Frequently asked questions

Typically, anything over a 1,500mm envelope. We can offer travelling column and portal gantry machines up to 40m in length. Turning tables run from 1,500mm through to 9,000mm in diameter. For tall components, we can offer standard machines up to 7m, with options to go higher if required.

We offer a wide range of spindle speed options across our machine portfolio, typically ranging from 4,000rpm through to 30,000rpm. However, the machine dynamics required to enable the spindle’s full capabilities to be realised are different for lower speed spindles as opposed to higher speed variants. The depth of our product portfolio enables us to offer the most appropriate spindle speed and machine dynamics combination for your workload.

Spindle power options range from around 40kW through to 120kW, with spindle torque options exceeding 2,000Nm. As with spindle speed options, matching up spindle torque capabilities with the appropriate machine structural configuration is a key element of ensuring that the spindle is able to deliver its full production potential.

Most machines begin with a standard tool changer capacity of around 40 tools. However, all have options to increase these through various chain types, disc types, matrix types, or robot-based solutions, providing the potential to store several hundred tools if required.

Maximising spindle utilisation is key to minimising the hourly rate and product cost of a machine and its production process. We offer a wide range of pallet changer, pendulum machining, and robot-loading solutions, as well as quick change-over fixture solutions.

From 4-axis, through to 5-axis, 6-axis, and more, Kingsbury supply a wide range of machines, which include various multi-spindle and/or twin gantry multi-spindle options too.

Our portfolio includes a selection of machines capable of any combination of milling, turning, and grinding.

With a primary focus on maximising spindle utilisation, Kingsbury machines are designed to run around the clock. With the appropriate planned preventative maintenance procedures in place, our machines are capable of delivering over 6,000 hours of production utilisation per year.

Our level of support is one of our key differentiators. The majority of large prismatic machine suppliers provide their support from Europe or the far continents, with only a small representation located in the UK. The Kingsbury team brings a wealth of UK-based knowledge and experience to this sector. We offer our time and the flexibility to visit you, as often as may be required, to understand your business, and to help define a production solution tailored to your needs. We can go further, by developing the skills and capabilities of your key people to ensure you can continue to develop the ongoing performance of your processes, as your business evolves in the years ahead.

The smaller machines can occasionally be available from European stock, but the majority of large prismatic machines are built to customer specifications. The decision to invest in a large machine isn’t taken lightly; it’s often strategic, and part of a greater long-term plan. Machine lead times are dependent upon size, configuration and complexity, but typically range from 4-5 months ex-works through to 12-18 months for the largest examples.

Installation time is largely size dependant. Some of the smaller machines require a single lift onto a flat floor and these installations can be completed within 1 to 2 weeks. The larger portal gantry machines can take up to 3 months or more to fully install and commission.

Whilst all machines will require a suitable floor with the appropriate load-bearing capabilities, some machines can be installed on a flat floor. The more complex larger machines will require specific foundations and our project management team will support you in the design, installation, and management of the foundation construction process.

All machines have a training plan included, which starts with the basic operator, programmer, and maintenance training. However, true learning is gained through using the machine in real-time production scenarios. Kingsbury will define a training and production support plan tailored to the skills and experience of your key people.

Kingsbury’s service engineers are located around the UK and therefore ideally situated to provide a timely response to all your service and repair needs. We are trained by our principal machine manufacturers and actively partake in the installation and commissioning process for each machine, ensuring we remain the perfect choice for your servicing partner.

Your primary point of contact for all your service, spares, and support needs will be Kingsbury. We take responsibility and ownership over every aspect of your machine’s lifecycle support, providing a seamless support infrastructure. Based in the UK, we understand your business culture and values, your expectations, and all the operational and logistical constraints associated with working in the UK.

Over the years, we have built up a respectable selection of reference sites for each of our LPM brands. We also have the benefit of relatively easy access to Europe where we can draw upon a much larger selection of installations, spanning a wide cross-section of industries.

We take a completely flexible approach to machine finance. Kingsbury is independent and financially secure which means we’re able to offer tailored solutions, in addition to the standard financial service packages, to spread the cost of your investment.

Throughout our 65-year history, the Kingsbury family has remained committed to providing the levels of service and professionalism that we would expect to receive ourselves. Anyone can offer you a machine and answer yes to your questions in a bid to win your order. Our business will be judged on the quality of what we deliver, the impact it will have on the performance of your business, and occasionally, when it’s the right thing to do, we also have the courage to say no.