As every engineer knows, poor-quality system components can result in downtime, and in turn calamitous financial losses, whereas specifying high quality results in reliability and long life. A ‘quality first’ philosophy is deeply embedded in Brisbane company Nordon Cylinders, whose products play a key role in delivering the hydraulic power that is absolutely essential to the economics of industry in Australia and further afield.

What comes in a cylinder and is extraordinarily powerful? The answer is hydraulic power, which is a cornerstone of kinetics – the part of physics that is concerned with the relationship between motion and its causes – specifically, forces and torques. This power is seen everywhere in the industrial world, from tipper-trucks and rock-crushers in the civil engineering and mining industries, to extruders and press-brakes in factories and workshops, not forgetting cranes and earthmoving machines.

Nordon has been in the hydraulics business since 1974, and has built a solid reputation for its expertise, product quality, and commitment to customer service. Nordon’s customers at home and abroad require hydraulic cylinders from tiny to enormous, and they don’t always want them today – sometimes, they want them yesterday. At its manufacturing base in the scenic Moreton Bay region just north of Brisbane, the long-established company continuously manufactures cylinders in bores ranging from 3.8 to 25.4cm – and units with strokes of up to 7m, if required.

The Brendale workshop produces high-quality cylinders with a wide range of specifications – bore, stroke, pressure, speed, gland, mounts, etc – all supplied with a warranty. These Australian-made hydraulic cylinders are now commonplace in such industries as manufacturing, processing, mining, construction and agriculture.

To ensure rapid response to customers throughout Australia and internationally, Nordon offers a complete range of 350-grade cast, machined mounts and accessories. This provides engineers with extensive and flexible configuration options. According to Norm Johnson, Director at Nordon, the Queensland manufacturer is “strokes ahead of the rest”.

“In addition to providing high-spec cylinders to companies in major industries, we meet the needs of the hydraulics sector,” he says. “In Brendale, we manufacture roundline welded-construction hydraulic cylinders in Australia’s most modern and best-equipped cylinder manufacturing facility. Our product range incorporates Australia’s widest range of high-quality cast-steel mountings, supported by a market-leading catalogue, and client access to 3D modelling.”

Boosting capacity and capability

Nordon’s engineering knowledge and day-to-day problem-solving experience proved to be invaluable when choosing a new machine to add further capability and flexibility to its cylinder manufacturing capacity in Brendale. After ascertaining its needs, the Nordon team chose a YCM H500B CNC machining centre from 600 Machine Tools, configured for their specific applications.

An ISO-9001 accredited manufacturer, YCM was founded in 1954 and has built a worldwide reputation for technological innovation. Its latest design – a machining centre – won the Supreme Excellence Award of the Taiwan Machine Tools Industry Award 2017.

The H500B machining centre boasts high-rigidity construction and high-speed machining ability, with a rapid feed speed of up to 30m per minute. The machine’s direct transmission design on all three axes, along with pre-tensioned ballscrews, ensure motion rigidity, and machining accuracy.  Its high-precision linear-motion guideways ensure low friction, high speed, and optimal damping-force.

Noted for its high speed and high-precision spindle design, the H500B model has ceramic ball bearings for high-speed machining, featuring a low thermal expansion coefficient and excellent rigidity performance. Maximum torque is 36kg per metre, providing serious cutting capability. Pallet changes take only eight seconds, and the table is programmable when undertaking machining from various axes.

“The new YCM machining centre will add to our capacity to produce components, even quicker, and with our customary precision,” says Johnson. “We enjoyed a good working relationship with the Brisbane office of 600 Machine Tools, especially during the installation and commissioning of the new machining centre, and then during the operator training process.”

“It is a pleasure to work with the Nordon team because they know what they want – precisely!” says Wally Nujin, Queensland Regional Manager for 600 Machine Tools. “It is our job to ensure that the machine we recommend could not be bettered for a particular application, either in specification or price.

“The H500B is the right machining centre for the tasks envisaged by the Nordon team, now and in the foreseeable future. 600 Machine Tools is proud to be the exclusive distributor of the high-precision YCM range in Australia. We can see how the manufacturer’s combination of thoughtful design and engineering excellence has been the cornerstone of their steadily-increasing popularity in the world’s workshops.”

www.nordoncyl.com.au
www.600machinery.com.au