Mazak provides the power for competitive edge
Major investment in the latest manufacturing technology enables CJR Propulsion to machine a propeller in a single set-up
As a manufacturer of complete sterngear packages for the world’s leading superyacht producers, CJR Propulsion has had to combine its extensive manufacturing and design experience with the latest in manufacturing technology in order to maintain its reputation and status among a high profile and highly selective customer base. Its most recent investment is testimony to its desire to stay ahead of its competitors, wherever in the world they may be.
Over the years Southampton-based CJR Propulsion has developed its range of stern gear (propellers, drive shafts, P-brackets, and rudders) to provide unrivalled performance in speed, fuel economy and vibration-free operation for a wide range of vessels. It works in co-operation with manufacturers such as Sunseeker to create the ultimate in marine motive power delivery.
To achieve this it is employing some of the very latest manufacturing technology from Yamazaki Mazak with the most recent investment being a Mazak Integrex e-1060 V/8 II multi-tasking machine (photo right). At £800,000 this machine tool is a major investment by anybody’s standards, an investment made more impressive by the fact that, at the time of placing the order, CJR did not have the work to put on it.
“From our perspective the latest investment was driven by one of our customers as they wanted propellers machined in a single set-up in order to drive down the component cost, without losing any quality,” says Mark Russell, Managing Director, CJR Propulsion. “However, after encouraging us to make this investment the customer pulled the plug and moved the business elsewhere.”
This is a situation that for most people would have resulted in them cancelling the order and cutting their losses, not so with Mark Russell. Owning the business gave him much more financial freedom and, after giving the purchase due consideration, he chose to continue – a decision that probably would not make sense to a company with shareholders to satisfy. This lack of shareholder pressure is a big advantage and, as Mark Russell states “I am not an accountant and I don’t have to run the business purely to make money, if we break even after paying all of the bills and salaries I am a happy man.”
Here speaks a man who loves manufacturing and this is reflected by the fact that, as the business has grown it has continued to invest in quality machine tools and has achieved substantial growth, trebling turnover in the past four years with employee numbers only increasing by four.
Mark Russell knew that he had to invest in order to remain competitive and to supply his customers with the product, quality and service that they required. The initial lack of work for the new machine simply provided CJR with the breathing space it needed to ensure that all of the tooling was in place and that the company fully understood the machine and its capabilities before it had to supply parts to customers.
This strategic investment programme in Mazak machine tools over the past five years has allowed CJR to grow and to develop into the world’s leading manufacturer of sterngear and meet the needs of the luxury yacht market, which even with long lead-times for its own products often only gives three-days notice to CJR for the supply, lineside, of sterngear packages it produces.
The reasons for choosing Mazak are quite clear in Mark Russell’s mind: “In years gone by we have had experience of buying from smaller companies; in fact at one time we always bought only second-hand machines to keep the cost down. However, when we analysed how many times these go wrong it was a false economy. The decision to go with Mazak was straightforward, having the strongest presence of any machine tool company in the UK, this provides the reassurance needed when you are making a major investment.
“The first investment [in Mazak] was about five years ago when we bought an Integrex 300-II Y (photo left), specifically to machine propeller shafts manufactured from duplex stainless steel. We had previously used more conventional machine tools and they simply couldn’t cope with the demands placed on them by these components. Mazak provided a full turnkey solution. That machine currently accounts for £1 million of turnover and I have just ordered an Integrex e-500H-II to take some of the pressure off it.”
Following on from this CJR returned to Mazak for a further turnkey solution incorporating a Variaxis 730-5X machining centre, which is used for the manufacture of P-brackets. These brackets provide support for the propeller shaft when it exits the hull. The level of accuracy in their manufacture is important in order to maintain alignment, which in turn helps to reduce vibration and noise, of particular importance on superyachts, where such things are taboo.
Prior to installing the Variaxis 730-5X these components were produced on manual machine tools, the resulting cycle time savings are in the order of 80 per cent and each bracket is now machined complete in a single set-up.
“This improvement in productivity ensures that we can meet the demands of lineside delivery with as little as three day’s notice from our customers,” says Mark Russell. “Not only that but the quality of parts produced on the Variaxis machine is greatly improved and we are 100 per cent confident that every part is OK.”
The Variaxis is also used to machine smaller propellers but it was this limitation on capacity that partly led to the selection of the Integrex e-1060V/8 II as well as the ability to machine propellers complete in a single set-up. With a maximum workpiece size of 1250 mm diameter by 1250 mm high the machine is capable of machining any current propeller manufactured by CJR Propulsion. This combined with its capability of turning and milling with equal performance thanks to the 37 kW available at the turning and milling spindles makes it ideal for this type of work.
“Our desire is to produce the best products in the world,” says Mark Russell. “To achieve this we simply need the best machine tools, people and technology. So, as well as investing in the Mazak machine tools, we have also sought out the best tooling and took the step of employing a five-axis milling specialist. The result is that we have already created all of the programs for our current range of propellers and have simulated all of them on the machine.” says Mark Russell.
