Hydraulics and pneumatics supplier Hyflo has invested more than R5-million on new machinery, including a Mazak computer numerical control (CNC) machine from Japan, in order to mass-produce hydraulic manifolds for the local hydraulics market.

All the tooling for the CNC machine, a dedicated uninter-rupted power supply system, a tool profile measuring computer, and craneage were also bought.

The new machine enables the company to manufacture repetitive manifolds, in addition to the company’s current capa-bilities, which enable Hyflo to manufacture manifolds of up to 3 t. The largest the company has manufactured to date is a 1,2-t manifold, manufactured at the beginning of 2007 at its Johannesburg branch.

Hyflo branch manager Norman Hall explains that manifolds may comprise of a block of forging metal, cast iron or aluminium with different sized ports and cavities drilled into it. The valves mounted into or onto the manifold allow for multiple functions, such as directional control, pressure control and flow control within a very small space.

Oil from the hydraulic pump enters the manifold through one port, and is transported through the manifold’s distri-bution network through several ports, cavities and valves, carrying out different applications simultaneously, such as driving a hydraulic motor and extending or retracting a hydraulic cylinder.

Hall explains that the benefit of a CNC machine is that it can be programmed to use different tools to drill the cavity, machine the thread and then finish it off to specification.

The new CNC machine does not drill ports and cavities vertically, but rather horizontally, which allows for mass pro-duction. The new machine is able to drill three sides of a manifold block without operator interference.

Hall explains that up to 20 blocks, depending on shape and size, are mounted onto a single tombstone, which is a steel cube with mounting vices on each face, inside the CNC machine. Hyflo has invested in two alternating tombstones, meaning that with the correct program-ming, the CNC machine can drill up to 40 manifolds in one session without having to unbolt or change any settings.

Before the machine can be programmed, the company’s design team designs the manifolds, first in a two-dimensional circuit drawing designed to the customer’s specifications and then as a three-dimen-sional computer graphic. Coordinates from the three-dimensional computer graphic are programmed into the Mazak machine, including the tools that must be used to machine each cavity.

Hall adds that the Mazak CNC machine has a range of 160 different shaped tools, necessary to complete a com-plex manifold.

An additional feature of the Mazak CNC machine is its through-spindle coolant sys-tem. Hall explains that instead of the tools being flooded by external lubrication and cool- ant while the machine is drill-ing, the new CNC machine allows coolant or lubrication to flow through the spindle and the inside of the tool, lubricating and cooling it inter-nally. This allows for faster drilling and quicker removal of the swarf.

Hall says that a challenge with the new CNC machine is sourcing enough business to be able to use it to its full capacity.

He says that Hyflo is also ISO 9001:2000 accredited, which means that everything manufactured on the premises must pass certain checks and procedures to ensure the quality standard.

Hall says Hyflo manufac-tures manifolds using imported cast iron with full material certification. The company also uses local and imported aluminium.

Hyflo has also invested in a tool profile measuring computer. This checks tools by taking photo-graphs of the cutting edges of the tool from every angle while spinning the tool through 360°. It then determines whether a tool is worn or has been chipped. Hall says that the company always ensures that tools are within the prerequisite specifications.

The company also recently built dedicated deburring and cleaning stations specifically to clean the manifolds.

Increased business has necessitated a dedicated employee to examine the quality of every manifold. Some customers buy complete preassembled manifolds with all valves and components attached, which are functionally tested on assembly.

Hall says that a feature of the company that sets it apart from other hydraulics companies is that, besides the manifold manufacturing, it offers project design, manufacturing, testing and installation of complete systems for customers. Large contracts, such as those from mines and heavy industry clients, have particu- lar specifications and require-ments, which Hyflo’s project team caters to. He says that the company also stocks most of the components required from multiple suppliers, resulting in shortened lead times.

In the future, Hall says, Hyflo will concentrate on achieving increased efficiency and producing more manifolds.