To support continued growth within the UK market for vacuum automation and ergonomic handling systems, Schmalz has launched a new UK subsidiary, which will not only service the company’s existing customer base, but allow expansion into new and emerging markets. The third-generation family business, founded in 1910 currently has around 1500 employees across 20 separate locations around the world.

Schmalz products are used across a diverse range of industry sectors and applications including logistics, the automotive industry, the electronics sector and in furniture manufacture. The vacuum automation business unit offers a component portfolio targeted at the robotics and automation sectors, which includes suction pads, vacuum generators, complete gripping systems and clamping solutions for holding workpieces. The handling business unit provides innovative solutions for industry based on the company’s vacuum lifters and crane systems.

Says UK managing director Marc Booth: “The UK market holds terrific growth potential for Schmalz, not only within our established markets and customer base, but in new and emerging markets. Our portfolio is exciting, providing bespoke robot end-of-arm tooling to solutions for handling wind turbine blades. Once you add the domain expertise and engineering excellence to the products then Schmalz has the ability to provide UK industry with real added value.”

The UK subsidiary, currently operating from offices close to Manchester Airport, will soon relocate to new larger premises with workshop and stores facilities, in addition to sales, marketing, customer support and administration.

“This is an exciting time for Schmalz and a positive commitment to the UK market at a time when there is a significant drive across many sectors to adopt automation and improve productivity wherever possible by enhancing manual processes,” says Booth.

For further information
www.schmalz.com

Hyfore Workholding says that automating a machining centre has never been so easy with the arrival of the latest Midaco automatic pallet changing system. It is possible to integrate this affordable technology into virtually any machining centre to improve uptime and spindle utilisation rates, while reducing costs.

With decades of expertise in fast-change pallet systems, US-based Midaco has now developed its latest range of adaptable automated pallet systems that are available in the UK from automation, work-holding and integration expert, Hyfore Workholding. The Midaco automatic pallet changing system can be retrofitted to any new or existing machining centre, so operators can load, unload, inspect parts and set-up jobs while an alternate pallet is running in the machine.

The Midaco automatic pallet loader incorporates: a PLC that is fully integrated with the machine tool; a Mitsubishi control interface; a servo-drive system; a receiver unit that mounts directly on to the machine tool table with hardened and ground location pins; and a pallet system with precision ground rails to ensure long-term precision operation. Customers can also opt for a three-sided enclosure to maximise safety.

According to Hyfore, the benefit of this automation system is that it can integrate with any machine tool with absolute ease. Heavy and large workpieces can easily be loaded outside the machine envelope and the pallets ae easily interchangeable between machine tools or different departments.

The automatic pallet system is available with several variants from the Series 16SD through the Series 120SD. Midaco’s smallest pallet system has dimensions of 559 x 356 mm with the largest pallet measuring 3810 x 990 mm. Pallet load capacity extends from 125 to 3636 kg.

For further information
www.hyfore.com

At South Korean aerospace component manufacturer, Hana ITM Co, an Erowa Robot Dynamic 150L is helping the company to increase its global competitiveness by reducing non-conformities by 30%, while also keeping employee numbers under tight control.

Originally, the company focused on honeycomb seals and shrouds for gas turbines, but then it developed a new process for the production of low-pressure turbine nozzles based on a five-axis CBN creep-feed grinding process.

CEO Steve Yoon says: “Of course, there are countless ways of machining turbine nozzles, but the machining technology of five-axis CBN creep-feed grinding provided the break-through for the efficient grinding of the radial grooves on turbine nozzles. It was also a very crucial step that the machine producer Doosan modified its DNM350 5ax with special grinding equipment for us. This machine tool is really a milling machine, but we use it for creep-feed grinding.”

Today, an automated production cell that consists of 10 of the modified Doosan DNM350 5ax machines is supported by an Erowa Robot Dynamic 150L.

“The whole cell is 25 m long and the Erowa robot serves five machines on each side,” explains Yoon. “Added to this, there are two loading stations, and after machining the parts are washed and checked on a CMM. This set-up has proved extremely successful. We were able to reduce personnel expenditure by 75%, while reducing non-conformities by 30%; and this with a simultaneous increase in production agility. I can say that we have achieved our objective.”

Hana ITM has further plans for automation in the near future.

“At present, we are very hopeful of being awarded a new contract, and that could very well be the next project for Erowa,” concludes Yoon.

For further information
www.remsystems.co.uk