Case study featured in the April 2014 Edition of Race Car Engineering Magazine. Five Star Race Car Bodies (FiveStarBodies.com), a division of Five Star Fabricating, Inc., is an advanced manufacturer specializing in forming / fabricating of Polycarbonate Windows, Advanced Composites, Thermoformed Plastics, and Metal Forming. Stemming from the High-Performance Automotive Racing Industry over 35 years ago, their work in manufacturing large, complex composite body panels and windshields led them to take on an extensive machining infrastructure. In November 2012, Five Star acquired a DMS 5 Axis Twin Table CNC Router with dual 5’ x 5’ Aluminum Shuttle Tables, 16 HP HSD Quick-Change Spindle, a Fagor 8055 Power CNC Controller, with Fagor High Speed Sercos Drives with Absolute Encoders on Linear and C Axes. “I found major benefits with our DMS CNC Router. The most important is the ability to machine complex shapes in a single setup, saving time & cost. Going from 3 axis to 5 axis allowed us to do things we couldn’t have done before – bringing us work that we couldn’t even quote on previously. The head rotation allows us to get closer to the work, plus our customers’ 3D drawings can be directly imported into our CAD system, and then it’s relatively quick and easy to develop code for our DMS CNC Router. Without that DMS, we couldn’t do anything that we’re doing now,” explains Bill Maricle, Five Star Fabricating’s Operations Manager – Plastics. “One project was a Heavy Equipment Hatch Cover for an operator cab – a 30” x 30” x .375 piece of formed polycarbonate, with multiple pockets and steps. The cover was tapered, so much of the machining had be performed perpendicular to the angle, even the outside edge treatment. Before we got the DMS, we cut this item with a spindle mounted on an industrial robot. The DMS is very rigid and powerful. We were able to cut our cycle time by 40% and produce a much nicer part.” With over 30 years of industry experience, Diversified Machine Systems (DMS) is a leading designer & manufacturer of 3 & 5 Axis CNC Routers & Machine Centers based in Colorado Springs, CO.
