Tornos releases seven-axis mill

The CU2007 milling centre from Tornos has entered the next stage of its evolution with a seven-axis variant.

Notably, the machine now features a second dividing head with rotary and linear axes that enables it to be converted into a bar-feeding device. In addition, the extra dividing head allows the sixth face to be machined.
To complete the autonomy of the machine, it can be equipped with a pick-and-place system that can be used to store bars up to a length of 330 mm in a magazine located next to the machining area. Once the first bar has been finished, the magazine opens and the manipulator arm picks the following bar up to load it into the five-axis dividing head. The workpiece is clamped, the magazine closes and the machining cycles can be restarted.
If preferred, the CU2007 can be combined with a robot cell. The six-axis robot can load and unload workpieces, and turn them over. An additional gripper system is used to handle the workpiece pallets.
In total, the machine has three types of tool magazine available that have a capacity of 16, 24 or 40 tools. At the heart of the CU2007, the spindle can also be configured according to workpiece requirements. Three spindle types are available: a 12,000 rpm high-torque option; a 20,000 rpm variant for high torque and speed; and a 40,000 rpm high-speed option.
For further information www.tornos.com

AMRC Cymru

The advanced manufacturing research centre (AMRC) under construction in Broughton will be officially known as AMRC Cymru, the Minister for Economy and North Wales Ken Skates has announced. Construction is progressing well on the centre, which will provide a new level of support to business and facilitate collaboration between industry, academic partners and entrepreneurs.

The Welsh Government has invested £20m in the centre, which has confirmed Airbus as the first major tenant. AMRC Cymru is scheduled to be completed in the autumn and it is predicted that the Welsh economy could see seen an increase in GVA of up to £4bn.
For further information www.amrc.co.uk

Mabey and Acrow join forces

Mabey Holdings Ltd has concluded the sale of Mabey Bridge Ltd’s modular bridging business to Acrow Bridge, an international bridge engineering and supply company.

The sale’s structure includes all employees in the modular bridge team and the manufacturing site in Lydney, Gloucestershire. Both companies will continue to operate under their own brands. Mabey Bridge and Acrow Bridge have shared a similar mission, to accelerate construction through pre-engineered modular bridging solutions that help develop, improve and repair essential infrastructure in urban and rural areas. Financial terms are not being disclosed.
For further information www.mabey.com

Silcoms installs Hermle five-axis machine

Bolton-based Silcoms supplies the aerospace industry with nickel alloy, titanium, stainless steel and aluminium engine ring components and assemblies, including seals, shrouds, segments and casings.

The company was awarded an additional contract in 2018 to supply a complex rotating fan seal for a large civil aircraft engine programme, which prompted the need for additional capacity. Managing director Jim Hill took the opportunity to develop a new process route that would speed production of the rotational titanium parts, while maintaining the tight tolerances needed.
The new method of manufacture now hinges on the use of a Hermle C50 UMT five-axis machining centre fitted with a torque table for carrying out in-cycle turning operations. Supplied by Kingsbury, the machine performs three operations in two set-ups that previously required five operations on three different machines. As a result, floor-to-floor time has been reduced, while fewer set-ups mean that the risk of accumulative tolerance error is minimal.
Produced from a titanium forging, the 1015 mm diameter fan seal has to be turned to a final wall thickness of 3 mm. Here, it is crucial to control dimensional accuracy and avoid distortion. After a number of preparatory machining stages, the Hermle five-axis machining centre completes the next five operations in two set-ups over 20 hours. Semi-finish and finish turning have been compressed into one operation on each side. During the second clamping on the Hermle, turned and milled features are completed. Critical dimensional features are held to ±20 µm over the full diameter of the part.
Says Hill: “Consolidating turning and milling on one machine has significant benefits. Apart from a reduction in component handling and an improvement in accuracy, it cuts the lead-time for converting a titanium forging into a finished seal, and reduces the total number of tools we need.”
For further information www.kingsburyuk.com

IPS facilitates Industry 4.0 solutions

To avoid the possibility of engineers glazing over at the mention of Industry 4.0, “there is no better way to describe the potential rewards of the concept than by illustrating that better profitability and improved growth can only be achieved with customised digital manufacturing solutions”, says Starrag CEO Dr Christian Walti.

“And with Starrag’s Integrated Production System [IPS], users have available a modular solution that can be aligned with specific requirements, allowing individuals to effectively select their own à la carte solutions to realise the benefits of Industry 4.0 through automating and digitising their production.”
At the heart of IPS is a cell controller, proprietary to Starrag, which monitors machines and can guide and control the entire production process – in conjunction with a higher-level ERP system where applicable. The cell controller also ensures digital transparency by visualising system status, for example.
Developed in-house by Starrag, the cell controller is an open system that can link different system components, making it a very practical and cost-effective tool for customer-orientated Industry 4.0 solutions.
“IPS enables users to control and monitor their Starrag machines – standalone units through to flexible manufacturing systems and complete production lines – to ensure reliable production,” says Walti. “In addition, the technology enables us to support them in the complex task of using data in a networked production world to obtain added value.”
He adds: “Starrag has been using IPS components to develop wide-ranging Industry 4.0 solutions for a number of customers, including one company that invested in a flexible manufacturing system of six Ecospeed F2060 machining centres served by a rail-guided pallet shuttle system.”
For further information www.starrag.com