Mesh Gear invest in five-axis capabilities

“The modern flexible machine tool provides a machining operation with the ability to exceed customer expectations on quality, part accuracy and lead times. In a niche market like gear manufacturing, the space that we operate in, the advantage goes to the company that seizes each opportunity when it comes to new technology and then takes the decision to implement it into their production process,” said Trevor Clayton, a director and one of two brothers that have joined the family business started by dad Mike in 1976.

Mesh Gear specialises in the manufacture of gears, associated components and an array of other industrial consumables on a production basis for the local as well as international heavy equipment industry such as the mining, construction, agricultural, railway, military and industrial sectors.

18 months ago Mesh Gear installed their first 5-axis CNC machine. A second was installed in November 2017

“The manufacture of industrial power drive componentry which can be used in the world market requires machinery and proven processes which can achieve and maintain these world standards on a consistent basis. This, along with the ability to control the complete manufacturing process from start to finish at your own premises under one roof, is what allows Mesh Gear to achieve and maintain these high standards. Having total control over all heat treatment processes from normalising, annealing, conditioning, stress relieving, carburising, nitriding, tempering and press quenching is what sets Mesh Gear apart.”

“This along with our own metallurgical laboratory and metallurgist, allows us to continuously monitor and verify that we are achieving our customers heat treatment and metallurgical requirements.”

“Since the economic downturn in 2009, Mesh Gear has been on a drive to increase and diversify our customer and product base. At the same time we have been introducing new machinery, to improve the quality and productive efficiency to our then current customer base.”

“With this expansion and consolidation comes the inevitable need to invest in your manufacturing processes.”

CNC turning and milling
“Over the years we have been continuously increasing the number of machines in the CNC turning and machining department. We feel this is the engine room of the business as it feeds through to all the other departments. The latest to arrive, installed earlier this year, is a Victor V-Turn 26 CNC lathe. Another Victor CNC lathe is on order and will be installed in early 2018. This now takes it to over 20 machines in this department.”

“But our biggest and most significant investments were still to come.”

5-axis move
“The 5-axis CNC machine tool is the mainstay on many machining shop floors internationally but not so in South Africa. Local companies prefer 3-axis CNC machines, but this is changing. While these 5-axis systems were once reserved for undertaking complicated and specialised applications, large and small manufacturers now realise the value in using a 5-axis machine for a variety of projects. Many of them have been able to minimise lead times, bolster accuracy and efficiency, and improve profitability as a result.”

Mesh Gear specialises in the manufacture of gears and associated components on a production basis for the local as well as international heavy equipment industry such as the mining, construction, agricultural, railway, military and industrial sectors

“The machine has been used for the final machining of gears in a soft state as well as in a hardened state if required after heat treatment.”

“We have achieved dramatic time saving on real time machining of spiral and straight bevel gears so we have invested in another 5-axis machine but this time a universal machining center, which was installed in November 2017.”

“Again the machine is alleviating bottlenecks for the milling of spiral and straight bevel gears. An added advantage is that we can now offer 5-axis milling for other components that our clients require.”

“Highlights of this new machine is that it has a XYZ axis work area of 650 x 520 x 475mm, XYZ rapid traverses of 42m/min, a table work surface of 630 x 500mm and take a load of up to 300 kilograms.”

“It must however be remembered that the 5-axis machine is not the complete answer to your straight and spiral bevel gear (crown wheel and pinion) problems. There are up to 10 important processes to be considered when making these parts, with heat treatment and distortion control still being the most important, however, 5-axis machining has definitely helped in improving the end product and allows for the interchangeability that the customers require.”

Eliminating distortion in gear manufacture
“There is a long list of factors to consider when heat treating gears. High performance steel components are usually heat treated at the end of the production process in order to obtain an optimal functional performance. However, in nearly all cases, this final heat treatment also leads to distortion, which means a change in dimensions and shape of the part. If the deviations exceed the permissible tolerances, the components have to be reworked. Since these corrective measures have to be taken in the hardened state, high additional costs occur.”

“Over the years we have invested substantially in our quenching and heat treatment processes and are unique in that we are one of the few gear manufacturers that have these facilities and processes on site.”