Situated in Oldbury, West Midlands, Tokai Carbon serves a diverse range of industries, including semiconductor and aerospace, where precision and reliability are paramount.
Installed in 2020, the Alpha 1550XS stands out for its CNC/Manual combination, offering a 2-metre capacity between centres and an 8-station auto-indexing turret. This machine's unique Alpha operating system is lauded for its user-friendly interface, enabling swift transitions from training to production. This ease of use is crucial in maintaining high levels of productivity without the need for extensive programming expertise.
Chris Hill from Tokai Carbon highlighted the exceptional performance and reliability of the Alpha 1550XS, stating, "Our operators are happy with the interface and the ease of programming. You don't need to be a wizard at ISO programming to produce quality parts." The machine's long bed and large turning capacity are particularly advantageous for turning down square billets to round, a critical process in their operations before further machining on smaller machines.
Tokai Carbon's decision to invest in another Colchester lathe was driven by their positive experience with previous models, including an Alpha 1550XS from 2006 and a 3-axis Alpha 1400XC with milling capability from 2017. The consistent quality and longevity of Colchester machines have proven invaluable. Chris further praised the Alpha 1400XC for its compact design and the flexibility it offers in producing complex parts using Manual Guide i conversational programming.
Having used Colchester machines for many years, Tokai Carbon continues to trust in their performance and the exceptional customer service provided. This ongoing partnership underscores the reliability and precision that Colchester machines bring to the demanding field of graphite manufacturing.