Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

Tender description

A high precision CNC controlled wire EDM machine is required to include five axes with cylindrical and taper cutting capability and is to operate with a wide wire size range with thin wire down to 0.05 mm. The machine is to have an integrated optical comparator, automated wire threading and wire chopping. The machine is to include all required operating ancillary systems, transformer, water de-ionisation plant, process water temperature control (e.g. chiller units). Delivery to the Teddington site, full installation, commissioning, calibration and comprehensive training and support. The National Physical Laboratory’s [NPL] engineering department requires a new high precision Wire EDM machine to replace an existing machine and to complement the existing range of machine tools. The Wire EDM machine must interface with and be fully compatible with existing CAM application software tools, FeatureCAM and Autodesk Fusion. The control must also provide effective state of the art interactive conversational on machine programming. The nature of manufacturing at NPL requires that machine tools are effective for production of one-off and low number batches of components with a wide variety of size, geometry and materials, often with demanding tolerance specifications. Parts are made in a wide variety of material specifications and include a range of metals and some non-metallics. Metal specifications include aluminium alloys, stainless steels, titanium, carbon steels, coppers, brass, nickel based super alloys and other special metal alloys and metal composites. Non-metallic material will include graphite. This new machine will be required to enable part production to the highest level of precision and with high surface finish specifications.