Hydro takes four machines from Addison Saws

Hydro Components recently invested £9.6m in the refurbishment and re-opening of its manufacturing plant based in Bedwas, Wales.

This work involved the introduction of three Mecal Kosmos four-axis machining centres and one Mecal Geos MDT five-axis machining centre, the first of its kind in the UK, along with the restructuring of the entire plant. All four machines were supplied by Addison Saws.
“At first, Hydro needed to outsource the CNC machining element as issues with their previous machinery meant they lacked the functionality to produce the parts themselves,” recalls Mike Grogan, Addison Saws’ regional sales manager. “Hydro began to use a local subcontracting company operating three Mecal Kosmos machining centres, which were ideal for producing the required parts. However, it soon became apparent that bringing the operation back in-house would be more beneficial in terms of turn-around time, overall cost and allowing greater control over the manufacturing process.”
After the successful installation of the Kosmos machines, Hydro’s production manager at the Bedwas plant was interested in setting up a single step automated production line, eliminating the need for the company’s additional saws. And, after in-depth discussions, Hydro placed an order for the new five-axis MC 302 Geos MDT 8.6 m CNC machining centre.
Addison Saws then flew key members of the Hydro production team out to Mecal’s factory in Italy to view the machine in action. Along with seeing the factory, the management team was reassured knowing that the Mecal software could handle the bespoke program required for complex parts.
For further information https://addisonsaws.co.uk/

Demand for trailers creates 150 jobs

Europe’s largest trailer maker has created 150 new jobs with the help of the successful launch of two flagship horseboxes.

IWT- Pictured are Arwyn Evans, Hannah Jones,Tommy Roberts and Katie Davies. Picture Mandy Jones

Ifor Williams Trailer is looking for extra staff across its four sites in Cynwyd, Corwen, Sandycroft and Deeside. Roles include production managers, production operatives, welders, design engineers and administration staff. Apprenticeships are also available at the company’s Weld Academy.
Ifor Williams Trailer is ramping up production of its HBX and HBE horseboxes. The design of the aluminium-built HBX trailer took its inspiration from the automotive industry, with a nod to the sophisticated ruggedness of the Range Rover and its ‘floating roof’. Demand is also high for other ranges, including livestock trailers, car transporters, ‘business in a box’ trailers, box vans, and flat bed and general duty trailers.
For further information www.iwt.co.uk

Two Amada saws installed at Barrett Steel

Formed by Henry Barrett in 1866, Barrett Steel Ltd has grown to become the UK’s largest independent steel stockholder, today consisting of four divisions with more than 40 companies operating from 26 sites.

Due to higher business levels being experienced by the Barrett Engineering Steel division, a search was recently commenced for an efficient sawing solution that would meet requirements at two sites in the Midlands and northwest. This search prompted the company to invest in a pair of Amada PCSAW 430X/AX pulse cutting automatic bandsaws from Accurate Cutting Services.
In comparison with conventional bandsaws, Accurate Cutting Services says that Amada PC series machines deliver faster cutting by employing a novel mechanism to ‘pulse’ the blade feed pressure. This pulse forces the bandsaw’s tips to overcome any work hardening through the cut, and eliminate the unwelcome vibration harmonics that create noise and damage tip material.
Rob Fern, Barrett Engineering Steel’s Midlands branch manager, explains the reasons for purchasing the bandsaws: “In addition to build quality, the pulse capabilities provide the speed – especially on large diameters – and accuracy that we require. The main consoles also clearly display an estimated finish time for each job, which permits operatives to plan upcoming cuts, while the ability to download data related to blade performance is extremely useful for monitoring KPIs and promoting continuous business improvement.”
At Barrett Engineering Steel, the 430 mm cutting capacity Amada machines are currently being used to saw carbon and alloy grade steel, in both black and bright bar, including the company’s latest EN30B stock.
“As well as the bandsaws, we bought an RT feed conveyor,” says Fern. “The conveyor gives us the benefit of semi-automation and has resulted in a significant reduction in downtime. Indeed, the saw can run unattended for up to two whole shifts.”
For further information www.accurate-cutting.co.uk

XYZ puts spotlight on automation

Robo-Tend, the mobile machine-tool automation system from XYZ Machine Tools, will have its official customer launch at two events this month.

The first will be at the company’s headquarters in Burlescombe, Devon on 10 September, and be followed by a similar event at XYZ’s Nuneaton facility on 12 September. Key to Robot-Tend is said to be its ease of use and affordability. Robo-Tend can be used with any of XYZ’s Siemens controlled machining centres or turning centres, and can be relocated within the factory to wherever needed. The cost of Robo-Tend is calculated from just £2 per hour
Both events commence at 09:00 with coffee and bacon rolls, followed by an introduction to Robo-Tend from Nigel Atherton, managing director of XYZ Machine Tools, and Paul Stout, managing director of Adelphi Automation. A demonstration of Robo-Tend and a Q&A session will also take place. Space is limited at both events, so it is recommended to
book a place in advance.
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

Storage and sawing systems upgraded

Since 1993, storage and sawing technology from Kasto has provided dependable service to hydraulic equipment manufacturer Liebherr-Components Kirchdorf GmbH.

However, to meet increasing demand for its hydraulic cylinders, the company decided to modernise and expand its production systems. So Kasto was commissioned to upgrade the existing storage system for steel bar and tube, as well as a pair of bandsaws, and equip it with customised robotic handling.
Liebherr-Components has specialised in the production of hydraulic cylinders since 1958. Every year approximately 75,000 hydraulic cylinders, suspensions and system solutions for cylinders leave the plant to be used worldwide.
Stefan Lützel in the industrial engineering department at Liebherr-Components says: “A Kasto cassette storage system with 733 locations, an automatic cantilever arm and a large bandsaw from the KASTOhba series provided reliable service for 26 years. Until recently a production circular saw which was of a similar age from the same manufacturer was also in use.
“We have granted this saw a well-deserved retirement, as in 2016 we modernised our sawing technology and increased cutting capacity to 430 mm diameter with the addition of a KASTOtec SC 4 bandsaw, which is particularly effective at processing difficult-to-cut materials,” he adds. “The saw is able to operate with either a high-speed-steel or a carbide blade and is equipped with the Kasto Performance Cutting (KPC) package, which includes improved band guidance and vibration absorption for even higher cutting efficiency.”
Furthermore, Liebherr-Components together with Kasto developed a custom-made solution to automate the handling of cut pieces with an industrial robot moving between the two saws on a linear track. The robot is equipped with several exchangeable magnetic grippers that are able to pick-up various cut lengths weighing up to 350 kg from the sawing machines.
For further information www.kasto.com