HAAS moulds the future for Mechasoft through Reliability and Flexibility

By Niraj M Wanikar, Chief Editor, CNCTimes.com, 2018-04-03 11:16:00

RELIABILITY, FLEXIBILITY: HAAS moulds the future 

 “The build quality of a HAAS machine is epitomized in its spindle performance: even after running the spindle for more than 48 hours, at 10,000 RPM, there was no variation in cutting performance. The early power failure detection module (PFDM) which comes standard with any Haas machine is also a very useful feature: it senses a power failure or severe drop in incoming line voltage and quickly brings all axes motion to a safe and controlled stop thereby saving the job. Machine performance aside, I HFO Phillips provides a one-stop, comprehensive service solution: machine and control service under one roof. HAAS and PHILLIPS provide my business with high flexibility and reliability which I value” said, Mr. Tushar Kulkarni, Managing Partner, Mechasoft.

About Mechasoft

Mechasoft established in 2004, in a small town near Kolhapur, India, is a reliable manufacturer of pressure die casting dies, moulds and precision components used in the automotive, aerospace and machine tools industries. Mechasoft has not only established a die making facility but also has developed Foundry Toolings, high-performance cutting tools and automation techniques, which enables them to provide a complete solution to the customer.

Equipped with the latest precision CNC Machines, Mechasoft has an ultramodern facility with a line of high-speed Vertical Machining Centers, Surface Grinders, Micro Finishing Wire EDM, and Sink EDM with the excellent support of advanced design and manufacturing softwares.

Mechasoft manufactures aerospace components by adopting AS 9100D which is a standardized quality management system for the aerospace industry. Some of their clients include Keihin Fie Pvt. Ltd., Pune, Pragati Automation Ltd., Bangalore, Crompton Greaves Ltd., Goa, Engineering Technologies, Technovision Auto Components Pvt. Ltd., Fuel Instruments & Engineers Pvt. Ltd., R. B. America Inc. U.S.A., Technical Die-Castings, U.S.A, PACE, UK. etc.  to name a few.

Getting introduced to CNC Technology

“I was first introduced to HAAS machines during my training days while handling HAAS VMC at Bharat Forge. I was well aware of the HAAS control before starting my company. The best part about HAAS is the compatibility of their fourth and fifth axis rotary table with any of their VMC machines which provides the opportunity to upgrade a standard 3 axis HAAS VMC to a simultaneous 5 axes one. For example, tomorrow if some job requires 5th axis machining then I don’t have to use another machine. I can add the 2 axes rotary tilt table and start the machining on the fifth axis, which saves us a lot of cost and time. In total, we have ten machines out of which 8 are HAAS machines including two five-axis machines,” said, Mr. Kulkarni.

Investing in future

“Die-making is not an easy job. You need to have knowledge of design, manufacturing, tools, pre and post process. In our line of business, we need a machine that can do batch production, mass production also for dies and moulds. If one adds a machine for each process he’ll end up burning lot of his resources. HAAS is not only affordable but also provides all these features in a single machine. Not every machine tools builder has this capability,” said, Mr. Kulkarni.

Mechasoft purchased their first HAAS machine in 2004 for production work. They now have the Mini Mill, VF-1, VF-2, VF-2-I, VF-3, VF-7 &  VM-2 from HAAS and one more VF-2-I is to be added next month.

Journey with HAAS

Mechasoft has been using HAAS machines for the past 14 years and in all these years they did not have to change a spindle, there were no variations, and they did not face any runout problems. “I found that the overall machine design and components used from the spindle to the castings to the motion elements were easily able to handle a 10mm or 15mm depth of cut.  The efficiency with which we were able to rough and finish jobs with ease makes HAAS stand out.” said, Mr. Kulkarni.

The high ergonomic, well thought out machine design and features are loved by our operators who find it very easy to run. We start a brand new machine installation during the day-time & by the same night it is ready to start production: We call it a plug ‘n’ play machine.

The Haas Visual Programming System (VPS) quick code feature, which comes standard with Haas machine is very simple that even without any designing knowledge, the operator can quickly create G-code programs for basic parts.  The Haas Next Generation Control (NGC) is the latest update to the machine tool industry's most user-friendly CNC control.

The experience till now with HAAS

“We always had very good experience with the HAAS team. The team is well trained in each and every aspect of the machine, including the software. With the Haas factory outlet very close to our facility, it has become even easier for us to get service very quickly. The response time from HAAS is rapid, and most of the time the errors are solved over the telephone,” said, Mr. Kulkarni.

HAAS people have trained Mechasoft’s in-house maintenance team for troubleshooting. Apart from service support, they visit the plant frequently to check if everything is functioning correctly. Whenever the company wants to develop a component for a customer, the HAAS applications team, thoroughly analyses and provides the cycle time, speed feed, etc. They go an extra mile to provide customer support which is admirable.

Future with HAAS

Mechasoft is extremely satisfied with HAAS machines, so much so that they have already planned to buy 3 more HAAS machines in the next financial year. The company is very happy with the competitive pricing of the machines because they are now getting international quality machines at an Indian price.

“I will always recommend HAAS to others as I am getting the benefit of using a top class machine from a company that has an exceptional commitment towards manufacturing world-class products and taking care of their customers,” concluded, Mr. Kulkarni.

• Follow @CNCTimes