TEK4 opens US facility in South Carolina

Summer 2024 saw UK-based EDM hole drilling machine manufacturer TEK4 open its US facility in Greenville, South Carolina. The 372 m² facility will support the company’s growing North American customer base.

The new technology centre features the latest TEK4 EDM and laser machines for precision hole development. Customers can also tap into turnkey solutions comprising complete in-house tooling design, programme development and process prove-out for complex parts. In particular, TEK4 is able to provide bespoke tooling packages in support of highly productive solutions.

US-based field service engineers can deliver fast and reliable support throughout North America. Supporting the service team is an extensive Inventory. Over $250,000 of spare parts and consumables, available for next day delivery, ensure high uptime. Notably, the US facility and US personnel enable TEK4 to comply with ITAR standards.

TEK4 specialises in fast hole drill (FHD)/high-speed drill (HSD) EDM hole drilling machines for producing straight and shaped cooling holes in aero and IGT blades, vanes, segments and other components. The company currently has four different machine sizes offering the EDM process.

TEK4 also offers an EDM drill service is for generating small holes in turbine blades and vanes. STEM drilling is another specialist process available from the company. This process is similarly adept at drilling small holes in aero parts for cooling purposes.

According to TEK4, the company says it understands the importance of making informed decisions. That is why it offers comprehensive machine demonstrations and customised trials. The company’s global headquarters is in Leicestershire, UK.

More information www.tek4.co.uk

EDM specialist reports exhibition success

Sodi-Tech EDM, together with Sodick Europe, had its most successful MACH exhibition ever with an eye-catching display at the Birmingham NEC earlier this year. Committing to its largest-ever MACH stand, Sodick Europe presented six machines, including new models.

Among the MACH debutants was the new VN600Q wire-cut EDM machine and the ALC600G iG+E wire EDM machine with iGroove+ technology. These were accompanied by the AD35L die-sink EDM and the AL60G EDM die-sink machine with Erowa Compact 80 robotic loading system and Zeiss DuraMax measurement and probing system.

Commenting upon the UK’s showpiece manufacturing event, Sodick Europe’s digital marketing manager Bal Dulay said: “MACH was a success far beyond our expectations. This was evident by the huge number of visitors we attracted. Everything from our stand design, prestigious brand and component display cases attracted attendees to view our cutting-edge technologies. With a diverse range of wire and die-sink EDM technology on show, our engineers revelled in the opportunity to discuss many different machines, particularly the patented iGroove+ rotating wire technology.”

Added Dulay: “As a technologically advanced and environmentally aware brand, Sodick has incorporated energy efficiency into every facet of its designs and technologies. With our new smart pulse generators, smart pulse wire, intelligent monitoring circuit, energy-saving pumps, iGroove+ and countless additional innovations, our EDM machines can reduce energy consumption by up to 30% with wire savings of 30% or more. As businesses become more environmentally and energy conscious, our investment in this area really struck a chord with manufacturers visiting MACH. It was also a contributing factor in some of the purchasing decisions made at the show.”

More information www.sodick.eu

ONA AV35 Next wire EDM: One step ahead

ONA is introducing its AV35 Next, the evolution of its AV35 wire EDM, incorporating a number of notable improvements. The development and studies carried out for this new model have allowed ONA to offer particular enhancements in precision, reliability and productivity, as well as handling. Furthermore, the AV35 Next offers automation and monitoring options that improve overall machine performance.

This new wire EDM machine brings together the best of ONA’s 70 years of experience with different technologies, to offer users optimal ergonomics, ease of use and precision in the production of parts.

From the perspective of precision, the machine’s structure sees a change of the tank rear closure system in order to reduce both friction and backlash. There is also a wider range of wire tension (from 100 to 3000 kg), with more optimisation of the wire brake wheel’s repositioning capabilities.

Among the features boosting autonomy is filter cartridge status monitoring. The machine notifies operators that the filter cartridges are becoming saturated, so they can plan to replace them with new ones at the most convenient time. There is also an option for an external wire feeder for spools of up to 45 kg, compatible with the existence of the standard feeder for spools of up to 16 kg included on the front of the machine.

As another benefit, the machine is more flexible than its predecessor model, chiefly due to automatic threading with special wires. It is now easy to configure custom wires in order to adapt the automatic threading to other types of wire that do not resemble those which appear in the tables that the machine incorporates.

More information www.onaedm.com

Dedicated by name, dedicated by nature

The new CUT S 400 Dedicated wire EDM from GF Machining Solutions is specifically for turbine manufacturing applications in the aerospace and power generation sectors. Developed in close collaboration with customers and partners, the CUT S 400 Dedicated builds on GF Machining Solutions’ legacy wire EDM technology for manufacturing fir-tree disks.

Unlike the company’s other wire EDM machines, where the emphasis is on precision, higher productivity is the main focus with the CUT S 400 Dedicated, largely through improved reliability, enhanced process security and ease of maintenance. These features combine to deliver what GFMS describes as an efficient and effective production machine.

The CUT S 400 Dedicated incorporates technologies such as tilting and rotating axes. Further features include the company’s Intelligent Speed Power Generator (ISPG), 3D-printed heads for more effective flushing and proprietary Spark Track technology. The latter optimises spark energy in real time to prevent wire breaks and maximise cutting speed. The machine’s design facilitates easy access for cleaning and maintenance operations, reducing downtime and costs.

GF Machining Solutions’ eTracking software ensures monitoring of the machine’s status, job progress and processing traceability in real time. This functionality is NADCAP-compliant and enables prompt responses to any deviations. Smart wire spools with RFID technology further improve traceability and efficiency in the production process.

The CUT S 400 Dedicated suits lights-out operations with a large wire spool (up to 45 kg capacity) and six high-efficiency filters. Notably, the machine supports easy integration with a range of automation systems to increase its operational capabilities. The CUT S 400 Dedicated offers a 28% reduction in daily energy consumption compared with the previous-generation machine.

More information www.gfms.com

NCMT shines spotlight on Makino machines

At the UK’s largest machine tool show earlier this year, NCMT showcased two Makino EDM machines: the U6 H.E.A.T. Extreme wire EDM; and the EDAF3 die-sink model. The MACH 2024 exhibition proved the perfect platform to demonstrate the advantages of these Japanese-designed machines.

In addition to using standard wire from 0.1 to 0.3 mm, NCMT says that investing in the Makino U6 H.E.A.T. Extreme wire EDM makes it optionally possible to run the largest diameter wire (0.4 mm) of any machine on the market. The wire is coated and distinct from the uncoated brass wire common across industry.

The extra wire thickness, together with the use of a second booster generator in the machine, allows two to three times higher productivity and heavier duty machining compared with using a standard 0.25 mm consumable. Thicker wire also allows a slower unspool speed, so there is no increase in wire consumption rate.

Visitors to the NCMT stand could also see Makino’s EDAF3 die-sink EDM with its rigid, precise structure and integral thermal cooling of the Y- and Z-axis cast components to ensure long-term accuracy. Table size is 700 x 500 mm, while the dielectric reservoir is built into the base casting of the machine to improve thermal stability and minimise the machine’s footprint. The working volume is 450 x 350 x 350 mm, while the maximum workpiece weight is 800 kg.

Free access to the working area is courtesy of a programmable drop-tank. Users can extend unattended machining with automatic electrode exchange and automated workpiece delivery and removal options. A high-precision C-axis head is an additional feature. Machine shops can use electrodes weighing up to 75 kg.

More information www.ncmt.co.uk