Machinery & Automation
CNC Gate Casting Removal Machine — Defense Industry
The Challenge
A defense contractor producing parts for missile system housings required a specialized machine to remove gate castings from magnesium parts. Magnesium castings are produced in sand molds using vibratory compaction, leaving inconvenient gate castings that must be removed before lathe processing. Standard equipment was unsuitable. All components had to be sourced exclusively from Russian manufacturers due to military procurement requirements and sanctions risk.
Our Solution
Designed a CNC machine with movable carriage carrying two 400mm cutting discs with different rotation directions. Carriage driven by stepper motor on gear rack for precise positioning. Integrated autonomous lubrication system rated for 600 working hours. Autonomous fire suppression system installed due to magnesium flammability risk. Developed complete operator interface in Python 3 with PyQt5 for intuitive machine control. All components sourced from Russian manufacturers per military requirements.
Scope of Work
Full mechanical design, stepper motor and gear rack drive system, autonomous lubrication system, fire suppression system integration, Python/PyQt5 operator interface development, author's supervision of manufacturing, production deadline monitoring, technological process mapping, equipment testing, personnel training, certification of all systems.
Result
Machine successfully delivered, tested and commissioned. Personnel trained on all systems. Client placed follow-up order for 3 additional machines with upgraded frame design and automatic chip removal system.