Ringing the changes with a Studer grinder

The recent replacement an older grinding machine with a new Studer S121 universal cylindrical grinder from UK agent Micronz has ensured the efficient production of premium-quality ring gauges offering sub-micron levels of accuracy at the Bradford manufacturing facility of Bowers Group.

Metrology group technical director at Bowers, Tom Parry, says: “An older grinder, used to internal-grind our ring gauges, was beginning to need regular maintenance so we recently made the decision to purchase a new machine. We’ve been very impressed with the precision and efficiency of a Studer S33 grinder that we installed several years ago. This machine is now in constant use grinding spindles and other high-precision components.

“After carefully evaluating market alternatives we came to the conclusion that the Studer S121 best met our challenging, sub-micron precision grinding requirements,” he continues. “It helped our decision that, although we chose the S121 on its technical merits, the Studer machine was actually less expensive than some of the less able grinders that we saw. Now installed in our dedicated, temperature-controlled precision grinding department, the Studer S121 has significantly improved our ring gauge manufacturing capabilities. It’s providing outstanding sub-micron levels of grinding precision and enabling highly efficient production.”

The S121 universal cylindrical grinding machine accommodates medium-sized workpieces in both individual and small batch production runs. It has a swing diameter above the table of 400 mm and is able to process workpiece lengths, including clamping devices, of up to 300 mm. An internal length of up to 175 mm can be ground, while the S121 can handle workpieces of up to 125 kg.

For further information
www.micronz.co.uk

Westley to invest in CNC machinery

Westley Group, one of Europe’s largest privately-owned foundry and engineering groups, is set to further invest in new CNC machinery following an eight-figure funding package from HSBC UK. The funding will support the group’s UK business plans to add further value to its foundry activities through machining more of the castings it produces for its worldwide customer base.
Notably, the financing will also allow Westley Group to grow further into existing and emerging markets for its complex products; most of which are safety-critical in application. As a result, the company will create a number of new jobs in skilled machining operations across its four manufacturing sites. Westley Group was recognised as one of the UK’s top 200 private companies with fastest-growing international sales in the 2021 Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200.

For further information www.bit.ly/3I8l0h2

Guhring to premiere milling lines

Guhring (Hall 19, Stand 210) will be introducing new product lines alongside established ranges, a number of which will be cutting live on a Grob five-axis machining centre. From its milling portfolio, Guhring will be giving a MACH debut to the new RF100 Sharp series of end mills. Designed to address the issue of machining soft, tough and high-alloyed materials that create an issue with swarf clearance, the RF100 Sharp series is Guhring’s sharpest solid-carbide milling tool to date.

The RF100 Sharp demonstrates smooth cutting action and chip removal, making it suitable for slotting, ramping, roughing, helical milling, finishing and trochoidal cutting. These four-flute end mills are designed to machine steel, stainless steel, aluminium alloys and other challenging materials. The RF100 Sharp is available in all common sizes up to 20 mm diameter. Depending upon the chosen diameter, the RF100 Sharp comes with an overall length from 50 to 104 mm, and a flute length from 3 to 41 mm.

For further information www.guhring.co.uk

App remotely controls sawing machines

KastoApp facilitates the remote visualisation of Kasto sawing machines on the shop floor. The app displays the operational status of all networked machines equipped with the manufacturer’s proprietary SmartControl, AdvancedControl, ProControl or ExpertControl systems. Users can see the name, machine number and type of saw at a glance. If a machine is running in automated mode, KastoApp can also access the information stored in the program that is running. It provides users with exact information on relevant parameters such as the item, cut length, target and actual quantities, band feed rate, and cutting speed. If a fault occurs, the app displays a graphic of the relevant error message, enabling users to visualise the problem and react immediately to minimise downtimes.

Kasto also has a solution, KastoSort robot link, to automate production processes upstream and downstream of the sawing process and integrate them into a uniformly controlled material flow. Industrial robots can not only remove sawn parts independently, but may also perform additional tasks such as deburring, chamfering, centring, threading, marking, printing, sorting, stacking and picking.

This robotic solution can be further integrated with a container management or driverless transport system. Depending on the customer’s requirements, Kasto can integrate the robot control into either the saw’s CNC system, or its own KastoLogic WMS, or an existing ERP system, enabling users to monitor and control the process with a single interface.

Thanks to customised interfaces ranging from SAP, Infor and Microsoft Dynamics to customer-specific software solutions, the KastoLogic WMS can be easily connected to a higher-level host system within the company, as can individual Kasto sawing machine controls. The resulting communication structure significantly increases transparency.

For further information
www.kasto.com

Power tools support metalworking operations

Power tools and accessories manufacturer Fein (Hall 6, Stand 572) will be showcasing its new KBE 32 metal core drill, new additions to its beveller range and the MKAS 355 metal chop saw, demonstrating its commitment to supporting metalworkers by providing solutions to the everyday challenges they face. The new MKAS 355 metal chop saw is now available across the UK, delivering precise and rapid results when cutting metals either in the workshop or on-site. The cold cutting process means there is no heating of the material, resulting in the absence of metal dust extract to ensure maximum safety for users.

For further information www.fein.com/en_uk