SteelFab marks 15 years as major showcase

SteelFab 2019, which takes place on 14-17 January at the Expo Centre in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, will mark 15 years as a major technology showcase in the Middle East.

Today, SteelFab has emerged as the region’s premier trade show for metalworking, metal manufacturing and steel fabrication. This time around, strong macro-economic tailwinds are set to propel the growth of Middle East industry. Prominent among them is the rise in oil prices, which coupled with easier fiscal consolidation and tax reforms, will help the UAE, the most diversified economy in the GCC, to register growth of 3.8% in 2018.
At the event, first time machine tool exhibitors will include Haas and BLM, while a new UK pavilion will showcase companies such as Chester Machine Tools (pictured at the 2018 event), Kingsbury, Kitchen & Walker and Brierley. Dedicated pavilions will also be present for Germany and Taiwan. In total, around 300 exhibitors from 23 different countries will take part. Spanning six halls, over 7000 visitors are expected.
For further information www.steelfabme.com

Mapal invests in another Helitronic

Cutting tool specialist Mapal has expanded its worldwide portfolio of Walter multi-axis tool grinders with the installation of a Helitronic Power Diamond two-in-one (grinding and erosion) machine at its UK site in Rugby. Supplied by Walter Ewag UK, the newest machine brings to seven the number of Walter machines that Mapal operates in the UK.

The latest investment joins another Power Diamond and a Helitronic Power at the company’s Rugby site, plus four Walter Helitronics at Rainey, Mapal’s daughter operation in Lisburn, Northern Ireland.
Wayne Whitehouse, managing director of Mapal UK, says the latest Power Diamond was installed to meet a continually rising order book for both new tools and regrinds, especially PCD-tipped carbide tooling up to 350 mm long for which the machine is well suited with its ‘two-in-one’ tool erosion and grinding capability in a single set-up.
“Our continued investment in Helitronic tool grinding/re-grinding technology is not only based on a corporate worldwide relationship of utilising the quality and performance of Walter machines, but also, especially in terms of our UK operations, the fact that the machines have superb ‘local’ back-up and support through Walter Ewag UK,” says Whitehouse. “Service and support are critically important if we are to consistently meet customer demands.”
Established in 1993, Mapal UK specialises in technical solutions, offering a range of both standard and bespoke tooling, ranging from solid-carbide tools to customer-specific solutions.
For further information www.walter-machines.com

Strong showing from AGS principals

Seven of Advanced Grinding Solutions principals exhibited at the recent AMB show in Stuttgart: Bahmuller, Tschudin, Rollomatic, Magnetfinish, Gerber, Platit and HandlingTech; all of which displayed their latest technology.

For example, Bahmuller gave a worldwide debut to its Feed Loader automation system. Feed Loaders will be available from around £80,000 and come with Kawasaki robots, Siemens controls and pallet-based component magazines.
Tschudin chose the AMB show for the worldwide premier of its 350 Cube and proline 600 centerless grinding machines. The Tschudin Cube is thought to be the world’s smallest centerless grinding machine with a footprint of just 150 x 150 x 150 cm, and is designed to grind small components from 1 to 20 mm in diameter for the automotive and medical industries. In contrast, the ProLine 600 is the
new giant within Tschudin’s range of machines, weighing some 24 tonnes. The machine has a 30 kW grinding spindle as standard for grinding at 63 m/sec with the spindle producing 300 Nm of torque.
Rollomatic’s new NP3 Plus is aimed at cutting tool makers needing to cylindrically grind multiple stepped diameters on blanks prior to flute and end tooth grinding. The NP3 is based on the method of peel grinding, with the simultaneous grinding of both roughing and finishing wheels.
Magnetfinish used AMB to demonstrate a low-cost automated loader solution for its MF 63CR machine, using a Stäubli robot to handle cutting tools from Rollomatic and similar pallets.
For further information www.advancedgrindingsolutions.co.uk

Brochure released for mounted points

After over 50 years of providing industry with mounted points supported by technical application advice, Master Abrasives has released a new mounted point brochure.

The brochure is designed with the Master brand’s updated look, and contains a selection guide on Master grade types for use on materials such as aluminium, cast iron and unhardened steel. A page for W, A and B shape points provides a list of standard sizes, drawings and a code relating to each item’s dimensions.
Managing director Paul Batson says: “Master Abrasives has come a long way since it was established over 50 years ago to sell mounted points to the UK market. Nevertheless, this product is still a core part of our product offering, and a major aspect where we can offer customers better productivity and improved results. Our message is that we will work with customers to find the best solution for their application, whether that’s a standard stock item or a specially developed design for the task in hand.”
Master Abrasives’ vitrified and resin mounted points are manufactured to high standards of concentricity, dimensional accuracy and stability, in tightly controlled formulas. They are used in the investment casting, tool and die, precision and heavy-duty fabrication industries for specialised and general deburring applications, in addition to maintenance-based operations. Master mounted points are suitable for difficult grinding and finishing applications involving alloyed and unalloyed steel, grey and nodular cast iron, stainless steel, aluminium, and exotic metals.
Mounted points are manufactured by Master Abrasives in a range of aluminium oxide, silicon carbide and ceramic aluminium oxide grades with a vitrified or resin bond. To suit different applications, the company also offers Masterflex, rubber, unitised, superabrasive nickel electroplated and felt grades.
For further information www.master-abrasives.co.uk

Klingelnberg shows latest innovations

This year’s Japan International Machine Tool Fair (JIMTOF), which was held in Tokyo last month, served as the venue for Klingelnberg to introduce its latest innovations to Asia. The company presented the Höfler Speed Viper 300 cylindrical gear-grinding machine with Koenig Automation, which is designed for high-production grinding in large-scale series.

Höfler Speed Viper 300 cylindrical gear-grinding machines with closed-loop technology are designed for high productivity, offering: short set-up times, minimum cycle times and digital process control.
The Speed Viper platform is designed for the Industry 4.0 manufacturing environment. In short, it is possible to connect cylindrical gear machines directly to measuring devices, a technology that is already being used successfully in bevel gear manufacturing.
By transferring the closed-loop concept established by Klingelnberg to the world of cylindrical gears, the company has taken another systematic step toward digitalisation in gear manufacturing. Due to a wide variety of associated applications and software, Klingelnberg is implementing central production control using its cyber-physical production system, which will standardise rating results on different machines, and even in different plants.
Depending on the model, Speed Viper is designed for maximum workpiece diameters of 80, 180 and 300 mm. These sizes match the standard component sizes of the automotive and commercial vehicle sectors and their suppliers, for which the Speed Viper is mainly intended. They also meet the productivity requirements of this industry. However, the series is also suitable for cylindrical gears in industrial transmissions, and for robotic applications.
For further information www.klingelnberg.com