Why outsource production to the East when serial parts are available at comparable prices and in perfect quality from Denmark? At REA in Otterup, over 140 automated machines ensure high-quality manufacturing of both large and small series on time. This includes numerous INDEX turning centers – INDEX ABC, C100, C200, and recently, an INDEX multi-spindle MS32-6, which allows for efficient production of even complex components in millions of pieces.

The family-owned company REA Automatdrejning has been an established supplier of turned and milled parts in large and small series for over 50 years. Managing Director Lone Demant Nielsen emphasizes: “We are the largest turning parts manufacturer in Denmark and one of the leading suppliers in all of Scandinavia. Her husband, Peter Nielsen, responsible for operations and overseeing the extensive machine park, points out that quality and timely delivery of parts have always been central. Attractive pricing has also been a key criterion. “In this respect, we can still compete with providers from Eastern Europe and Asia,” Nielsen emphasizes.

Partner to INDEX for 45 years
The ongoing success is attributed to the qualified employees and high-quality machines that maintain their quality over the long term with proper care. “I’ve researched,” says Peter Nielsen, “that we have been working with INDEX for 45 years. We bought our first INDEX GB42 lathe in 1978. We still have four of these long-lasting, precise machines. They don’t run every day, but they are very useful for suitable orders.” The same applies to a few TRAUB TD26 long lathes that also date back to the early days of REA. “Such quality over many years is unique,” summarizes Peter Nielsen.

An economic solution for most requests
A key to REA’s success is the wide variety of machines in their facility, allowing them to choose the most efficient manufacturing solution for each order. “Turning operations account for over 90% of our work,” reports Peter Nielsen. “Here, we produce quantities from 100 to millions. Almost all horizontal lathes are automated with bar loaders and can process materials from 3 mm to 65 mm. Larger components are processed on our vertical turning centers, such as the INDEX V160, which are equipped with a pallet system and a robot for automatic loading and unloading.”

For demanding serial parts, twelve INDEX ABC production automats and several INDEX C100 and C200 machines are ready. Peter Nielsen points to a turned part that must adhere to a tolerance of “k6” with a diameter of 17 mm. This means the tolerance field is between +12 µm and -1 µm. “Our new INDEX C200 has no problem with that,” confirms Peter Nielsen. “We also easily achieve a surface finish of Ra = 1.6 µm.”

CNC Multi-Spindle INDEX MS32-6 – An investment in the future
Currently, more than 30 INDEX and TRAUB machines are in the REA production halls on their 20,000 m² company premises – and the number is increasing. The latest investment was in a CNC multi-spindle lathe INDEX MS32-6. “An investment in the future,” says Peter Nielsen, citing two reasons. One concerns the impending ban on lead-containing steel and brass alloys. “Even without legal regulations, there is an increasing demand for lead-free materials,” notes Peter Nielsen. “This is a problem for our cam-controlled multi-spindles.”

The background: Even a small amount of lead makes steel and brass easier to machine. Without lead, longer chips are typically produced, which can wrap around the tool and require time-consuming removal. In contrast to cam-controlled lathes, CNC machines can counteract this, for example, with the cycle-integrated chip-breaking software ChipMaster offered by INDEX. It optimizes chip breaking at variable feeds, regardless of material, speed, and type of processing. Peter Nielsen is confident: “For lead-free large series, such a solution is almost indispensable, which is why we have the ChipMaster on board with the INDEX MS32-6.”

A second trend supporting the purchase of the INDEX MS32-6 is the increasing complexity of large-series parts ordered by REA. “The high flexibility of the INDEX MS32-6, with its six work spindles and twelve cross slides with NC axes in X, Z, and Y, is very beneficial,” Peter Nielsen is pleased to say. “Since we can also use driven tools, we have a broad range of machining options. This allows us to set off-center holes, as well as perform thread cutting, contour milling, or polygon turning on this multi-spindle lathe.”

Flexible and very accurate
Brian Olsen, INDEX Sales Manager for Denmark, adds: “Our new MS multi-spindle lathes offer various configuration options. The MS32-6 can be equipped with up to two synchronous spindles for back machining, and the up to twelve tool carriers can be freely configured as cross, turning, or drilling slides.” He points out that the machine is also suitable for slightly lower quantities, as a new INDEX quick-change system and the patented W-gearing minimize setup time.

The INDEX MS32-6 also offers an option for simpler parts, as it can be used either as a six-spindle or as a double three-spindle machine. For Peter Nielsen, this currently has less significance. “Simple parts are primarily produced in the Far East at the moment,” explains Nielsen. “But who knows. Many parts productions have been relocated back. Maybe we’ll find the 2×3-spindle option useful in the future.” For now, he plans to utilize his new multi-spindle lathe for complex large-series parts, such as pump and valve components made from the lead-free brass material Ecobrass. There are inquiries for these, which he has had to decline until now.

Service – More than just the icing on the cake
Since December 2022, the INDEX MS32-6 has been in operation. Not only Peter Nielsen but also the machine operators are enthusiastic. After two weeks of training in Esslingen and a week of on-site startup support, they are getting along very well with this INDEX CNC multi-spindle lathe: “This speaks to the quality of the training. Since this is a new technology for us, experience with cam-controlled multi-spindles is of little help. If needed, we can always contact the competent team at INDEX Denmark.” Peter Nielsen highlights that the service provided is top-notch and very important to him. Especially since Brian Olsen and his colleagues speak Danish, which is a significant advantage.

Among the key experiences with the new multi-spindle machine is its high accuracy, as Peter Nielsen explains: “We try to stay as close to the middle of the required tolerance band as possible, which succeeds perfectly after a short warm-up phase. Even during this time, we remain within tolerance and do not need to readjust. This saves time and money.”