Italian engineering company Chiaro Macchine Speciali builds specialist systems used by automotive manufacturers around the world. In 2015, the company took delivery of a Haas VM-6 vertical machining centre, which has allowed Chiaro engineers to reduce machining set-up times, and more easily machine a wide variety of different size parts.
Based near the industrial capital of Italy, Turin – self-proclaimed City of the Automobile – privately owned specialist-engineering company, Chiaro Macchine Speciali, is perfectly located to serve industry heavyweights, such as Magneti Marelli and Webasto. In fact, 80 percent of the company’s engineered products, test systems, and tooling – used in manufacturing processes and on production lines – are supplied to the European and global automotive sector.
Designed for versatility
Andrea Beltramo and his colleague, Khalid Mahmood, are the Chiaro engineers responsible for the company’s Haas CNC machine tools, one of which is a VM-6 mould-making machine.
“We bought the Haas because we wanted a large, solid machine,” says Ing. Mahmood. “And, it’s precise and versatile. We don’t make parts in large numbers; most of the test systems and machines we build are one-offs, but we do need versatility. The Haas VM-6 table, with its X and Y T-slots, gives us the ability to quickly and easily mount parts of different sizes and shapes.”
Speed and quality control
“We do all our planning and design in-house,” adds Ing. Beltramo, “so it’s important – for speed and quality control – that we can make our own parts, test them, and make changes as quickly and efficiently as possible.” A typical Chiaro test system could be, for example, one designed to check fabricated automotive exhausts before they are fitted to vehicles on a line.
Ing. Beltramo explains: “We’ve designed and built a fully automated machine that allows our customer to check the silencer of an exhaust system for leaks. It will be located beside a production line, so it has to be designed to minimize the possibility of set-up errors and, very importantly, it has to accommodate a variety of different model variations without any trouble or delays.
“Before the Haas VM-6 arrived, we already had a Haas TM-2 Toolroom Mill, which we use for small, one-off parts. So, we already knew the Haas control, which meant we were able to start working the new machine without the need for much additional instruction. We did a very short course, and that was it!”
“We’re extremely happy with the VM-6,” says Ing. Mahmood, “and I know the company owner is, too. We got the machine we needed to be able to improve the way we make parts in-house. It has made a significant difference.”
