Blum’s demonstration room proves hit

The demonstration room at the Burton-on-Trent headquarters of Blum Novotest UK has been upgraded to feature all of the company’s technology, including the recently launched Digilog family.

A Bridgeport GX710 vertical machining centre, fitted with Fanuc 0i control, is now available for existing and potential clients to see real-time demonstrations of in-machine measurement.
“Initially, the purpose of the machine was for the development of our UK engineers, so they could quickly get up to speed with the products and software being introduced,” explains Nathan Baulk, engineering manager. “This means, when we interact with customers, we know exactly how the Blum technology can help their business, and support fast installation, servicing and maintenance.
“We quickly realised, however, that we could use the facilities to let manufacturers see the performance of the products first-hand, before they invest,” he continues. “This has proven very popular, and we’ve even had clients bringing their own parts along so they can witness the improvements in speed and accuracy on an actual production component. The confidence this gives them to make the investment is huge.”
Blum-Novotest is commencing an ambitious roll-out of newly developed technology and products this year, and has strengthened its team with the appointment of a dedicated technical sales engineer. Paul Hodgkinson brings with him an extensive network of contacts and more than 11 years’ experience working in the industrial automation and machine tool sectors. He will be responsible for working with the sales team to better understand the requirements of subcontractors and the support they require to make the most of Blum’s in-machine measuring technology.
For further information www.blum-novotest.com

Wenzel and Renishaw collaborate

The Equator gauging system from Renishaw is to be controlled with Wenzel’s WM Quartis metrology software for programming and evaluation purposes. The move comes as part of a co-operation deal between the two companies and will be incorporated into the Wenzel product portfolio.

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“Many thousand Equator test units are already in use throughout the world, enabling high repeatability and thermally robust process monitoring on the shop floor,” says Rainer Lotz, vice president EMEA of Renishaw. “A direct connection to the Wenzel software is an import extension of our solutions for users within the shop-floor area.”
Bastian Luithardt, Renishaw product manager, adds: “Workpiece data recorded by Equator is used for automatically updating the tool offset of the respective machine tool. The Equator concept, which enables flexible and newly programmable measurements, is optimal for use in an automated environment. A stable manufacturing process and continuous documentation therefore results for every workpiece.”
At the same time, Wenzel is launching another compact portal measurement machine for direct production use. The SF55 CMM, like the bigger SF87, offers high travel speeds and acceleration, while its corrosion-free guideways are made of high-precision, hand-finished granite. Indeed, the guideways are completely covered and protected against contamination, while the controller and PC are integrated in the machine for a minimal footprint.
The SF55 CMM has passive vibration damping and can be equipped with active vibration isolation. Due to the good accessibility and ‘Wenzel automation interface’, the shop-floor measurement system is suitable for automation and integration into the production line.
“After the success of our SF87 CMM, the more compact SF55 is the logical response to the requirements of the shop floor,” says Dr Heike Wenzel, managing director of the Wenzel Group.
For further information www.wenzel-group.com

Filtermist invests £100,000 in training

Industrial air filtration and extraction specialist Filtermist has launched a £100,000 investment in upskilling all of its staff across the group.

Filtermist, along with sister companies Multi-Fan Systems, Dustcheck and DCS Group, has committed to giving every employee a minimum of 50 hours’ training every year, which could amount to 12,000 hours per annum in total.
Filtermist’s initiative will include job-specific courses, personal development opportunities and access to the recently launched competency workshops that cover continuous improvement, positive approach and teamwork, time management, protecting people and the environment, professionalism and quality, and customer experience. Staff will also be able to tap into masterclass sessions that will be delivered by senior management and external experts/trainers.
For further information www.filtermist.co.uk

Robotiq introductions boost robot dexterity

New to the UK from RARUK Automation are two Robotiq innovations designed to make automated, and even lights-out production, easier.

The first, Force Copilot, is an intuitive software development for applications that need force torque feedback, while the other is the Hand-E gripper, which is designed specifically for collaborative robots.
Sensing functions on the Robotiq Force Copilot increase flexibility and reliability in machine-tending, assembly, finishing, and pick and place applications. A suite of set-up tools allows the user to hand-guide the robot on complex trajectories. The software makes it easy to place objects precisely in jigs, trays and chucks, and facilitates assembly applications through alignment, indexing and insertion functions. Finally, the intuitive interface unlocks finishing applications, with adjustable adaptive compliance and constant force for all robot axes.
Robotiq’s Force Copilot is now a standard feature of the FT 300 force torque sensor that can be seamlessly integrated into the second of the additions to the RARUK Automation range: the Robotiq Hand-E gripper. With its compact and ergonomic shape, the Hand-E gripper is said to make collaborative robot hand-guiding safe and easy.
This latest product in RARUK Automation’s line-up of adaptive grippers, is the first UR+ electric gripper to be developed that takes full advantage of the Universal Robot e-Series. High accuracy and 50 mm parallel stroke make the Hand-E gripper suitable for precision assembly tasks, while its sealed design ensures reliability in tough manufacturing conditions. Hand-E gripper comes with a three-fingertip kit, so automation engineers can easily integrate the gripper in their application.
For further information www.rarukautomation.com

Quickgrind technical centre opens

Cutting-tool manufacturer Quickgrind will open its ‘Technical Centre of Infinite Possibilities’ at its Tewkesbury headquarters over the summer months.

This centre for advanced machining strategies will provide an environment to undertake customer training, demonstrations, technical seminars, events and more. The facility will incorporate a 3-axis and a 5-axis machining centre that will be installed prior to the grand opening. In addition, the centre will be a hub for innovation partners such as Open Mind, CG Tech, Tebis, Schunk, Romi Machine Tools, Blaser, Biltz, Romheld and Quickvend.
For further information www.quickgrind.com