Parts washer drives efficiency at APT Leicester

MecWash Systems created a bespoke aqueous cleaning system to enhance the effectiveness of the washing and degreasing programme of precision mill-turned parts and CNC specialist, APT Leicester. The upgrade from a perchloroethylene cleaning system to the MWX300 streamlined the cleaning operation and enabled APT to prioritise its environmental goals and increase output, all while maintaining the highest standard of finish.

Initial research and analysis with APT Leicester allowed MecWash to gauge the application and outline the machine specifications required. These discussions are essential to gain a full understanding of the geometries used and the contaminants involved.

The MWX300 was the most appropriate system due to its compact size and powerful cleaning capabilities. Ultrasonics provide up to 30 watts per litre of high-power to unsettle any contaminants from the components. According to MecWash, the MWX300 provides an immaculate surface finish with both hot and vacuum drying functions.

Nick Baller, managing director at APT Leicester, says: “Manufacturing top-quality mill-turned parts requires detailed cleaning, and we were confident that MecWash had the experience to create an efficient solution. The cleaning performance of the MWX300 has been a major step forward in our sustainability credentials. The results have been excellent, with parts that are oil-free and ready for shipping.

“The productivity of the business has improved with the MWX300 system,” he continues.“We can effectively clean the turned parts that we manufacture, leaving them entirely free of oil, small swarf and debris. The system has helped to drive our mission of providing first-class, sustainable CNC manufacturing to our customers.”
For further information www.mecwash.com

Unison buys wire bending machine builder

Unison Ltd, the UK-based inventor of all-electric tube manipulation, has acquired Dorking-based wire and small tube bending machinery maker, Pneuform, for an undisclosed sum.
The acquisition paves the way for Unison to become a key provider of machinery to the international wire bending and coil forming sectors.

“We’ve known the team at Pneuform for many years and are hugely impressed by their product range, extensive knowledge of wire-forming technologies and high levels of customer care,” says Unison’sjoint managing director Alan Pickering. “In welcoming Pneuform to the Unison family, we look forward to enhancing their machine tool range with our advanced, user-friendly control systems and simulation software.”
For further information https://pneuform.com

FANUC produces 1 millionth robot

Factory automation expert FANUC is celebrating a milestone achievement with the production of its one millionth industrial robot. The company, which supplies customers worldwide with a range of CNC systems, robots and machine tools, deployed its first robot back in 1974. Today, thousands of robots build new robots at FANUC’s headquarters in Japan, one of the most automated factories on the planet.

“Demand for our robots is currently at an all-time high,” says Marco Ghirardello, president and CEO of FANUC Europe. “Applications are expanding and we expect demand to continue growing significantly in the future. In order to support the automation needs of our customers, we will strive to improve further our quality, performance and supply capabilities.”
For further information www.fanuc.eu

Instantquoting for CNC machining services

Quickparts, a global parts manufacturing service provider, is relaunching its manufacturing customer portal, QuickQuote, now with expanded capabilities that include an instant quote service for CNC machining projects. The inclusion of an instant quote CNC machining service complementsQuickparts’ 3D printing instant quote service and request-for-quote (RfQ) service for all of the company’s other manufacturing technologies. Quickparts says the development marks a significant milestone in its commitment to providing limitless manufacturing services to its diverse range of customers.
For further information https://quickquote.quickparts.com

Reducing consumables spend:is it worth it?

Although it is understandable that consumable cost is often a target for savings, does the result justify the effort?With modern grinding machines costing anything up to £1m, the productivity or OEEof machinery and manpower can deliver multiple times the total consumable cost. Assuming the cost for a machine, labour and overhead is £150 an hour, how does this compare with consumable cost per hour? In recent tests using the latest generation of Viper wheels, Tyrolit was able to decrease cycle time by as much as 30%.
Considering consumable unit costs at approximately £25 each (Viper wheel) and machine platform at £150 per hour, a 30% time saving reduction is equal to £45, outweighing the cost of the consumable in just one hour.

Tyrolit says that its Toolscope modular assistance system is a revolutionary retrofit for any machine tool digitalisation project. The system creates measurable added value for customers through increased process transparency featuring numerous process options, such as OEE, collision detection, condition monitoring and more. This capability provides a window into machining practice and process, subsequently allowing customers to achieve consistent process quality by reducing scrap, downtime and cost.

As Tyrolit celebrates 25 years of partnership in the development of Viper grinding wheels, the introduction of a third generation is a complete game changer, reports he company. Tyrolit UK’s latest offering, the Viper Ultra Ceramic Hybrid wheel, uses its own ceramic blend but retains Tyrolit’s bond technology from its predecessors. Having only been on the market for 18 months, the results, its performance and the feedback from customers have been outstanding, reports Tyrolit.
For further information www.tyrolit.co.uk