The first machine you buy as a machine factory is vitally important. After all, you need to earn enough money with it to buy your second machine. So you can’t afford to make any wrong decisions. Edwin Heijmans from VTB Verspanings Techniek Brabant had good reasons for making the choice he did three years ago. And these same reasons are equally valid for investing in a second CNC turning center.
When Heijmans drove home after completing his consultancy assignment for a production company in the spring of 2019, he asked himself whether he wanted to carry on with this kind of work for the rest of his life. As a technical business expert, he’d being working as a consultant for some time after formerly being a Production Manager for two manufacturing companies. The smell of a machine factory and sound of swarf hitting the window on a machine door evokes memories for him. “My uncle used to take me to the machine factory with him when I was a kid. He infected me with the metalworking virus. The smell, the sound of swarf hitting the machines, and the purple-blue glow from the shiny workpieces made such an impression on me that I went on a metalworking course before going on to study mechanical engineering and technical business administration at college.”
Heijmans felt certain about what he wanted, so he took the plunge and swapped his consultancy role, “which i enjoyed, but always felt I was missing something,” for his own machine factory: VTB Verspanings Techniek Brabant. His uncle and fellow-entrepreneur advised him on what machine he should buy first. And he had just one machine when he started in July 2019, with one customer and a couple of diagrams for his first order. “I’d never programmed a CNC machine before. I’d learned machining on conventional machines at college, so I already had a good feel for cutting speed, voiding and cutting depth, but programming was new to me.”
MAZATROL control
Three years ago, Heijmans chose a Mazak QT-COMPACT 200MSY L for 65 mm bar material. He already knew of Mazak from his former employers, and the college that helped him with his start-up also used the Japanese manufacturer’s machines. “I like the Mazak control,” is how he explains his choice. “It’s very accessible and the machines themselves are stable, precise and robust.” He installed his second CNC turning center at his workplace in Bladel at the start of this year: another Mazak, but this time the QUICK TURN 250MSY, so one size up, with a meter between the centers and 80 mm spindle capacity. “The extra room makes it easier to set the machine up.” It was clear to the young entrepreneur right from the start that his second machine also had to be a Mazak. Now he can share programs between the two machines.
I like the Mazak control…It’s very accessible and the machines themselves are stable, precise and robust.
Edwin Heijmans, Owner of VTB
Faster programming
Both Mazak CNC turning centers have a second spindle so the workpieces come out of the machine fully finished. The Y axis means it can also do milling work, such as flat edges and keyways. But in addition to the greater distance between the centers, the main difference between the two is their control. The QT-COMPACT has the SmoothC type, whereas the QUICK TURN 250MSY has SmoothG. SmoothG control was one of the reasons why Heijmans chose the QUICK TURN 250MSY this time – because it can read STEP files so you can program it quickly and easily, partly automatically. “I want to shorten the setup and programming time.” That’s why Heijmans chose to equip the machine with a chucking system which can significantly reduce the setup time. “You earn money when shavings are falling into the chip collection tray, not when the machine is idle.” Programming a contour or radius in particular is faster with the SmoothG control.
Reduced lead time
As a one-man band, Heijmans needs to make sure the machines keep running while also getting enough work orders in. He admits that finding this balance can be a challenge, and that’s why he decided to invest in a second machine. “First and foremost to meet the demand from customers and deliver the agreed quality on time, because you can only make one drawing at a time on one machine. But now I can make larger series on one machine while doing other work on the second, which helps me to keep the lead times as short as possible for customers.” He also wants to recruit a CNC machinist, invest in a bar feeder and eventually, a robot in the future. In the mid-term, he’s thinking about a 5-axis machining center. The Mazak QUICK TURN 250MSY is already prepared for automation, and in the meantime he’s busy setting up a measuring chamber. He wants to keep growing VTB Verspanings Techniek Brabant one step at a time. “You can earn a good living working alone, but I’m strongly motivated by my ambition to become a fully-fledged supplier to the high-tech industry.”
Energy
The Mazak machines help him to handle his workload better while still ensuring he has time to visit customers. “Working ten hours a day is fine; I’m doing something I enjoy. Sometimes I drive back here in the evenings to quickly add another meter of bar so the machine can keep working.” But Heijmans doesn’t want VTB to grow too quickly. Good quality and reliable deliveries are the priorities for him. His first few months also showed him that things can go wrong. “The lockdown in 2020 resulted in some difficult months.” That’s why he wants VTB Verspanings Techniek Brabant to grown one step at a time – that’s the technical business expert in him coming through. At the same time, he enjoys every hour that he spends working with the machines. “I find it energising. Bring on the customers!”.
