LoneStar Fasteners Hydrobolt Ltd (www.lsfe.com – LSFH), a leading global manufacturer and distributor of high-specification fasteners, bolts and other precision machined components, has placed a repeat order for turning centres to further expand CNC turn-milling capacity at its Wednesbury facility. The company is investing £1.5 million in a total of six twin-spindle Y-axis lathes built by Biglia in Italy, supplied through sole UK and Ireland agent Whitehouse Machine Tools, Kenilworth (www.wmtcnc.com).
The reason for LSFH buying the more modern production plant is to manufacture nearly every component more efficiently and to tighter tolerance in one hit, rather than in two, three or even four operations, as previously.
The decision to invest in the Biglia brand was based on the rigidity of the lathes and the high power of their spindles and driven tools, which enables the manufacture of components in tough metals such as stainless steel, titanium and high nickel alloys. These materials are commonly used in the oil and gas, petrochemical and power generation sectors, all of which are supplied by LSFH. To preserve surface finish on components and prevent damage after machining, a parts catcher and conveyor are fitted to every lathe.
Robbie Beckett, Operations Director at LoneStar’s Wednesbury facility commented, “The first two machines, installed in early 2023, were B620YS single-turret turning centres having 80 mm bar capacity, which have enabled us to reduce production costs, improve surface finish on components and increase productivity. They performed exceptionally well over their first year of operation, so we decided to order four more turn-mill centres from the same supplier.”
The next pair of lathes to arrive, in May 2024, were a Biglia B750YS having a single turret and 100 mm bar capacity, and a B465T2Y2, the first with twin turrets. They were followed in August 2024 by an additional B750YS and another twin-turret lathe, a BMX45T2Y2 with superimposed machining capability, allowing three tools to be in cut simultaneously.
Mr Beckett continued, “Before we opted for these lathes, I visited the factory in Italy to see them being manufactured and meet the people. I was impressed with the quality of build and also the fact that the company concentrates exclusively on making lathes.
“Good after-sales service was also crucial for us. We were satisfied that it would be forthcoming from the OEM and from the UK agent, which offers unlimited training and applications support.
“This significant investment reinforces our commitment to technological advancement and maintaining our position as a global leader in our field. The Biglia lathes are allowing us to produce complex parts with exceptional precision, enabling us to raise operational efficiency significantly and deliver consistently high quality products to customers, on time and cost effectively.”
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