Dugard adds to its team

As the UK gradually returns to post-pandemic levels, Dugard has appointed Alex Newman to support the unprecedented growth that the company is enjoying across all brands in its portfolio. Joining the company as area sales manager, Newman will support customers and expand sales in the southwest of the UK. With a degree and a Masters degree in mechanical engineering, he spent the past seven years with a leading work-holding and ancillary equipment supplier to the machine tool industry. This experience will be a real asset to Dugard.

For further information
www.dugard.com

Neoprec now supplying CMZ

Neoprec, the new 8000 sq m machining plant of Spain-based lathe-building specialist CMZ, is taking its first steps. After the completion a few months ago of construction works and assembly of the machinery necessary to start running, Neoprec has started to supply the production line for CMZ’s digital-control lathes. The aim now is to reach a cruising speed, so that in five years’ time the company will reach its target of delivering over 800 lathes a year.

The plant has an automated warehouse capable of handling 1752 pallets, while the metrology room has temperature control to within 0.1°C and features a trio of 3D measuring machines. Once the Neoprec plant is fully equipped it will be capable of running for 48 hours without human intervention.

Neoprec starting its operation is one more step in the strategic plan that aims to double CMZ’s current manufacturing capacity in the coming five years. The arrival of new machines is imminent: bit by bit the plant is receiving all of the machinery it needs to carry out its activity at full throttle.

Construction of the Neoprec facility entailed an investment of €17m. CMZ strives for continuous growth aimed at increasing the company’s production capacities. The first estimates already suggest that the target of 800 machines delivered annually will be reached within its desired timeframe.

Word about the new plant is spreading fast. Students taking a higher diploma in industrial mechatronics and mechanical manufacturing production programming visited Neoprec recently and had the opportunity to look around the recently opened facility.

For further information
www.cmz.com

XYZ to open showroom in Scotland

XYZ Machine Tools has announced the grand opening of its new showroom in Scotland. Located in Livingston, the facility will open its doors to existing and potential customers for the first time on 23 February and all are invited, with no requirement to register. The doors will officially open at 09:00, with live demonstrations of various XYZ machines taking place throughout the day up to 15:00.

An added incentive will be the offer of a £250 Ceratizit tooling voucher for every company attending, which can be spent on anything from the Ceratizit catalogue. With refreshments served throughout the day and buffet lunch provided, XYZ Machine Tools is looking forward to welcoming Scotland’s manufacturing community.

For further information
www.xyzmachinetools.com

Boosting shop-floor efficiency

New in-machine measurement technologies released by Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division significantly increase the variety of probing and tool-setting options for manufacturers seeking efficiency gains in a variety of production environments. Hexagon’s multi-sensor machine tool measurement capabilities now include compact tactile radio probes and a flexible tool-setter that can be used interchangeably to identify and correct manufacturing problems early in the production process.

While in-machine measurement makes it easy to collect and quickly apply manufacturing data to work-in-progress, integrating probes and tool setters that match the requirements of a specific machining environment can be a challenge. Without access to metrology equipment that can accommodate tight machining envelopes, manufacturers strive for efficiency with limited inspection options, often with mixed results.

With the launch of a new metrology system that offers both compact tactile measurement and tool-setting capabilities, manufacturers gain the ability to design in-machine inspection processes that fit their needs. Hexagon’s versatile new m&h R-400 multi-sensor radio probe system can fulfil both in-machine workpiece measurement and tool-setting requirements. The system is suitable for a variety of purposes in a range of environments, including machining set-ups with any machine tool, the highly accurate measurement of complex freeform geometries with tight tolerances, and the checking of machine kinematics.

Hexagon’s dual-purpose m&h R-400 probe system is the first tactile probe on the market that includes a built-in display. It provides status data at a glance, enables users to save or load settings, and makes it easy to switch between tactile sensor and tool-setting functions. Designed for shop-floor flexibility, the system can be used as a radio probe by equipping it with a probe shank or as a radio tool setter by mounting it on a tool-setter base.

For further information
www.HexagonMI.com/MTM

Automated dimensional QC solutions

Creaform has unveiled its new MetraScan-R Black Elite HD, as well as a new edition of VXelements for long-term support (LTS). This latest set of solutions also includes a new version of VXscan-R module specially made to accommodate custom automated 3D scanning cell layouts, while keeping the ease-of-use of its digital-twin programming software.

Notably, MetraScan-R Black Elite HD offers an optimised field of view for increased performance levels during challenging applications, such as 3D measurements on sheet metal parts. Creaform says that the system is ideal for the automotive market. With its 69 laser lines and 3 million measurements per second, this specialised 3D scanner is suitable for parts with many edges, trims and boundaries.

The intuitive VXscan-R software module makes it possible to include the custom features of any 3D scanning CMM (enclosure, robot base, turntable) for fast and easy programming.

Exclusive to the R-series products, the new VXelements LTS version extends the period of software maintenance, while increasing software robustness and dependability by limiting the number of new feature releases.

Thanks to its compatibility with major 3D metrology software, offline programming and seamless integration within any production workflow, the R-Series is accessible to all, regardless of expertise or experience level.

Jérôme-Alexandre Lavoie, product manager at Creaform, says: “In the quest to gain efficiency, manufacturers require QC solutions that can adapt to their workflow and environment, while being easy to use. For better decision-making to get better quality parts, they also need fast and precise data. With these latest innovations there has never been a better time to easily move to automation.”

For further information
www.creaform3d.com