Heimatec delivers training to Hyfore Workholding

With the recent announcement of Hyfore Workholding as the exclusive UK distribution partner for the Heimatec brand of precision tools and systems, Dirk Hund, head of sales from Heimatec Germany recently visited Hyfore Workholding in the UK to deliver in-depth product training.

Specifically, Hund visited Oli Riley, standard workholding product manager at Hyfore Workholding, to deliver in-depth product training on Heimatec tooling. The presentations and training included solutions for static and driven tooling for fixed-head and Swiss-type lathes.

Before the UK visit, the Hyfore UK team underwent comprehensive training sessions in Germany at Heimatec’s headquarters in Renchen. The programme consisted of in-depth training on how the manufacture, assembly and testing of Heimatec tool holders.Rileyalso had time to discuss the latest developments from Heimatec, gaining a deeper understanding of the behind the scenes processes and building relationships with the Heimatec team in Germany.

Commenting upon the exciting new partnership, Riley says. “I gained a great insight into the structure of the tool-holder units and their impressive build quality. I’m looking forward to imparting my new Heimatec product knowledge to new and existing customers throughout the UK.”

Hund adds: “Oli is a fast learner and picked up quickly on the advantages the Heimatec product portfolio offer, such as high-speed, advanced speeder technology, internal cooling solutions, high pressure versus standard pressure, customised solutions, Heimatec quick-change systems and more. We’re happy to collaborate with Hyfore Workholding and strongly believe we have found the right partner for future success in the fast-growing UK market.”
For further information www.hyfore.com

£10m HIP Centre

With a £10m investment, Wallwork Group is establishing a state-of-the-art Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) centre at its Bury site in Lancashire. Housed in a newly prepared 2500 sq m facility, the company expects its HIP to be fully operational in September 2023. “As the UK’s premier independent heat treatment, vacuum brazing and advanced ultra-hard coatings company, this is a significant expansion of Wallwork’s thermal processing services and is part of a commitment to invest £20m over the next five years,” says director, Simeon Collins. “It cements our position as the UK one-stop shop for component manufacturers.”
For further information www.wallworkht.co.uk

Largest laser DED AM cell at GKN Aerospace

GKN Aerospace now has the world’s largest known laser directed energy deposition (DED) additive manufacturing (AM) cell as part of its new Global Technology Centre in Texas. Cell 3 is the next step in pushing the boundaries of large-scale additive manufacturing of titanium aircraft structures through the process of laser metal deposition (LMD) with wire.

Shawn Black, GKN Aerospace’s president of defence, says: “Cell 3 will create opportunities to deliver a whole new level of additively manufactured titanium components to the sizes needed for safety-critical air and space structures. The technology is a game-changer and has shown its proficiencies in producing components faster and with significantly reduced lead times.”
For further information www.gknaerospace.com

Emag building Mexico plant

The symbolic ground-breaking ceremony recently took place for the new plant of machine tool builder Emag Group at the San Isidro Business Park in Querétaro, Mexico, marking the start of an ambitious investment programme in the region. Taking shape on a total area of 2880 sq m, the production area will span 1800 sq m and offer 30 machine assembly stations. In addition to the production hall, the new building includes support space on three levels with a total area of 1200 sq m. For instance, the second floor will house offices for administration, quotation preparation, sales and engineering.
For further information www.emag.com

The importance of self-centring work holding

Machinists obviously demand accuracy and repeatability, but according to Mate,these demands also extend to the vice that holds the workpiece. For this reason, Mate workholding functions as a system. A highly accurate and repeatable base needs a highly accurate and repeatable self-centring vice for the system to provide best-in-class operation. Here, Mate reports that its DynoGrip vices shorten set-up time and reduce process variability.

DynoGrip self-centring vices clamp parts to within 15 µm of perfect centre, repeatable to within 10 µm. These results are due in part to Mate manufacturing the lead screw in-house, using tool steel that is properly hardened and coated with titanium carbo-nitride. The screw has a fine 1.5 mm pitch and a trapezoidal thread yielding a strong, steady push.

Perhaps the most important feature is that Mate machines both the right and left sides of the lead screw from the same top dead centre. This process is how the company controls where the lead screw starts and stops. Mate does the same for the internal thread of the pusher to know the top dead centre. Since the company controls every element of the manufacturing process, it eliminates variability and makes it easy to get to the vice to centre accurately and in a repeatable manner.

DynoGrip self-centring vices also have an anti-lift design to counteract natural physicsthat will cause a part to rise up. The pushers and jaws work together to exert a downward force on the workpiece equal to the clamping force. Furthermore, the quick-change jaws feature a serrated tooth geometry which generates a downward force on the workpiece and a deliver superior ‘bite’ into the workpiece.
For further information www.mate.com