As part of the Volz Group, Volz Engineering Ltd has ambitious growth plans. The Rochdale-based company has recently invested in a new CMM, two three-axis machining centres, a turning centre and, most recently, a Mitsubishi MV2400S wire EDM machine from the Engineering Technology Group (ETG).

Volz Group produces HVAC filters for commercial and industrial applications, and manufactures the machinery for producing the filters and associated components like filter frames and clips.

Managing director Alan Reeson says: “EDM is an integral part of our business as it services both the press tool and automated machinery departments. The outstanding service and support ETG provided for our previous 25-year-old Mitsubishi machine was why didn’t need to look elsewhere for a new machine.”

The new MV2400S provides a “night and day” contrast to the company’s previous wire EDM machine.

“First and foremost, the new Mitsubishi can run lights out giving us 24/7 production,” says Reeson. “We currently run one shift, but the facility to set the machine up to run unmanned overnight is a huge advantage. This is credit to the wire having the facility to re-thread and re-position itself automatically and continue working, so the machine doesn’t lose production hours if the wire breaks. Additionally, the set-up time is 60% faster on the new Mitsubishi MV2400S than the previous machine. We are now setting up and running jobs in less than one hour. More impressive is that as part of the training programme from ETG, the ETG engineer ran through ways to set up existing jobs differently to how our shop floor staff have previously done things. As we do a lot of repeat work, this further improves our processes, productivity and throughput.”

For further information
www.engtechgroup.com

For manufacturers that need to produce holes and features in challenging materials and components, EDM drilling is often the only feasible solution when precision and workpiece integrity is critical. The Engineering Technology Group (ETG) is introducing the Winbro HSD6-GT high-speed EDM drilling system to accommodate such exacting demands on large components.

Winbro’s HSD6-GT has been developed from the original Winbro HSD6 platform to take advantage of the latest design, control and process concepts employed in high-speed EDM for large annular components with a weight capacity of up to 500 kg. To accommodate heavy-duty parts, the Winbro HSD6-GT provides travels of 1050 x 540 x 720 mm in the X, Y and Z linear axes. To enable single-set up and drilling on all faces of the component, the machine also has a rotary A axis of +210°/-60°, a B axis of +100°/-200° and a continuous C axis.

The next-generation Winbro HSD6-GT demonstrates linear and rotary accuracy of 0.015 mm and 0.007° respectively, while linear repeatability is 0.01 mm and rotary repeatability is 0.003°. This level of precision is courtesy of several integrated innovations, such as the patented six-point probing system and optical on-machine inspection.

The six-point probing system ensures accurate positioning of the component before drilling and allows precision positioning using simple fixtures. Complementing this feature is a laser opticator that provides complete optical on-machine inspection to guarantee accurate hole positioning. Whilst the laser opticator and six-point probing system underpins the precision performance of the Winbro HSD6-GT, the integrated signature analysis system monitors drilling performance in real-time to reduce the requirement for manual inspection.

Winbro’s HSD6-GT can create holes from 0.3 to 25 mm diameter, and up to 100 mm deep.

For further information
www.engtechgroup.com

Even with its precision and high-quality results, EDM can – and often does – come with its problems. Until recently, solutions to such issues have been difficult to come by. However, with the help of magnetic technology, many problems can be overcome, increasing machine efficiency significantly.

Properly filtered dielectric fluid is instrumental in producing highly accurate and high-quality machined parts, and is essential for transferring the charge during the process, flushing particles out of the gap between the workpiece to prevent them from forming bridges that cause a short circuit.

By using a magnetic filter in conjunction with the traditional paper barrier filter, fluids benefit from the highest level of protection. Using a paper filter alone can allow particles smaller than the pore of the filter to flow through, leaving the fluid susceptible to secondary sparking. By introducing magnetic technology, it is possible to quickly and safely remove these particles, ensuring the removal of virtually all contamination.

The Micromag magnetic filter, designed and manufactured by Eclipse Magnetics, provides a way of solving many problems that occur during the EDM process. Its high-intensity collection capabilities, coupled with its high-strength magnetic core and an optimised fluid flow orientation, work to remove almost all ferrous particles from the dielectric fluid. Cleaner fluids lead to marked improvements in secondary sparking, significantly less wire breakages, increased machine productivity and longer tool life.

According to Eclipse Magnetics, Micromag provides a rapid return on investment – often within just weeks – and, with its easy-clean design, the collected swarf can be quickly and efficiently disposed of and recycled, reducing the need for high-cost consumables.

For further information
www.eclipsemagnetics.com

To eliminate the cost and lead times associated with outsourcing its wire eroding requirements, Worcestershire-based Styles Precision has invested in a new Sodick ALC600G from Sodi-Tech EDM. This bold investment is also helping to attract more work from both existing and new customers as the company looks to continue its growth over the next five years.

“We tend to buy high-end machine tools, an ethos that we’ve transferred to our first wire EDM, a Sodick ALC600G, which we bought with the help of a successful grant application via the RDPE Growth Programme,” explains the company’s managing director Tony Styles. “Investing in top-end machines helps us to attract high-value work, often in energy and power-related sectors such as steam turbine, renewables and oil and gas.”

Styles Precision previously subcontracted its wire EDM requirements, maybe not enough to consider buying a machine, but the company knew there would be additional opportunities if it could offer wire EDM in-house. Therefore, the company concluded that investing in the Sodick ALC600G would be a logical and exciting step forward.

“We’ve already been busy wiring many different parts, including special profile gauges,” says Styles. “Recently, we won a tender to manufacture a family of intricate, high-value steam turbine wear parts, which have a particular profile in the bore. We use profile gauges as an initial check of the labyrinth’s profile form during machining operations. In addition, the labyrinths are themselves split into numerous segments: we have around 240 specific segments to wire from machined rings measuring between 300 and 600 mm in diameter.

“We have some fascinating projects on the go at present, so the ALC600G will make a big contribution to the ongoing success of our business, particularly as we will soon be running it lights-out,” he concludes.

For further information
www.sodi-techedm.co.uk

The Engineering Technology Group (ETG) has introduced a new addition to the Gantry Eagle series of die -sink EDM machines with the arrival of the Eagle G50 and G80 Competition from OPS Ingersoll. OPS Ingersoll has taken the ergonomics and bridge design of the Gantry Eagle platform and combined it with the generator and programming of the G5 Precision.

With the new Eagle G50 and G80 gantry concept, featuring three open sides and a programable rise and fall four-sided tank that arrives full of dielectric, OPS Ingersoll says it is introducing a production technology with astounding electrode usage – even in graphite to VDI 8.

In developing the Eagle G50 and G80, the aim was to create a machine capable of delivering the highest surface finish capability and remove many of the known issues in graphite usage. The Eagle G50 and G80 now provide multi-cavity, low-wear machining that OPS Ingersoll says was not available in this class of machine until now.

From a specification perspective, the Eagle G50 has a 750 x 650 mm table with work tank dimensions of 770 x 670 x 440 mm and a dielectric level height of 450 mm. Within this envelope, the new machine offers 525 x 400 x 450 mm of travel with a distance from the head to the table ranging from 135 to 585 mm. OPS Ingersoll says that no other machine can offer this amount of useable volume within these movements, allowing the machining of small and larger workpieces from one reference.

The G80 has a work tank of 800 x 1100 mm and maintains the same useable field philosophy as the G50.

OPS Ingersoll’s G50 and G80 Competition both incorporate the new Eagle Powerspark One control system and Eagle Powerspark Editor (PSE) programming software.

For further information
www.engtechgroup.com