Prima Power and Gasparini in co-op

Prima Power has signed an agreement with Gasparini for the distribution of products in the latter’s range with Prima Power branding and colours.

Thanks to the collaboration, Prima Power expands the range of its press brakes, combining the models of the servo-electric eP series, produced in the Prima Power plant at Cologna Veneta, with the new family of hP hydraulic press brakes.
The hP range comprises 10 medium-large format models covering a range from 270 to 650 tonnes. At the base of the agreement there is a real industrial project, valid at a global level, whereby hP press brakes are not only marketed but also assisted by the Prima Power network.
Hydraulic press brakes are suitable for the agricultural and earthmoving sectors, as characterised by high-thickness components. The adaptive crowning and reflex system is also said to make this press brake the most accurate machine in its category. As a result, it is possible to compensate for any deflections of the frame, which are inevitable during the bending process, thanks to sensors and control systems that guarantee the repeatability of the angle, whatever the material and thickness.
The DSP laser safety system protects the operator from the danger of being crushed between the upper and lower tool. What’s more, hP series machines can be connected in tandem, or integrated into automated lines or robotic cells.
Available options include front supports, a bending follower for large sized or very heavy sheet metal, a wireless digital gauge for automatic correction of the bending parameters, a flattening table for increased productivity and simplified operations, and the Laser Check bend angle measurement and correction system.
For further information www.primapower.com

Tricorn opens for business in north

Production control software specialist Tricorn is launching a second UK office at this year’s Northern Manufacturing exhibition in Manchester on 2-3 October.

Tricorn, which provides production control software for manufacturing SMEs, will be exhibiting at the show for the first time. The new office will be based at Daresbury Innovation Park, in Cheshire, and include a team equipped to service new clients, including sales, marketing and support staff. Tricorn will be promoting the launch on Stand D32.
For further information https://www.tricorn.tech/

Tidal turbine

Scottish Government funding of £3.4m has been awarded to help build the world’s most powerful floating tidal turbine.

Scottish engineering company Orbital Marine Power has been awarded the money as the first recipient of the Scottish Government’s £10m Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund. The funding will be used to deliver the next-generation O2 2 MW floating tidal energy turbine, which will be capable of powering more than 1700 homes a year. Of particular note, the O2 project will demonstrate how this emerging industrial sector has the ability to deliver new jobs, while pioneering solutions for a zero carbon future.
For further information https://orbitalmarine.com/

Get familiar with horizontal bending

Horizontal bending presses are suitable for many operations, including straightening, punching, shearing and bending.

These machines might not see as much use as a corner notcher or press brake, but for the angle bending of cleats, bracketry and small parts, a horizontal press can handle thicker materials and deliver genuine production line efficiency, reports Selmach Machinery.
The Selmach range is built around two different presses. Firstly there is the Morgan Rushworth HBM range, which is both capable and adaptable with seven different capacities. The range extends from the HBM 10/150, featuring a maximum pressure of 10 tonnes and a tooling height of 150 mm, up to the HMB 100/300, a machine that offers 100 tonnes maximum pressure, a 10 kW motor and, like all the models in the range, a 10 mm/sec working and return speed.
Selmach also offers the SIMASV hydraulic range. These top of the line machines combine power with ease of use, thanks to hydraulic cylinders located below the table, giving a spacious working area that lets users perform enclosed bends without colliding with the machine’s frame. The four models in the SIMASV range offer capacities from 22 to 100 tonnes, with rapid-change tool pins, a large range of specialised tooling and quiet operation.
The company has found over time that the most popular bending presses tend to fall in the 10-40 tonne capacity range.
For further information https://selmach.com/

MTC delivers 40% capacity boost

Flexiform, a UK designer and manufacturer of office furniture is increasing its production capacity by 40% and will improve productivity by a quarter with the help of experts from the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC).

As a result, the company, which has been manufacturing office furniture in the UK for more than 40 years, will be able to satisfy its fast-growing order book without the need for a significant and costly expansion to its manufacturing facility.
An SME team from the MTC’s Manufacturing Support Services operations, based in Coventry and Liverpool, worked with managers and operators from Flexiform, helping them develop a plan which increases capacity by 40%, with an additional surge capacity of 20%, without increasing site footprint. Furthermore, the multi-million pound investment, together with changes in working practices, will help increase productivity by 25%, with a significant reduction in operational lead time.
For further information www.the-mtc.org