Motorsport behind sub-contractor’s selection of Hurco VMCs

One of the Hurco VM20i VMCs on the shop floor at RPH, Wimborne

Wimborne-based RPH Manufacturing Ltd, a Tier One supplier, has consistently prioritised precision, efficiency, cleanliness and innovation throughout its long history. At the helm is owner and managing director Richard Haim, whose passion for engineering, which began 57 years ago, led him to start his own company in 1981. When asked why he has a preference for vertical machining centres (VMCs) from Hurco, he said: “I like the brand because I know a lot of the Formula One teams are customers of theirs. As a lifelong motorsport enthusiast, I thought there could be no better endorsement to purchase a Hurco machine tool.”

Four Hurco VM-series machines, equipped with Max 5 twin-screen controls running proprietary WinMax conversational programming software, now form the backbone of RPH Manufacturing’s workshop. They enable the company to deliver more than 45,000 components per year to a wide range of industries. Just-in-time and Kanban systems offer customers reliable, often daily supply of parts keep their businesses running and minimise their stockholding.

Pictured left: Mr Haim at his dedicated WinMax programming hub. Once the program is sent to a networked VMC on the shopfloor, minor edits may be made before the program is run, often after it has been collision-checked by executing a dry-run at a 50mm Z-axis offset

Mr Haim’s relationship with Hurco dates back to 1999 when he ordered his first VMC, followed one year later by a second. Since then, he has added two more to his prismatic machining capacity, drawn by the machines’ versatility, user-friendly control system and consistently high-quality output. He currently utilises a Hurco VM10i, a pair of VM20i models and a VM30i — all have dual-screen controls, allowing program editing on the left-hand side while high-resolution component and toolpath graphics appear on the right.

RPH benefits from Hurco’s WinMax conversational programming at the VMC controls, plus an offline seat of the software, which allows data to be prepared remotely and imported directly into the CNC systems on the machines. This seamless workflow does not tie up the machining platforms unnecessarily and shortens order turnround times. The twin-screen interface, toolpath simulation and dry-run capabilities further support RPH’s commitment to right-first-time production.

Embracing new innovations
Mr Haim is always open to innovations and new working methods that can make his business perform more efficiently. A good example is the way in which he has embraced Hurco’s Solid Model Import software. Already a user of Hurco DXF software, he was easily able to realise the additional benefits of applying dimensions directly from a STEP file into a conversational program. One of the main benefits is that data entry errors are almost eliminated.

Imagine a job that involves 100 drilled and tapped holes. A window is drawn around the holes to select them and a tool is chosen for each operation. The rest of the programming is completed automatically. If the ‘Tool Optimisation’ tab is selected, the number of tool changes is minimised, allowing the machining cycle to be as efficient as possible.

One particular feature within WinMax that Richard singles out for particular praise is ‘3D Mold/Swept Surface’. The functionality in WinMax is used within the conversational programming environment to enable 3-D toolpaths to be created by sweeping a 2-D profile along a defined path, without the need for G-code or CAM software.

Plastic machining in progress on one of RPH Manufacturing‘s Hurco VMCs

It is intended to assist in programming parts with complex, contoured geometry like pockets whose cycles cannot easily be created using standard 2.5D features, such as compound angles. It can reduce programming time by as much as 80%, depending on the part, and optimises the toolpath to achieve exceptional surface finish with user-defined step-overs and direction of cut.

Programming from a WinMax desktop hub, Mr Haim sends programs to the shopfloor where he sometimes makes small edits on the left hand screen, confident that the networked machines will perform flawlessly. As the control on each Hurco is identical, according to their availability, parts can be produced on any of them, leading to versatile production planning.

After 44 years in business, Mr Haim is still as committed as ever to running his VM-series machines and has set his sights firmly on reaching RPH’s 50th anniversary, which will be in 2031. His unwavering commitment to Hurco underscores the value the machines have brought to his business and his confidence in the supplier’s ability to support his continued success in the future.