Belgrave & Powell Ltd, a specialist engineering services group, has acquired assets, IP and goodwill from Addition Manufacturing Technologies Ltd based in Preston, UK.

Operating from the same facility in Walton Summit, Preston, the business will now trade under the name Addison Forming Technologies Ltd. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Addition was a global supplier of tube-bending equipment and tooling to the aerospace, automotive and nuclear industries. With the acquisition, Addison Forming will continue to offer a comprehensive range of services and products to its customer base, alongside new solutions that include automation and robotics.

Paul Ward, a partner in Belgrave & Powell, will lead the company as part of Belgrave & Powell’s Machine Technology Group. He says: “Despite the uncertain economic climate we recognised the long-term value in this activity, the highly skilled workforce and the company’s reputation for quality and innovation. Our vision is to provide clients with unsurpassed service, quality and technology.

“We’re delighted with this acquisition as it’s a key advancement,” he adds. “It complements our existing specialist services companies, while simultaneously allowing us to accelerate our ambitions in terms of offering advanced automation and robotic solutions. The retained team have some of the world’s best skills in the field of tube bending, tooling design and automation and, with the support of the group, we will offer immediate benefit to historical and new customers requiring support in this specialist sector.”
Belgrave and Powell Ltd is a UK-based specialist engineering services group with activities including specialist machine-tool services, tooling manufacture and distribution, operating from facilities in Preston, Halifax and Tamworth. Businesses in the group include Weld UK, Dean Smith & Grace, GAC Rail, Techni-grind and Maydown International.

For further information www.addisonforming.co.uk

Russian boiler manufacturer Krasny Kotelshchik bends 90-m long tubes into membrane walls consisting of numerous 180° single bends.

Modern power-plant construction requires powerful machines that can bend challenging materials according to strict specifications. The large dimensions involved require particular structures in the bending process. Here, tube-bending machine manufacturer Schwarze-Robitec designed the CNC 60 DB Twin booster bending machine for the Russian company, complete with 90-m long tube magazine and supporting table featuring a 10 m radius. The machine was recently put into operation.

Modern power plants continuously supply the exact amount of electricity required to the grid. The higher the process temperatures, the higher the level of efficiency. Constantly starting up and shutting down the power plants leads to extreme fluctuations in temperature.

Boiler and power-plant manufacturers aim to maximise the surface area to ensure the highest level of heat transfer. Tubes therefore need to be bent in narrow radii and must fulfil strict tolerance specifications in terms of wall thinning and ovality.

Krasny Kotelshchik bends tube serpentines consisting of numerous 180° single bends in sequence. Each tube section alone is up to 10 m in length. As a result, the corresponding tube system cannot be rotated as a whole for each subsequent bend. Instead, the CNC 60 DB Twin booster bending machine supplied by Schwarze-Robitec bends in both directions using two bending heads. The bending head that is not required moves to the side under the tube system. For this reason, the machine is installed in a pit in the production hall.

Schwarze-Robitec has also set up a supporting table measuring 20 m in diameter above the pit and around the bending head. The tube system is laid out on the supporting table during the bending process. Krasny can thus avoid any unwanted deformations caused by the enormous weight of the tube systems.

For further information www.schwarze-robitec.com

LVD is this week commencing Insights 2020, a series of technology events, both virtual and live, taking place in the months through to December.

Insights 2020 kicks off with six virtual technology sessions covering topics such as adaptive bending, bending automation and fibre laser cutting over the course of three days (15-17 September).

The Insights 2020 platform is designed to provide sheet-metal fabricators with access to the latest technology and new product launches, delivering timely industry insights and intelligence to advance the critical business of sheet metalworking during these challenging times.

In addition to the September virtual events, Insights 2020 virtual technology sessions are scheduled for October, November and December. Each month delivers fresh topics, and all sessions offer attendees the opportunity to ask questions of technical experts in real time.

For those willing and able to attend in-person functions, live technology days at LVD’s Experience (XP) Centre in Belgium are 1½ day events providing an in-depth look at the latest technology, including new products for 2020, live demonstrations, interactions with technical staff and networking opportunities. Events are restricted to a maximum of 25 people, and increased safety measures are in place alongside all necessary health and safety protocols.

Insights 2020 technology days are scheduled for 27-28 October, 3-4 November and 25-26 November. New products will be unveiled at all three events.
For further information www.lvdgroup-insights.com/en_uk