dan Blair explains. "By running work-pieces on the F5, we're capable of completing jobs in just a single setup, eliminating stack-up errors and substantially reducing cycle times. In many jobs, we're delivering finished workpieces in just 10 percent of our previous times." According to Gary Blair, this single-setup approach has enabled the company to service customers in a more efficient manner, while increasing overall profitability by anywhere from 30 to 50 percent. "Our ability to turn around orders faster has been paramount to how our customers value the service we provide," he notes. "If a customer has a broken insert, we now have the ability to machine a new one and ship it to them in a day or less, and they can then continue their manufacturing process with virtually no interruption." Taking Care with Technology Batesville's newly acquired access to high-performance machining capabilities and deep technical training have helped support the company in building what it believes matters most—reliable and well-paying jobs. "When it comes down to it, we're all here working together to build a better life for ourselves and those we care for," Gary Blair says. "I believe the only way that we can accomplish this is by working to the best our abilities and taking care of our customers' needs. This is why we place an emphasis on technology and training." In using the F5 to produce this medical mold insert, Batesville removed all EDM processes, while achieving mirror-like fnishes on the side walls. moldmakingtechnology.com 21