RK International of Erith in Kent is expanding its portfolio of machine tool agencies to include large capacity (with bed lengths of up to 50 m) 3- to 5-axis portal construction high speed form milling and drilling centres. The range of machines produced by Czech Republic profiling specialist SAHOS are widely used for processing composites, aluminium, plastics, wood, laminates, polyurethane resins and fibre boards.

With the appointment, RK will be drawing on the strong application base created since 1995 by the Czech Republic company to mirror sectors where SAHOS has been supplying up to 30 machines a year throughout Europe in pattern making, aerospace, domestic, marine, automotive and motor sport plus the fast growing areas involving renewable energy.

Said RK's sales director Dick Aldrich: "These machines have never been available in the UK and takes us into new sectors of machining advanced materials and on-metallic materials allied to plastics and wood. From discussions with several customers there is a growing need for high speed machining capabilities but with the ability and expertise to provide bespoke solutions which is where Sahos has achieved such considerable success."

The machines fall into two basic groups of modular portal construction comprising the Dyanmic and Power series. The Dynamic has table sizes between 3 m by 1.5 m to 6 m by 2.85 m with spindles delivering 24,000 revs/min. Meanwhile, the Power series has X-axes available between 2 m and a massive 50 m, Y-axes between 2 m and 6 m and Z-axes between 1 m and 3 m. These machines have ceramic bearing spindles with maximum speeds of 18,000 revs/min. It is also possible to specify independent multiple spindle milling and drilling units on the same machine frame.

There is a choice of 3-axis manual or fully integrated 5-axis automatic tilting heads across both machine types that operate between ±110 deg and each is fitted with HSK-A63 taper for high performance milling. Five-axis controls are by Heidenhain iTNC 530 or Siemens 840D. Work tables can be specified in cast iron, hardened Kartit resin or with vacuum holding for board type materials. There are also a wide range of options such as multiple machining heads, index and rotary units, refrigerated oil mist cooling, tool magazines, tool management and probing to suit specific applications and bespoke engineered solutions.

The SAHOS agency complements the existing agencies of RK International which includes manual and CNC grinding machines from Robbi, Cantaluppi and Europa Jainnher, Europa milling, Mega thread rolling and the lathe range of Colchester/Harrison. These are all sold across a wide spectrum of UK, OEM, subcontract machining and training establishments.