Workpiece palletising and handling systems

1st Machine Tool Accessories has introduced a range of workpiece handling cells that allow components to be clamped manually on to pallets, automatically loaded into store and subsequently retrieved for robotic transfer into and out of machining centres.

The equipment, which is manufactured by French company Engineering Data, is suitable for long periods of unattended and lights-out running. According to 1st MTA, the modular pallet-handling systems are said to increase production output from non-pallet-change machining centres by up to 50%.
A representative model, EasyBox T30, was demonstrated on the 1st MTA stand at MACH 2018 in April. The compact system with a footprint of just 2 sq m can be configured to feed a machine from the left, right or front. Two versions are available for storing 42 or 64 pallets. They are equipped with a three-axis robot capable of handling components up to 200 x 200 x 180 mm, and a maximum load of 30 kg, including workpiece, fixture and pallet.
Half a day training is all that is needed for an operator to be conversant with the system, which is designed to automate small to medium batch production. The single load/unload station is positioned at an ergonomic height at the front of the store for convenient workpiece clamping and unclamping. An adjacent touch-screen panel for operating the robot is easily interfaced with all major types of machine tool control including Heidenhain, Siemens, Fanuc and Mazatrol.
A larger EasyBox T100 in a compact version for handling 100 kg pallets is also available. Additionally offered are: a rail-mounted linear version, L-range, for feeding up to six machining centres; and a 350° R-range rotary version for feeding one or two machining centres.
For further information www.1mta.com

Vericut events

Each year, CGTech hosts numerous Vericut User Exchange (VUE) meetings around the world for its customers and partners.

In 2017, more than 1600 people attended over 45 VUE events in 15 countries. This year, CGTech has announced three UK VUE events to take place in September and October. The first event will be held on 19 September at the Advanced Forming Research Centre in Renfrewshire. A further two events will then take place at Moyola Precision Engineering, Ireland (26 September) and Williams F1, Oxfordshire (2 October).
For further information www.cgtech.co.uk/about/vue

Grinding specialist sold

Körber has sold its machine tool business operating under the United Grinding Group.

The new ownership structure consists of a strategically oriented pool of investors organised by the Swiss BZ Bank Aktiengesellschaft. United Grinding Group comprises eight major brands: Mägerle, Blohm and Jung surface/profile grinding machines; Studer, Schaudt and Mikrosa cylindrical grinders; and Walter and Ewag tool grinding machines. “BZ Bank is delighted to be able to offer its customers the opportunity to invest in a high-yielding international industry group,” states Martin Ebner, CEO of Swiss BZ Bank.
For further information www.grinding.ch

Eight-axis CNC machining centre

CNC specialist NUM has helped Chinese machine builder Original Point Machine Tools (OPMT) to develop an eight-axis CNC machining centre capable of processing many different types of materials, including metal, ceramics, glass and cemented carbide.

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The project came about after OPMT was asked by Guangdong University of Technology to develop a machining centre that combined high-speed laser cutting and milling capabilities. The result is the ML125 multi-function machining centre, which is entirely controlled by NUM’s latest-generation Flexium+ 68 CNC platform. Movement of the laser head is controlled by five NUMDrive
X servo drives.
For further information www.num.com

Major 3D-printing investment at MTC

The Manufacturing Technology Centre is to install cutting-edge equipment that will further advance its additive manufacturing and 3D-printing capabilities.

The MTC near Coventry is to take delivery of a metal binder-jetting printer, which allows for the fast production of complex and detailed components. Supplied by Swedish 3D-printing specialist Digital Metal, the machine is designed for small, highly complex parts, and will be the only one in the UK. DM’s binder-jetting printer will be available to MTC member companies and others interested in testing the technology or taking designs to prototype and pre-production level.
For further information www.the-mtc.org