One of the main business areas of NKC Manufacturing Sweden in Gothenburg is the production of pressed, stamped and machine moulded products for industrial companies. To help with this activity the company recently invested in a new, fully automatic press line from AP&T to replace old machines. But the relationship between the companies stretches back much further.

“Our first AP&T machines were installed in the mid-1980s when we were part of SKF,” says Charles Wallin, project manager of process development at NKC Manufacturing Sweden. “Since then, the equipment has been regularly expanded and updated, while service, maintenance and repairs have been made by AP&T on an ongoing basis.”

The fully automated production process includes a number of operations, such as blank feeding, drawing, cutting, washing, spinning, unloading and stacking.

“We supplied a 630 tonne press, two SpeedFeeders, a high-speed destacker, grippers, protection guards and a control system,” says Kristian Broberg, sales manager of the deal on the AP&T side. “It was vital to integrate our equipment with the existing punching press, lathe and other machinery used in the complete line so they would continue to have uninterrupted, efficient flow.”

The installation was completed on time and the equipment has been in operation ever since. To ensure high reliability in the long-term, NKC chose to enter a service and maintenance agreement with AP&T.

“Our collaboration with AP&T, not least with their project managers, has been very smooth,” says Wallin. “The fact that they can supply complete solutions and take responsibility from start to finish is an enormous advantage.”

For further information
www.aptgroup.com

COE Press Equipment has released its new coil straightener and reel combination, an economical solution for stamping and roll forming shops processing light gauge materials – perhaps for producing components such as brackets, hinges and mouldings. Combining unwinding and straightening in a single machine, these systems can pair with a COE ServoMaster 1 or ServoMaster 2 servo roll feed to deliver a complete press feeding line.

These systems can process MCRS, aluminium and stainless in thicknesses from 0.032” to 0.125” and widths from 3” to 12” (depending on material thickness). It is possible to accommodate coil weights up to 1814 kg and achieve line speeds up to 15 m/min.

The systems are available with right to left configuration and powered with 440 VAC. The straightener features nine 1.97” power-driven rolls with 3.30” diameter entrance pinch rolls and a photo loop sensor. Notably, the reel, with four-pad mandrel construction and four coil keepers, handles a coil OD of up to 48” and a coil ID from 19” to 20.5” using a hand crank expansion. The reel features an air-operated hold-down arm and a mechanical drag brake.

Importantly, the value of this combined straightener-reel machine is enhanced by COE’s ServoMaster 1 or ServoMaster 2 roll feeds, which feature ServoMaster Touch controls that can integrate with press controls to provide a complete and compact control system with functions that can be executed by the job recipe at the touch of a button.

The combination straightener-reel systems, as well the ServoMaster roll feeds, are part of COE’s Express Delivery programme and are available at the company’s online store.

For further information www.cpec.com

A leading presswork and prototyping specialist has joined forces with the AA to develop a game-changing innovation that will transform the breakdown service for thousands of drivers.

AE Oscroft, which employs 50 people at its site in Redditch, has used its engineering expertise to create a new freewheeling hub that allows patrols to safely tow vehicles that cannot normally be ‘lifted and towed’ on two wheels, including 4x4s and the increasing number of electric vehicles in the UK.

Recovery professionals can fix the hub to the rear wheels of stricken vehicles so they can be towed by a standard van rather than having to wait for a flat-bed recovery vehicle, increasing the speed of response and reducing the waiting time for motorists left stranded on busy roads and motorways.

The new innovation has its own high-speed bearing, enabling the wheel to turn independently from the car, and working in conjunction with the standard and heavy-duty multi-fit wheel for larger vehicles.

AE Oscroft, which has recruited two new engineers to cope with expected volumes, is manufacturing 1850 sets for the AA as part of its first order, with significant opportunities being explored to export the technology to customers in the EU, UAE and the US.

James Hosking, AA Roadside COO, says: “AE Oscroft were tasked with coming up with a cleaner, safer, smarter solution to towing certain categories of vehicle. This fantastic innovation will help to futureproof our service and, importantly, rescue customers more quickly than our competitors.”

For further information
www.aeoscroft.co.uk

MPPS, as the UK sales and service agent for SIMPAC mechanical and hydraulic presses, has recently installed an automated press line at a leading manufacturer of central heating products. The line includes four 300 tonne solid-frame mechanical presses with blank destack/feeder and inter-press shuttle transfer system.

In summary, MPPS managed the project and provided personnel and heavy lifting equipment for the unloading of the equipment from delivery vehicles. Following unpacking, the company transported and positioned the presses within the factory using twin VersaLifts. Working within the constraints of Covid-19 limitations, MPPS completed the installation within the scheduled timeframe.

As the project manager and service agent for SIMPAC, MPPS was responsible for all planning, risk assessments and methods statements, as well as providing personnel approved for working in confined spaces, thus complying with health and safety requirements that include working within Covid-19 constraints. MPPS also provided ongoing support to the SIMPAC engineers for final commissioning.

The SIMPAC product range includes mechanical and hydraulic presses, servo presses, transfer presses, blanking and tandem lines. Worldwide users include manufacturers of domestic appliances, household goods and electronic components, in addition to the automotive industry and its suppliers.

SIMPAC has been building mechanical and hydraulic presses in South Korea for over 45 years. The company says it has a dominant share of its home market and a growing global presence through its own sales/service companies and agents around the world. For continuous development and optimisation of the product range, the company has R&D centres in both Korea and Germany.

The SIMPAC range of presses is complementary to MPPS’s established services: the installation, maintenance and repair of mechanical power presses and hydraulic presses.

For further information
www.mpps.co.uk

Investment in a refurbished precision high-speed press is helping a Kent-based subcontract manufacturing specialist deliver a significant aerospace contract that has been re-shored from Spain. HV Wooding, which offers laser cutting, wire erosion, busbars, motor laminations and presswork to customers all over the world, has invested over £120,000 in new tooling and the installation of a Bruderer BSTA 25H to produce more than 28 million precision parts every year.

The contract will utilise the repeatable bottom dead centre accuracy and 1500 strokes per minute capability of the press, along with its ram guidance system for enhanced stability and tool life. Components will find service in a number of tamper-proof products for the aerospace sector and should account for 60% of the machine’s capacity, leaving the other 40% for new opportunities in electrification and green energy.

“This is the second Bruderer we’ve installed, after inheriting our first when an electrical client outsourced its press shop,” explains Paul Allen, sales director at HV Wooding. “There are few machines in the world that can offer the speed and accuracy in such high volumes, and this is going to make a major difference to our ability to meet the requirement of our aerospace customer.

“The material we’re using is really thin gauge and tolerances are within microns; that’s why we decided on the BSTA 25H,” he adds. “Its ram guidance system eliminates the possibility of movement during the stamping process, prolonging tool life and giving us consistent repeatable quality, something the customer wasn’t getting overseas.”

For further information
www.bruderer.co.uk