Hexagon acquires DP Technology

Hexagon AB has signed an agreement to acquire DP Technology Corp, a developer and supplier of CAM software that offers Esprit as its flagship solution. Well known for its machine-optimised, edit-free G-code (toolpath), Esprit leverages a digital-twin simulation platform to model the finished part, tools and CNC machine. AI-based algorithms eliminate manual data input and provide machine operators with greater assurance of what will happen on the shop floor.

Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Camarillo, California, DP Technology employs around 260 people in 27 locations worldwide. The company also operates a network of 130 resellers across 44 countries, giving Esprit a global footprint and install base. DP Technology will function as part of Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division. Sales in 2019 amounted to €35m.

For further information
www.hexagonmi.com

More automated storage at Alpha

Following Alpha Manufacturing’s investment in a STOPA four-bay automated material handling and storage system from Trumpf in 2016, the company has extended to a 10-bay system that now runs 62m down the centre of its factory near Stafford. The STOPA – which serves Trumpf machines such as a TruLaser 3030 Fiber, TruMatic 6000 laser/punch combination, TruPunch 5000 and TruBend Cell 7000 – houses more than 600 tonnes of raw material and part-processed items in a total of 207 available pallet spaces.

Plans for the large-scale installation were first set out in 2015. The aim was to make Alpha Manufacturing the UK’s foremost precision sheet-metal fabricator in just five years, doubling turnover in the process. With the completion of the STOPA system extension in July 2020, the total investment is close to £4m, securing what Alpha describes as one of the most technically advanced factories in the industry.

For further information www.uk.trumpf.com

Next-generation chucks twice as accurate

Designed to reduce set-up times on lathes, the new BR-series of three-jaw chucks from Japanese firm Kitagawa provides a gripping accuracy of 0.01 mm TIR (total indicator reading) or less when using optional T-Nuts Plus jaws. The repeatability of jaw exchange is within the same tolerance, even on the largest chuck. BR-series chucks come in 6, 8, 10 and 12” versions, and are available in the UK and Ireland through sole agent 1st Machine Tool Accessories.

BR chucks are now Kitagawa’s standard offering and are interchangeable with its B-series and the large through-hole BB-series, which are both superseded. The TIR of these ranges was only guaranteed to within 0.02 mm.

Due to a new base jaw design and lower jaw lift, gripping forces at the maximum rotational speed of the chucks are now 10-15% greater to enable better metal removal rates. Kitagawa has maintained high spindle speeds throughout the range to enhance the surface finish of turned components.
On twin-spindle chucking lathes, which are becoming ever-more prevalent in turning shops, the better rotational accuracy of the workpiece allows more precise synchronous transfer from the main to the counter spindle for second-operation machining. Gripping force is up to 153 kN for the 12” chuck, while maximum rotational speed, attainable on the 6” model, is 6000 rpm.
Every chuck includes a QR code on the side to allow the download of product data.

For further information www.1mta.com/product/br-series

Five-axis machine from Spinner

Featuring a working volume of 815 x 510 x 510 mm in a small 2.5 x 1.8 m footprint, the new VC850-5A is the latest prismatic metal-cutting machine to be launched by German manufacturer Spinner.

The five-axis, vertical-spindle machining centre, which is configured with a +110/-5° swivelling trunnion carrying the rotary table, is available in the UK and Ireland through sole sales and service agent, Whitehouse Machine Tools.

Managing director Tim Whitehouse says: “This is a top-end machine with robust rotary axes, which are normally the weak point in five-axis machining. They are driven by a new planetary gear train and fitted with absolute rotary scales instead of incremental encoder feedback.

“We’re also impressed by the additional clamping plate beside the table that allows Op20 – as well as Op10 – to be programmed in a single cycle for one-hit machining,” he adds. “The option of a rotary hydraulic supply for automatic workpiece clamping is a further benefit, as it introduces the possibility of automation for long periods of unattended production.”

The 5-tonne machine has an FEM-optimised, cast construction that provides a high level of rigidity and vibration damping for elevated cutting performance and high standards of surface finish on machined components up to 200 kg. Further advantages are that tool life is extended and machining accuracy is enhanced, reports the company.

Part of the reason for the machine’s compactness is the patented method for protecting the saddle’s Y-axis guideway from swarf and coolant ingress using a single wiper system, eliminating the need for a telescopic cover.

For further information
www.wmtcnc.com

UK’s first Lasertec machine

Known for its involvement in the motorsport and automotive sectors, JRM Group has invested in the UK’s first DMG Mori Lasertec 30 SLM second-generation metal powder-bed additive manufacturing machine. The Lasertec will be the cornerstone of building closer relationships with existing customers and expanding into other sectors, including aerospace and medical. With a 300 mm cubic working volume, the machine uses powder-bed laser technology, where metal powder layers of between 20-100 µm thick are fused together with a 600 W laser source.

For further information
www.dmgmori.com