Large press order for Yadon

Schuler’s Chinese subsidiary Yadon has received a major order from a central Asian household appliance manufacturer.

The order placed by the customer from Uzbekistan comprises a total of 17 C-frame, monoblock, tie-rod and high-speed presses for the production of heat exchanger plates used in air conditioning systems, as well as parts for washing machines, refrigerators, gas cookers and gas counters.
Yadon delivered the first two 630 tonne presses in less than four months after receipt of the order.
“Presses from each of our three product groups are represented in the order,” reports Liang Cheng, chief strategy officer at Yadon. “We have established a very good business relationship with the customer over the past few years. Such was the positive experience that it prompted the company to place this major order. In addition, we offer a much wider range of products at Yadon than many competitors in China.”
As Uzbekistan is difficult to reach by sea from Yadon’s headquarters in Yangzhou, eastern China, the two machines were transported to the customer by heavy goods vehicles. The Schuler subsidiary also set a speed record in the commissioning of the presses and automation: after just four weeks, production could start.
For further information www.schulergroup.com

Marking stainless steel made easy

Electrix International, a Bishop Auckland based manufacturer and stockist of stainless steel electrical enclosures and cable management systems, is exploiting the benefits of a new Trumpf TruMark Station 5000 laser-marking system.

The new machine has replaced a previous foil sticker to provide a fast, permanent way of marking and identifying products without compromising requirements for hygiene or corrosion resistance.
Stewart Beer, manufacturing manager at Electrix, says: “We tested a number of laser markers, but the TruMark Station 5000 stood out, not just for its performance in terms of speed and marking colour/tone, but for its user-friendly interface. This latter point became a decisive factor in the purchase.
We found a number of machines with a good laser head, but they lacked ease of use.”
For further information www.uk.trumpf.com

Industry 4.0 press- working solution

First shown last November at the Blechexpo 2019 exhibition in Stuttgart, a new Industry 4.0-ready system for automatically positioning and securing a tool on the ram of a power press and then feeding back production data has been launched in the UK and Ireland by Roemheld.

Flexline offers numerous configuration options for rapidly installing almost any tool on a variety of punching and forming presses. During operation, integrated sensors measure die or punch holding force and monitor it in real-time, allowing data to be transmitted continuously via an interface such as IO-Link to the press control.
Andreas Reich, head of quick die-clamping technology at Hilma-Roemheld in Germany says: “Many press operators like the fact that their systems can be digitalised and networked with little effort. Flexline is suitable for either factory installation or retrofitting. It is simple to operate and inexpensive to purchase, so is a practical, innovative solution that is readily accessible to manufacturers.”
Industry 4.0-ready clamps secure the upper punch or die on the ram of an automatic hydraulic press. The operator then has access to information concerning the actual holding force on the tool and is immediately able to detect unusual clamping and stripping forces during production, as well as tool overload, wear and breakage.
A continuous log of the retaining force simplifies error analysis and enables rapid problem-solving when servicing is required. This functionality facilitates predictive maintenance, helping to stabilise processes and avoid downtime.
Flexline is Industry 4.0-ready and has a modular design for mounting on the clamping edge or in the T-slot of the ram. With its double piston, a clamping stroke of 19 mm and travel speed of up to 150 mm/s, it is said to be suitable for many applications.
For further information www.roemheld.co.uk

Faster time-to-market with digitalisation

Bilsing Automation GmbH, a supplier of automated tooling for press rooms and body shops, has implemented a digital transformation strategy across its design and build processes, helping customers achieve error-free launches in a shorter timeframe and improving the overall customer experience.

To achieve this outcome, Bilsing is leveraging automated product knowledge templates (PKTs), 3D visualisation and AR/VR technologies.
Applying PKTs to product development means Bilsing designers can capture corporate knowledge and standardise information within 3D engineering templates. These templates can then be re-used so that less time is spent on repetitive tasks and reinventing the wheel, and more time innovating. For Bilsing, this has enabled it to reduce product complexity, lower overall development costs and increase customer responsiveness. In studies comparing traditional methodologies by seasoned designers with novice designers using standardised templates, design time was reduced from 48 minutes to only two minutes – a 95% improvement.
From an assembly standpoint, the company has integrated AR/VR technologies into its processes using a HoloLens and employing a Human Interface Mate (HIM) that acts as a guide during the build process. By using AR, any items with IoT technology enable Bilsing technicians to get information from the company’s ERP system. The ERP provides immediate access to the object’s specification, inventory, location and lead time, as well as instructions and manuals.
Because AR is capable of overlaying the required part on to the component that the technician may pick up, it allows technicians to quickly discern whether they have the correct part by shape and designated number. A smart sensor validates execution and warns the operator as soon as a wrong procedure is in process. This functionality increases the worker’s efficiency, while reducing any potential for poor work quality.
For further information www.bilsing-automation.com

ETG signs multi-million-pound deal with Pexion

The Engineering Technologies Group (ETG) has signed a multi-million-pound contract with the Pexion Group to consolidate the technology management and advancement of its multiple manufacturing businesses. In the first stage of the agreement, Pexion Group companies will take delivery of six machine tools with significantly more planned in future phases of the long-term contract.

Pexion owns subcontracting businesses that include Drurys Engineering, Claro Precision, Paragon Precision, Oxton Engineering and Rictor Engineering. In the contract’s initial phase, ETG will deliver a new Quaser three-axis machining centre and a twin-spindle, twin-turret Nakamura-Tome WY150
multi-axis turning centre to Drurys Engineering. Also receiving a Nakamura-Tome WY150, as well as a three-axis Quaser MV184 machining centre and a five-axis Quaser will be Oxton Engineering. Completing the first stage of installations will be a Nakamura NTRX300L large-bed turning centre destined for Claro Precision.
For further information www.engtechgroup.com