Nibe invests in two press brakes

Markaryd-based Nibe, which manufactures Contura fireplaces and Premodul chimneys, has recently invested in two press brakes from SafanDarley, an E-brake Ultra E130-3100 and an E-brake Econic E40-1600, supplied by local agent Din Maskin.

“When we decided to invest in new press brakes, we wanted machines that would provide stability in the manufacturing process, give consistent results and allow us to use the same tools as before,” says Patrik Ahlin, production group manager at Nibe. “ The machines also needed to be ergonomically designed, where the operator wouldn’t need to handle heavy tools. This is exactly what SafanDarley’s press brakes offered.”
Stefan Kovac, the press brake operator who was involved in test-running SafanDarley’s machines ahead of the investment, adds: “I’m delighted with the machines as they run quietly and smoothly. The tool set-up has worked well for the majority of our parts.”
According to Fredrik Carlsson, product manager for SafanDarley at Din Maskin, the servo electric press brake has low maintenance and running costs, and is quiet in operation. Since the machine does not use hydraulic oil, servicing is also minimal, and the lack of a hydraulic system means even higher precision and more consistent bending results.
Ahlin also emphasises the ‘green’ aspect, since Nibe is very active in its environmental work. The company is always trying out new ways to reduce its energy consumption and it is therefore important that its manufacturing is modern, resource-saving and efficient.
Herman Nordqvist, production engineer for welding and brake pressing, says that another important aspect was ease of set-up, since newly developed fireplace models are launched regularly and therefore new parts need to be produced.
“Here at Nibe, we work together closely in the development process to ensure we only get better,” concludes Ahlin.
For further information www.safandarley.com

Salvagnini reports success at Fabtech

Fabtech brought a wealth of innovation and technology solutions to Chicago recently, where more than 48,000 attendees and over 1,700 exhibiting companies gathered once again to celebrate metal manufacturing at its best.

The event also provided educational sessions and expert-led presentations covering the latest trends and technology in the metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing industries.
Visitors to the Salvagnini stand found a fully working smart factory run by the company’s OPS software, comprising the L5 high dynamics fibre laser with its newly developed 6 kW fibre source, the P2lean panel bender, and the B3.AU-TO press brake featuring the latest automatic tool change technology.
The third generation P2lean adaptive compact panel bender natively combines productivity and flexibility, guaranteeing precision, repeatability and quality of the finished product, says Salvagnini. Also on the stand, the B3.AU-TO press brake features the latest automatic tool change, the solid expression of a new automated and scalable bending concept that is said to provide greater certainties in terms of processing times, as well as costs and budgets.
Salvagnini’s L5 high dynamics fibre laser features the newly developed, dedicated 6kW source, which is said to perfect its performance. The latest trajectory planner, the new SVS option, and the novel nesting algorithms are claimed to guarantee even higher efficiency.
For further information www.salvagninigroup.com

Back in control

MACH Machine Tools is exhibiting two of its latest tool-room machines on Stand J310.

The machines, a MACH MDM 1000 CNC bed mill and a MACH MDL 1800 CNC flat-bed lathe, are both equipped with the DynaPath WinDelta control, which was launched by the company into the market last autumn. The DynaPath control on the MDM bed mills (and on the latest range of MDL flat-bed lathes) comes with a range of sophisticated functions and time-saving features which help manufacturers reduce set-up and cycle times, eliminate input and programming errors, and improve operational efficiencies.
For further information www.machmt.co.uk

Coil tube bender helps K Coolers

Environmental and lifestyle changes within the drinks industry have brought fresh challenges and increased business to Preston-based beer pump and cooler specialist, K Coolers.

For instance, the company has had to manage two major changes within the drinks industry, the first being environmental, with the phasing out of certain refrigerants, while the second is the rise in popularity of ‘ice-cold’ beers and lagers. Both changes needed modifications to the stainless steel coils within the cooler, which in turn placed greater demands on K Coolers’ existing tube-bending capacity.
“The new R290 refrigerant required different tubes, so all of these required replacing as a smaller bore was needed for the new gas to be effective,” says Lee Worden, managing director. “Our standard 3.8 to 4.8 m long coils used for standard beers and lagers also needed to increase to 10 m in length to create ice-cold beer delivery; the knock on benefit being the elimination of under-counter chillers in pubs.”
To meet rising demand, the decision was taken to invest in a BLM 4-Runner tube-bending system fitted with motorised coil feed functionality.
“Without investing in the BLM 4-Runner we would struggle to maintain throughput,” says Worden. “The assistance we got, and continue to receive, from BLM both in the UK and in Italy, has been superb, which meant that we were bending tube within a couple of days of the machine being put on the floor. The BLM 4-Runner is being used to produce evaporator coils and other pipework for the refrigeration system on the new coolers, handling the increased demand with ease.”
For further information www.blmgroup.com

Schwarze-Robitec wins order from China

With the newly developed, fully electric CNC 25 E TB MR, SchwarzeRobitec says it has created and supplied a compact tube-bending machine sporting the ‘made in Germany’ seal, to China. For the first time, Changzhou Liangxu Vehicle Accessories Co Ltd is now able to bend smaller tube diameters quickly, and as part of a fully electric process, thanks to the NxG control system.

Changzhou Liangxu Vehicle Accessories manufactures injection tubes and radiator outlet pipes for cars and trucks, and is the main supplier of tube systems for China’s third-biggest truck manufacturer. At the company’s headquarters in Changzhou, Schwarze-Robitec recently put a new CNC 25 E TB MR into operation. The delivered machine is capable of bending steel tubes with a diameter of up to 1” and a wall thickness of 0.08”, as well as stainless-steel tubes with a diameter of up to 0.8” and a wall thickness of 0.06”.
This capability means that, for smaller tube diameters, Changzhou Liangxu Vehicle Accessories is using a fully electric machine with NxG control for the first time, which offers major benefits. For example, depending on the tube system, the NxG control system enables up to 50% more output thanks to simultaneous operation of the axes. The company is thus ideally preparing itself for the rise in demand brought on by the prolonged boom in China’s automotive industry.
With the CNC 25 E TB MR, Schwarze-Robitec has developed a machine for small tubes that is available in both left/right bending versions, as well as
in a rotary variant, with the bending head capable of rotating 180°. Tubes with complex geometries can thus be bent in one process step.
For further information www.schwarze-robitec.com