Typical sized workpiece being loaded into the Momentum MVL-10HD to be turned
Finished part being inspected on the Momentum MVL-10HD. See the machine in action at youtu.be/BUlB5TJiaog.
Finished part being inspected by the MVL-10HD operator at Highland Manufacturing
Highland Manufacturing's new 30,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Manchester, CT
As president of Highland Manufacturing in Manchester, CT, Christian Queen has spent his career building a company that specializes in tooling and gauging for aerospace, defense, and the commercial space industry. Now, with the addition of a Momentum MVL-10HD vertical turning lathe (VTL), Highland Manufacturing is taking its precision machining capabilities to the next level. From medium-sized components to large, complex fixturing solutions, Highland is best known for work in the 63" diameter and under range-a niche that has earned the company a reputation for quality and capability and inspired recent investments in modernization.
Recently, Highland moved into a newly renovated 32,000-sq.-ft., temperature-controlled building designed with growth and modernization in mind. The Momentum MVL-10HD was a critical part of this expansion, replacing aging VTLs and bringing the shop squarely into the modern era. With the new machine's heavy-duty construction, advanced controls, and improved precision, Highland has positioned itself to tackle more complex turning work while maintaining the tight tolerances demanded by its high-end customers.
"We were facing obsolescence with the old VTLs," said Queen. "The controls were outdated. Parts were hard to get. We even had to fly in people from out of state just to keep the machines running."
Rather than sink more money into retrofitting older iron with modern electronics-a fix that would have been nearly as expensive as buying new-Queen and his team opted to invest in new technology that offered not only reliability, but enhanced performance.
The Momentum MVL-10HD is a large-capacity VTL with a 49" swing-a perfect match for the work Highland had traditionally done on its older lathes. But the similarities end there. While the footprint and casting style retain the wraparound design known for providing optimal rigidity and dampening, the Momentum brings a level of automation and productivity the older machines could never offer.
"This machine is just hands down faster," Queen said. "Same part sizes, same materials-but the Momentum hogs them out at a rate we could never even dream of before. And it does it without sacrificing precision."
"Equipped with a 15-pocket automatic tool changer (ATC), the MVL-10HD brings the convenience and flexibility of a modern machining center to vertical turning," said a company spokesperson. "Operators can easily program and run multistep operations without manual tool changes, keeping production efficient and consistent. The machine's fully enclosed design also enhances safety and cleanliness-containing the large, heavy chips typical of VTL work and keeping coolant off the shop floor."
Work Highland has run on the VTL spans a wide range of part types. One recurring job is a 45" "salad bowl" shaped component, machined with compound contours inside and out, plus a centered hub. Roughing and finishing this part on its previous VTL was a slow, vibration-prone process. With the Momentum, those issues disappeared.
"We are taking bigger cuts, faster, and the machine does not flinch," said Queen.
And it is not just speed-the accuracy has also exceeded expectations. Highland frequently machines to tolerances of +0.0005"/-0.0000", and the Momentum holds those without hesitation.
"We tell it to move an inch-it moves an inch," Queen said with a laugh. "It is extremely responsive. And we have thrown tough parts at it. That five-tenths minus nothing tolerance? The Momentum nails it."
Despite the size and complexity of the machine, Highland's team adapted to it quickly. The MVL-10HD features a FANUC Oi control, and although some operators were new to FANUC, the transition was smoother than anticipated.
"Our guy running it came from using a ProtoTRAK retrofit on an older lathe," Queen explained. "We expected a learning curve, but he stepped right into it. That is a huge benefit, especially as we bring in younger operators."
Programs are written in Mastercam, and the integration between CAD/CAM and machine control has proven seamless. Once tools are loaded into the tool changer, operators can just hit cycle start and pretty much walk away to perform other value-added tasks.
As with their recent investments in a Soraluce TAD25 6-axis machining center and Okuma V760EX vertical lathe, Highland once again turned to The Robert E. Morris Company for guidance. The team at Morris has a long-standing relationship with Highland-not only as a machine supplier, but also as a tooling customer.
"We have done tooling work for Morris, and we know their people well," said Queen. "They came in, walked us through the Momentum, and we felt confident right away. We knew what we were buying, and we knew we had support behind it."
That support has proven critical. On the rare occasion that service was needed, Morris was there-either the same day or the next morning. For Queen, that kind of responsiveness is not just a perk-it is essential.
"Downtime is a killer," Queen said bluntly. "You can buy a cheaper machine, or even a more expensive one-but if you do not have the service behind it, it does not matter. With Morris, we know they will be there."
While the original motivation for purchasing the Momentum VTL was to replace outdated equipment, the results have far exceeded Highland's initial expectations. The machine has not just restored lost capacity-it has enabled Highland to quote new work, finish jobs faster, and do so with greater precision than ever before.
"It is not just about keeping up with what we had," Queen said. "This machine lets us do more, quote more, and push further. It has opened up new opportunities we could not pursue with older equipment on the shop floor."
As Highland continues to grow in its new facility, investments like the Momentum MVL-10HD are setting the stage for the next chapter in the company's story-a chapter defined by modern capability, smarter workflows, and the confidence to take on what comes next.
"We are always thinking about the future," Queen concluded. "This machine fits into that vision perfectly."
For more information contact:
Highland Manufacturing
273 Adams St.
Manchester, CT 06042
860-646-5142
www.highlandmfg.com
Christian Cottrell, Product Manager
Select Machining Technologies
910 Day Hill Road
Windsor, CT 06095
860-687-3530
cacottrell@selectmt.com
www.selectmachiningtech.com