supplier: Machine Tool Solutions
end user: Colonial Tool Group
If you’ve been in the manufacturing business for 80 years and are still going strong, you’ve done something right. For Colonial Tool Group Inc. in Windsor, ON, a manufacturer of machine tools, spindles and tooling systems, it has helped the company to expand its offerings, including moving into the workholding market.
“We are integrators of workholding fixtures for metal cutting machines, including standard, automated and CNC machines, as well as transfer lines,” explains Mircea “Mitch” Petrescu, who works in engineering at the company.
The company’s reputation for high quality manufacturing has served it well. Today, its workholding fixtures designed for four and five axis machines, milling and drilling machines, are used by customers in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. And the product line accounts for approximately 10 to 15 per cent of the company’s product portfolio.
“Our fixtures use Lang Quick-Point systems and the systems are used for manufacturers in the automotive and aerospace industries,” says Petrescu.
Colonial began to use the Lang workholding components (Lang Makro-Grip five axis vises and Lang Quick-Point zero-point clamping systems) in 2018, purchased from Lang’s Canadian distributor, Machine Tool Solutions, Brampton, ON.
Petrescu says Colonial selected the Lang products to integrate into its fixtures because of customer requests.
“Our customers told us they perform with high quality and so we did some preliminary studies and our findings were promising. And we decided to design our products with the Lang Quick-Point system because of this.”
Petrescu says he likes the Lang workholding products for several reasons. They are compact and have a low profile. “This allows us to maintain fixtures within reasonable sizes, and the holding strength exceeds the capabilities of any of the competitors.”
He also likes the precision and repeatability of the Lang zero-point clamping systems.
“On modular system fixtures with the Lang Quick-Point, the end user does not have to worry about setup times and the need for a skilled operator. It is a quick drop-in-place-and-lock-it type device.”
And perhaps most importantly, Petrescu says it allows Colonial to build flexible, modular and interchangeable sets of fixtures for its customers.
Petrescu says he’s impressed with the quality and performance of the Lang workholding products and when Shop Metalworking Technology spoke with him, he said more Lang products were on order for May and for the summer.
Colonial is happy with the support from Lang’s Canadian distributor, Machine Tool Solutions and company owner Lino Libertella.
“We have a great collaboration with the technical support department from our distributor in Canada. Lino does a great job. Every time we need clarification on special features, we receive answers from either Lino or direct from Lang’s parent company in Germany.”
Colonial Tool Group’s operations include manufacturing and engineering facilities in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, spanning some 9,300, sq m (100,000 sq ft). Most of the company’s new products, including workholding fixtures, are manufactured in Windsor, ON.
