Leader CNC Shows The Way to Re-Engineer Large Machine Tools

28 May 2012

Leader CNC Technologies is delighted to announce that it has now set up an association with DSK Machinery Ltd, a world leading company in the mechanical re-engineering of large machine tools.

The South Korean manufacturer is an established specialist and integrator in the design, retrofitting, overhauling and re-manufacturing of large machine tools for the power plant, nuclear power, wind power, shipbuilding, industrial plant and automotive industries. It has the technological expertise to breathe new life into old and used machine tools.

With the cost of new large machine tools representing a significant investment, many large machines in industry are over 20 years old. The opportunity to re-engineer their existing plant, enables customers to improve the capabilities, productivity and accuracy of their ageing investments far more cost effectively.

With the ever increasing demand within the aerospace, oil & gas, power generation and automotive industries in the UK, there is a massive upsurge in the requirement to machine large components. Whilst some companies have this capability, these parts are generally manufactured on very old conventional machinery requiring very specialized skills that are not easily available, are ever diminishing and are certainly not cost effective.

Leader CNC Technologies has long recognised a requirement for the rebuilding and controlled retrofitting of large sized machine tools in the UK. Unfortunately there are an extremely limited number of companies that have the overall capability of taking on this type of work and, as importantly, also have the equipment to complete large grinding and machining operations required for such refurbishments.

In the past Leader CNC has rebuilt and retrofitted controls on a multitude of smaller machine tools, but the numbers have decreased due to the fact that the cost effectiveness of a re-build on this type of equipment is now difficult to justify as the cost of smaller commodity machines continues to fall. However, the re-engineering of very large machine tools, many originating from Japan or Germany, has become highly advantageous due to the massive costs, long deliveries and expensive foundation preparation for new machinery.

With this in mind, companies currently using large conventional or NC machine tools should now seriously consider the more cost effective option of re engineering. In the vast majority of cases, the existing main structure of a machine can be utilised as a Datum. Other mechanical sections and units can be completely overhauled in such a manner that a full CNC control, spindle and drive package can be adapted to improve the capabilities and productivity of the new machine tool. To minimise internal disruption, machines are removed from the customer site, re-engineered at DSK and, once completed and accepted, professionally re-installed.


DSK not only mechanically re-builds the major parts of any machine tool, but also applies its specialized technology to every aspect of the machine. This enables the DSK re-engineered solution to raise our customer’s capability by providing them with a final product capable of meeting the exacting standards now required. Machine tools that can be re-engineered include heavy duty CNC horizontal lathes, table & gantry type plano milling machines, vertical turning centres, roll grinders, crankshaft lathes, horizontal boring & milling machines and even automotive-production lines.

Leader CNC, having recognised this requirement in the UK and, in order to assist users of these large machines, has set up this association with DSK Machinery (www.dskmc.com). To date, DSK has completed projects for established companies such as Doosan Heavy Industries, Doosan Engine, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Samsung Heavy Industry, STX Metal, Hyundai WIA and Alstom to name but a few.

Some of the well known machine tools that have undergone the re-engineering process at DSK include Toshiba, Waldrich Siegen, Waldrich Coberg, Dorries Scharmann, Ingersoll, Forest Line, Skoda, Schiess, OM, and Carnaghi.