Tornos makes its mark in e-bike world

Global sales of e-bikes are set to reach about 40 million units by 2023, and Tornos Swiss-type sliding headstock lathes, services and software are already helping e-bike component suppliers keep pace with that growing demand.

Today, there are 200 million e-bikes registered in China, according to the country’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, with 30 million more e-bikes being added each year.

Moreover, china has more than 700 e-bike manufacturers, accounting for 80% of global turnover.
One of the market’s most popular e-bike drive units relies on a crankshaft featuring a splined chromium steel (16MnCrS5) axle, and these parts are commonly machined on Tornos EvoDeco machines.
Available in four diameter ranges (10, 16, 20 and 32 mm), the EvoDeco series offers high levels of flexibility. Tornos says that no other machine can engage as many tools at the same time. The machines are equipped with the latest-generation technology and boast a powered spindle with asynchronous motor. Users profit from acceleration rates and stopping times that are four times faster than alternate machines on the market, reports Tornos.

As electrification drives innovation in mobility, the EvoDeco helps manufacturers keep pace with the evolving e-mobility landscape. For example, EvoDeco models feature four completely independent tool systems, 10 linear axes and two C axes, while continuous thermo-stabilisation ensures precision. Accessibility and simple programming are further hallmarks of the EvoDeco range.

Thanks to its experience in sectors such as electronics and automotive, Tornos says it has the know-how and solutions to produce the connectors needed for e-bike batteries, sensors and displays, as well as connectors for e-bike charging stations.

For further information
www.tornos.com

ETG extends Vulcan turning range

The cost-effective Vulcan series of machines from the Engineering Technology Group (ETG) now includes the new TC250 turning centre, one of the most compact models in the range.

Available in four variants, the TC250 base model is the entry-level cost-efficient option with a single spindle and turret. This machine has a maximum turning diameter of 316 mm, a swing-over-bed of 600 mm and a working length of 435 mm. Working within this area is a spindle with a speed range from 25 to 3500 rpm and a bore of 77 mm diameter.

TC250 models feature a 45° slant-bed construction to ensure maximum stability, while ensuring the effective removal of swarf from the work area.

Adding to the TC250 base variant is the TC250M for manufacturers seeking a reduction in secondary operations through the application of live tooling stations on the turret. The TC250M utilises a servo turret to instigate live tooling with speeds from 25 to 4000 rpm.

Complementing the TC250 and TC250M is the TC250L – a long-bed version that extends Z-axis travel from the standard 490 mm, to 1340 mm. A TC250ML model incorporates both live tooling and an extended bed.

All four machines in the TC250 series are equipped with direct-drive servo motors for smooth and rapid traverse movements of 30 m/min in the X and Z axes, with a cutting feed rate from 0.001 to 500 mm/rev. The standard offering from ETG includes a 3-bar coolant pump, 190-litre capacity coolant tank, programmable tailstock, eight-position hydraulic tooling turret, three-colour beacon light, toolkit, work light, heat exchanger for electrical cabinet, chip conveyor, automatic lubrication system, automatic tool probing and automatic part catcher.

For further information
www.engtechgroup.com

IET turns 150

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is celebrating its 150th anniversary following its formation on 17 May 1871. To date, the IET has built a global community of 158,000 members across 153 countries, spanning all disciplines of engineering and technology. The Institution comprises over 40 predecessor organisations that can trace their history as far back as 1854 with the Society of Engineers (SoE). In 2005, the SoE was absorbed into the Institution of Incorporated Engineers (IIE) and then, in 2006, the IIE merged with the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) to form the IET.

For further information
www.theiet.org/150

Orders rise for machine tools

Orders received by the German machine-tool industry in the first quarter of 2021 were 26% up on the same period last year. In summary, orders from Germany rose by 10%, while international orders were 35% higher than in the previous 12 months. Indeed, international orders are now 1% higher than the level recorded in the first quarter of 2019. “For several months now, the industry has been registering improving sentiment among customers, and this is now finally being reflected in the figures,” states Dr Wilfried Schäfer, executive director of the VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association).

For further information www.vdw.de