Smart technologies at Metalex

The 33rd edition of Metalex, which takes place on 20-23 November in Bangkok, will offer a new focus on smart metalworking technologies.

Among focus areas for the show, which is billed as the ASEAN region’s leading machine tool and metalworking exhibition, will be: new technology for metal wire, tube and pipe; new materials such as aluminium and lightweight materials; and smart sensors based on MEMS, wireless and IoT technology.
Staged across 65,000 sq m of exhibition space at the BITEC venue in Bangkok, Thailand, Metalex is expecting around 100,000 visitors to attend from the ASEAN region. Alongside the exhibition, organisers will also host the ASEAN Industrial Investment Forum, ASEAN Metalworking Summit and Metalex Congress.
For further information www.metalex.co.th

Dugard appoints sales trio

Dugard Ltd has appointed three new sales engineers to support rising demand for the increasingly diverse ranges of machine tools that are now available from the company.

At the tail end of 2018, Dugard became the sole UK and Ireland sales and distribution outlet for the Korean brand of Hanwha sliding-head lathes, a move which was rapidly followed by the company being named as the sales and distribution outlet for the Kitamura brand of machines. Since taking on this added responsibility, sales enquiries have risen significantly.
To support the sales growth, Dugard has recruited Mark Anson, Alex Clarke and John Brimblecome as the respective area sales managers for the Midlands, southwest and northwest. All three are apprentice-served engineers with decades of experience to successfully service the Dugard customer base.
For further information www.dugard.com

Small quick-change interface

Hainbuch’s established Centrotex quick change-over interface is now available in a version for smaller spindles. Thus, the company says that Centrotex S is the smallest system available on the market for setting up clamping devices in a matter of seconds.

Offering a diameter of just 224 mm, Centrotex S is well suited to quick change-over system for machines with a small work space. Offering repeatability to ≤0.002 mm on the interface – without having to align – the latest version of the Centrotex quick change-over system can also withstand rigorous operating environments.
The machine adapter is mounted on the spindle, and the clamping device (equipped with the adapter counterpart) can be exchanged for another clamping device in less than a minute. As a result, long set-up times are a thing of the past.
Hainbuch’s smallest Centrotex version does indeed incorporate the proven technology of its big brother, however, it is superior in terms of convenience. The Centrotex S is actuated via just one radial locking screw, while ergonomic operation has been significantly improved thanks to the fewer tightening turns required. In addition, the Monteq changing fixture unburdens the machine operator and contributes to a faster clamping device set-up.
For further information www.hainbuch.com

Five-axis machining of composites

Founded in 2003 jointly by John Biddlecombe and Simon Kingdon-Butcher, Global Technologies Racing (GTR) is a specialist manufacturer of laminated carbon-fibre components for the UK motorsport sector, supplying most of the Formula One teams.
Over the past decade and a half, GTR has become so successful that the constantly rising demand on its machine shop in Easthampnett, West Sussex, meant it needed to expand into a second facility in nearby Bognor Regis at the beginning of 2018. Shortly after moving in, a pair of Hermle C400 machining centres was ordered from UK agent Kingsbury to boost the contract machinist’s capability for five-axis processing.

The first, with a coolant tank for ‘wet’ machining and an additional 50-pocket tool magazine to supplement the standard 38 cutters, was delivered in mid-2018. This machine was followed in February 2019 by a second model equipped with dust extraction for the ‘dry’ machining of composite materials without coolant. Both machines have a trunnion-mounted table that provides the fourth and fifth
CNC axes.
Kingdon-Butcher says: “Wherever possible we avoid the wet cutting of carbon fibre, but some of the components produced at our Fontwell factory have aluminium or titanium inserts within their structure, depending on the customer’s specifications. In those cases we have to cut in the presence of coolant to avoid the heat that would be generated if we were to machine metals without coolant. This ensures that the structural properties of the adjacent areas of composite are not affected.”
Tolerances down to ± 0.01 mm have to be held and, while this is commonplace when machining metals, on carbon fibre parts it is challenging. GTR’s success in this area is down to its long experience working with composites, coupled with the rigidity of the Hermle machines.
For further information www.kingsburyuk.com

Open house draws sales

Mills CNC’s recent ‘Another Giant Leap’ open house pulled in the crowds, resulting in the sale of eight machine tools and three collaborative robots, plus the generation of over 100 significant enquiries.

The total number of visitors attending the event, where 15 Doosan machine tools were exhibited, including four machines making their UK debuts, and where the company showcased its advanced industrial and collaborative robot solutions, exceeded 350 over the two days.
A constant theme throughout the event was automation and the way it can help component manufacturers improve their productivity.
For further information www.millscnc.co.uk