Automation investment proves its worth again

Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of DN Solutions’ machine tools (formerly Doosan machine tools) in the UK and Ireland, has recently supplied an automated machining cell to a precision aerospace subcontract specialist. The cell was delivered and installed at ASG Arrowsmith’s machine shop facility in Coventry and is being used, at present, to machine a range of pre-production, high accuracy aero-engine parts for the new, ultra-efficient Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 business aviation engine.

Says Jason Aldridge, ASG Arrowsmith’s managing director: “We’re gearing up for full production and, since the cell’s installation, have been focused on designing, optimising and proving-out the machining processes for eight Pearl 700 engine parts ready for PPAP, a standardised aerospace industry process for the design and manufacture of new and revised parts.”

The parts being machined by ASG Arrowsmith are all made from aerospace-grade titanium alloys and other exotic materials. They are machined to exacting tolerances and super-fine surface finishes, and are characterised by their complexity and intricate features – many of which can only be produced economically by using simultaneous five-axis machining technology.

DN Solutions’ DVF 5000 machining centre provides ASG Arrowsmith with full five-axis simultaneous machining capabilities and, as such, enables the company to machine complex, high-precision parts to completion in a single set up. To improve productivity and process efficiencies the machine is integrated with a compact eight-station automatic workpiece pallet changer: each pallet is 350 x 350 mm in size and has a 250 kg maximum load.

ASG Arrowsmith regularly invests in advanced machine tools and automation systems from Mills CNC.

“We are advocates of the advanced technologies they supply and the applications and technical support they provide,” says Aldridge.
For further information www.millscnc.co.uk

High-speed machining cell installed at Nexter

In August, the Fives Machining teams at the company’s Capdenac workshop completed the assembly and commissioning of an additional Forest-Liné V-Star machine. The project, which included the configuration of a shuttle extension, completed the three-unit cell for Fives customer, Nexter, a specialist manufacturer serving the defence industry.

As soon as the customer confirmed acceptance, the machine was disassembled and shipped to Nexter’s plant in Roanne, France, where reassembly by Fives technicians is currently in progress. The Forest-Liné V-Star machines are intended to trim and drill the thick aluminium plates required to manufacture the sides of the armoured vehicles in the SCORPION programme (Griffon, Jaguar, Serval). With the three machines in operation, the cell will enable Nexter to produce parts for 450 vehicles per year, meeting the army’s need to renew its vehicles and machines.

In August 2021, during the inauguration of this new FMS (flexible manufacturing system) equipped with the first two Forest-Liné V-Star machines, Sylvain Rousseau, Nexter’s director of operations, underlined the unprecedented capacities achieved on an industrial and technological level thanks to the know-how provided by Fives Machining.

Forest-Liné V-Star machines offer a high dynamic accuracy, supporting the manufacture of parts with a rapid production throughput. This capacity to process extremely long and wide components, as well as the combination of milling, trimming and drilling, is adapted to the processing of many complex parts, including aircraft structures, wing panels and boat hulls. For all vanguard applications, this high-velocity solution can efficiently process different materials, composites, resins, alloys and hard metals from rough- to the finish-milling.

The installation is part of the NextFab modernisation project at Nexter’s Roanne plant, which aims to triple the annual vehicle production capacity by 2025.
For further information www.fivesgroup.com

New level of success in metalworking

Today, as industrialists are increasingly willing to leave the memory of Covid-19 behind, it is undeniable that the pandemic has forever changed many aspects of commercial life. More communication and business took place online as face-to-face meetings were not possible during Covid-related restrictions. This also affected exhibitions such as Metalex, the ASEAN region’s leading machine tool and metalworking exhibition.

“The last full-scale Metalex event was held in 2020, with Covid-19 preventing us from organising the show in 2021,” says Sirirat Sungvichai, exhibition management director of RX Tradex (formerly Reed Tradex). “However, when the government allowed large-scale events again, we created a special edition of the event called ‘Metalex March’ in March 2022, which was a huge success. It showed that everyone in the metalworking community wanted to meet their colleagues and experience new machinery and technologies with their own eyes.

“One factor that helps businesses grow and become successful is networking, whether it’s a network of customers, suppliers or business partners,” she continues. “Therefore, when the pandemic started to improve, we started aiming for Metalex (to be held on 16-19 November 2022 at BITEC, Bangkok) to make a grand comeback. We want to make this event a meeting place for everyone in the metalworking industry to come expand their networks in the ASEAN region.”

Sungvichai goes on to say that it will be an event where everyone gets to improve production efficiency together, add value to their products, and generate business opportunities that will foster growth. Over 85,000 participants from all over the region will get to experience over 2500 brands of metalworking technologies, and meet with representatives at international pavilions from Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and the Republic of China (Taiwan). What is even more exciting is that some technologies will appear for the first time in the ASEAN region at Metalex.

In addition to the machinery and technology exhibition, Metalex will host concurrent seminars on a variety of up-and-coming topics such as AI, smart materials and many more. Interested participants can pre-register online.
For further information www.metalex.co.th

1300 robots for VW Group

FANUC has secured another major order from the Volkswagen Group. In 2022 and 2023, the company will supply four of the group’s plants with a total of around 1300 robots. The majority are destined for VW’s manufacturing facility in Bratislava, Slovakia, while the main VW plant in Wolfsburg, Germany will also receive a large batch of robots to assist with the body construction of the new all-electric ID.3. FANUC robots will also contribute to the expansion of e-mobility in Audi’s new battery assembly plant in Ingolstadt, Germany. The fourth plant that FANUC will supply is the Audi plant in Győr, Hungary.
For further information www.fanuc.eu

Polymer 3D printing market to hit $21.1bn

A new report from IDTechEx ‘Polymer Additive Manufacturing 2023-2033: Technology and Market Outlook’, finds that polymer 3D printing is moving beyond prototyping to high-value adoption by end users, propelling its growth to $21.1bn in 2033. Among the sectors that will drive this growth include automotive, medical devices and consumer goods. IDTechEx’s new report forecasts future revenue, install base and materials demand for the polymer AM market, while carefully segmenting the polymer AM technology and materials market by 10 process categories, three material form factors and 17 individual material categories.
For further information www.IDTechEx.com/polymerAM