CNC router upgraded with latest Yaskawa servo drives

SCM Group was established in 1952 as a manufacturer of woodworking machines for small workshops. Now, with over two million machines in operation in 120 countries, SCM Group is a world leading producer of woodworking and machinery systems. Recently an SCM customer - Ferrari snc - required a CNC router to be serviced. Initially SCM contacted Yaskawa Engineering Europe (EEU) for this but, in the event, EEU suggested re-engineering the CNC panel on the machine and was commissioned by SCM to visit the Ferrari snc factory and complete an upgrade.

Essentially three existing Yaskawa servopack servo drives were replaced with the latest state-of-the-art models. There was no need to replace the servo motors, hence the mechanics and structure of the machine were untouched. Only the X-axis required urgent engineering. Even the control panel space was not compromised. The existing CNC software was likewise unaffected.

The upgrade took EEU's experienced engineers just a single day to complete and Ferrari snc's productivity was not disrupted since the work was carried out within scheduled downtime. SCM is a world leading manufacturer of CNC machining centres and prides itself both on the quality of its machine tools and its customer service. EEU's commitment to service and quality engineering likewise enabled Ferrari snc's upgrade to be completed cost-effectively and in a short time, reflecting well on SCM and improving the performance of its machine in the field. In fact SCM was so impressed with the service provided by EEU that the company has appointed Yaskawa Engineering Europe to perform future SCM re-engineering projects and upgrades.

Maurizio Dinatale, of Yaskawa Engineering Europe in Milan, comments: "There are thousands of machine tools in use throughout the world that use former-generation servo technology. Many of these machines can be brought up to date and gain substantial quality or throughput payback at minimal cost by effecting simple upgrades. Machine manufacturers and OEMs both stand to benefit by taking a look at what can be achieved, rather than waiting for a breakdown or a routine service. EEU has boosted productivity and profit at countless manufacturers over the years".