Aqueous cleaning front and centre

Among the machines being showcased by Ecoclean (Stand 660, Hall 6) will be the EcoCwave, which is designed for challenging aqueous cleaning tasks.

Offering immersion and spraying processes, the system has a vacuum-tight work chamber and is capable of anything from preliminary and intermediate washing, right up to precision cleaning. To achieve this flexibility, the machine comes with two or three tanks as standard. Each tank has a separate wash solution circuit with full-flow and bypass filtration. The design of the roll-over unit integrated in the work chamber ensures that all sides of the part to be cleaned are fully exposed to the wash solution during ultrasonic or spray cleaning.
For further information www.ecoclean-group.net

Lang Technik UK to show at MACH

After many years of providing Lang five-axis work holding and automation systems through a UK agent, Lang Technik UK has been established to support both existing and potential customers. By way of official introduction, the company will be present at MACH 2020 (Birmingham NEC, 20-24 April) on Stand 40 in Hall 17, where product demonstrations will take place.

Several work-holding systems will be on show, including Makro Grip, the company’s original form-closure technology that provides high holding power for five-face machining. Makro Grip uses pre-stamping, a technology developed by Lang, where the workpiece is stamped outside of the machine tool with up to 20 tons of pressure before being clamped in the vice. Components requiring high holding power, but which might also be prone to deformation, can be securely clamped using this process. In short, the pre-stamping process eliminates the need for the vice to exert unnecessary pressure on the workpiece, resulting in improved surface finish and accuracy.
Another system being demonstrated will be Lang Technik’s Quick-Point system. Quick-Point acts as an interface between the machine table and clamping device, and is offered in a range of variants. For instance the system is available in round, rectangular or square plates, for single or multiple clamping, and can be used in vertical and horizontal machining centres, on three- and five-axis tables, and on fourth-axis rotary or trunnion systems. The attachment of the zero-point plate to the machine table or faceplate is achieved through the use of a prefabricated hole patterns for common T-slot distances, bore patterns and bolt circles, or individual, customised mounting options.
“Although we have many competitors and imitators, Lang Technik is the original and remains at the cutting-edge of work-holding design and manufacture,” says Lang Technik UK director Gareth Barnett. “Our engineers have many years of experience in applications related to work holding. In addition, we are proud to be backed by the engineering, design and product knowledge of Lang Technik Germany.”
For further information www.lang-technik.co.uk

Automated finishing and deburring

A supplier of metal finishing and deburring systems, Ellesco, will maximise its 200 sq m stand (Hall 6, Stand 370) with exhibits from industry partners such as Timesavers, Autopulit and WMS.

On show will be a mix of machines and systems that highlight the versatility available from Ellesco, ranging from grinding and deburring, through polishing and general surface finishing, to weld dressing and blending. The display will feature manual, semi-automatic and fully automated robot integrated systems.
For example, a fully automated robot cell will showcase the ability of Autopulit to deliver belt grinding for weld dressing, finishing and paint preparation tailored to individual customer requirements. This capability is achieved by utilising robots to position work around single or multiple abrasive/polishing stations, or manipulating consumables around a component.
For further information www.ellesco.co.uk

Carney UK boosts in-house machining

Carney (UK) Ltd began life as a business development consultancy in 2014 to deliver the project management expertise of founder Simon Carney to small and medium-sized engineering companies. While working on a business turnaround project for a fabrication company, things fell into place, with Carney UK Engineering & Automation being invited to work as project manager on the design and development of fixtures for a powertrain assembly used by a luxury vehicle manufacturer.

This opportunity was the first step in the transformation of Carney UK into a leading designer, developer and manufacturer of bespoke assembly jigs and fixtures, production line equipment such as end-effectors for robots, pneumatic handling systems, and special purpose machinery for assisted assembly – all with a focus on the automotive sector.
“Through hard work and dedication to delivering projects on-time and to budget, we overcame the challenges faced by small businesses breaking into large OEM automotive manufacturers,” says Carney. “We are extremely proud of what we have achieved.”
With a UK customer base ranging from prestige, low-volume manufacturers, through to high-volume vehicle producers, Carney UK develops solutions to the specific assembly and automation needs of customers. This service looks set to grow thanks to the significant interest generated by Carney products, such as multi-purpose jigs that can be used on more than one model of vehicle. Also fuelling the rise in demand is the growing number of start-ups in the electric vehicle sector, while interest from as far afield as China is a further factor.

