Fastener manufacturer orders Italian-built lathes

As a leading global manufacturer and distributor of high-specification fasteners, bolts and other precision machined components, LoneStar Fasteners Hydrobolt Ltd has placed a repeat order for turning centres to further expand CNC turn-milling capacity at its Wednesbury facility.

The company is investing £1.5 million in a total of six twin-spindle Y-axis lathes built by Biglia in Italy, supplied through sole UK and Ireland agent Whitehouse Machine Tools, Kenilworth (www.wmtcnc.com). The reason for LoneStar Fasteners buying the more modern production plant is to manufacture nearly every component more efficiently and to have tighter tolerances in one hit, rather than in two, three or even four operations, which was previously the case.

The decision to invest in the Biglia brand was based on the rigidity of the lathes and the high power of their spindles and driven tools, which enables the manufacture of components in tough metals such as stainless steel, titanium and high nickel alloys. These materials are commonly used in the oil and gas, petrochemical and power generation sectors, all of which are supplied by LoneStar Fasteners. To preserve the surface finish on components and prevent damage after machining, a parts catcher and conveyor has been fitted to every lathe.

Robbie Beckett, Operations Director at LoneStar’s Wednesbury facility commented: “The first two machines installed in early 2023 were B620YS single-turret turning centres with an 80mm bar capacity. This has enabled us to reduce production costs, improve surface finish on components and increase productivity. The machines performed exceptionally well over their first year of operation, so we decided to order four more turn-mill centres from the same supplier.”

The next pair of lathes to arrive in May 2024, were a Biglia B750YS with a single turret and 100mm bar capacity and a B465T2Y2, the first with twin turrets. They were followed in August by an additional B750YS and another twin-turret lathe, a BMX45T2Y2 with superimposed machining capability, allowing three tools to be in-cut simultaneously.

Mr Beckett continued: “Before we opted for these lathes, I visited the factory in Italy to see them being manufactured and meet the people. I was impressed with the quality of the build and also the fact that the company concentrates exclusively on making lathes. Good after-sales service was also crucial for us. We were satisfied that it would be forthcoming from the OEM and from the UK agent, which offers unlimited training and applications support.”

“This significant investment reinforces our commitment to technological advancement and maintaining our position as a global leader in our field. The Biglia lathes allow us to produce complex parts with exceptional precision. This enables us to raise operational efficiency significantly and deliver consistently high-quality products to customers, on time and cost-effectively.”