When the BTL workshop relocated from Consett (County Durham) to Ashford (Kent), all of the surplus machines and older CNC turning stock were sent to auction.

David Thomas (Production Team) explains;

“Over the months, we have monitored the marketplace for another Y axis lathe, and whilst we were intending to purchase a third sliding head lathe, the opportunity arose to buy a CMZ TA20Y.

We already have two Y axis conventional CNC lathes, but the CMZ TA20Y has a fully functional rear spindle and a ‘smart’ digital bar feeder.

This enables larger parts to be produced, offers increased machining stability, and enables work at both ends of a component, without the additional time and cost of a 2nd or 3rd operation”.

The BTL machine operators are certainly looking forward to exploring the limitations of this vital piece of equipment. David Thomas goes on to say;

“As a rule, I tend to push all new machines to their limits, exploring just what they are capable of. I do know for sure that this machine is more than capable of machining without difficulty, all of the parts that we currently produce, so I’m looking to see if it will lead our manufacturing into a new and exciting direction”.

We already have two Y axis conventional CNC lathes, but the CMZ TA20Y has a fully functional rear spindle and a ‘smart’ digital bar feeder.