Initially, the machining required on the designs created by Carney UK was carried out by subcontract machine shops in the local Runcorn area. However, as demand grew and time pressures from customers increased, the subcontractors were struggling to deliver what tended to be lots of low-volume component batches. With the relocation to its current premises, Carney therefore took the decision to start bringing machining in-house. Initially, this was low key, with a few ‘old’ manual machines as stop gaps, but he recognised that investment in new machining technology was the way to go. Having employed Edward Hibbert as his technical manager, Carney asked his advice as to what the next move should be; his immediate response was XYZ Machine Tools.
“Through working with subcontractors I had seen XYZ machines almost everywhere I went; this, along with the trust that Eddie put in them, convinced me it was the way to go,” says Carney. “Our first purchase was an XYZ 500LR vertical machining centre, which was quickly followed by an XYZ CT65 turning centre. We then added further vertical machining centre capacity with an XYZ 750LR featuring 4th-axis capability and, to round off, we brought in an XYZ 1330 manual centre lathe to cover smaller turning work.”
The two XYZ LR machining centres, which make use of the latest linear-rail technology, offered a good starting point for Carney UK, with the Siemens 828D control system providing straightforward conversational control. At the same time, the control allows the business to develop its use of CADCAM systems to generate programs and overcome the local challenges of finding skilled machine operators. The LR machines also provide the capacity needed for the vast majority of components produced by Carney UK, with the XYZ 500 LR and XYZ 750 LR having axis travels of 510 x 400 x 450 mm and 750 x 440 x 500mm respectively.
Both machines feature the same 8000 rpm, 13 kW, BT40 spindle and 20 m/min feed rates in all axes. The LR machines are complemented by the CT65 for turning, with its 65 mm bar capacity and 17 kW spindle, a maximum turning length of 260 mm and maximum diameter of 200 mm. Along with the use of the ShopTurn version of the Siemens 828D control, the CT65 provides a compact yet highly capable addition to manage the company’s turning needs.
“The XYZ vertical machining centres and the addition of the 4th-axis on the 750 LR, along with CT65, give us the versatility and competitive edge that we need, but most importantly, we now have total control over our machining requirements,” says Carney. “While initially we programmed at the machines, the move to OneCNC CADCAM software is a further step in developing and streamlining our machining capability. We are now confident that we can produce anything that falls within the capacity of the XYZ machines.

“As we move forward, we will continue to expand and realise greater ambitions,” he continues. “Although we first went to XYZ because of a recommendation, we have developed a good relationship with them as they share the same dynamic and forward-thinking outlook that we have. As we grow, I’m confident that they will continue to provide the support we need to meet our future machining challenges.”
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

Ask the robotics experts

On the stand of Kawasaki Robotics (Stand 472, Hall 6), the company will provide an opportunity for visitors to take advantage of a confidential robotics advice service.

Show visitors who might be thinking of automating but are uncertain about whether it is necessary, viable, affordable or achievable, can meet with a Kawasaki Robotics expert for an independent assessment. To ensure that any advice provided is indeed absolutely independent, show visitors need not provide their name or company name when they meet with the Kawasaki Robotics experts, just their job function.
Ian Hensman of Kawasaki Robotics, who together with fellow industry stalwart Malcolm Akers, will be providing the service throughout every day of MACH 2020, says: “What matters here is independence and anonymity. This is not about selling robots, it is about providing experienced insight into the advantages and possible pitfalls in potential applications, and offering overarching guidance and advice in such a way that potential users can better validate their ideas before investing too much time, money and resource into taking things further.”
For further information https://robotics.kawasaki.com/