Just one year before Great Lakes Custom Tool Manufacturing Inc (GLCT) celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2019, the Wisconsin-based specialist in custom saw blades was marking other milestones in its prestigious history with the opening of a 20,000 sq ft factory extension and the arrival of five additional Vollmer machines.

With more than 80 staff, 50+ CNC machine tools, a multitude of manual machines and inspection and measuring technology, one brand that has lasted the distance at GLCT is Vollmer.

Vice-president Ray Martin says: “We bought our first Vollmer machine back in 1979 when we started and this was followed by a Vollmer CHC22H saw grinder for face and top grinding in 1982. We then bought a manual side-grinding machine in 1985 and this machine is still in service today for some of our repair work. It wasn’t until 1999 that we bought our next Vollmer machine, a CX100 for top and face grinding of carbide-tipped circular saws. Since the turn of the century, we’ve added two CHD270 machines, a DES300, a CHF270, a CHF840, a CHC840 and even the ND250 robotic loading system.”

With average saw blade order quantities ranging from 4 to 6-off, and even up to 20 and 50, the Vollmer TCT machines are producing a substantial quantity of new saw blades every week; with an additional large quantity of saw service, re-grind and repair volumes passing through the company as well.

The Vollmer machines that arrived at the factory recently included a QF270 for machining the tooth sides of PCD-tipped circular saws via disc erosion.
“When it comes to manufacturing saw blades, as well as PCD cutting tools, Vollmer is our go-to solution,” concludes Martin.

For further information
www.vollmer-group.com

The 100% integration of Vernet-Behringer (VB) into the Behringer Group is part of a long-term relationship between the two companies. For over a century Behringer GmbH has been synonymous with steady growth, new innovations and continuity. Together with the existing management team, these goals will continue moving forward.

Since 1996, Behringer GmbH has been the key shareholder and strategic partner of VB, in particular for the supply of bandsaws integrated into VB’s automatic drilling-sawing lines.

The transition will allow VB to continue its development in France and internationally, as well as to conduct larger technological projects to meet the growing expectations of its customers around the world for ever-more integrated and automated lines. This merger will also make it possible to develop technological, industrial and financial synergies to meet the requirements imposed by exacerbated global competition in the current context and accelerating the transformation towards Industry 4.0.

Pascal Denis, president and CEO of VB, says: “The Behringer-Group is the ideal partner for the future of VB, in terms of both corporate culture and our complementary activities. I’m delighted with this merger, which marks a new stage in our more than century-old history. The strength of the group will undoubtedly enable us to promote our know-how and our cutting-edge technologies in terms of industrial processes, software and automation.”
Christian Behringer, managing director of Behringer, adds: “We’ve been supporting VB for many years and believe more than ever in the technological progress developed by the company. This integration is therefore a natural evolution of the group, which will benefit from the sharing of skills and the complementary product ranges in an integrated long-term approach.”

For further information
www.behringer.net

Metal bandsaw specialist Meba is now offering new, independent financing options to customers from Germany and Europe. The company will no longer pursue the usual industry approach of working with a fixed financial service provider. Instead, Meba is co-operating with Mietfinanz, a leading provider of corporate finance consulting. Mietfinanz is not bound to specific providers, but independently attains the best solutions available from the market for Meba customers.

Leasing, hire purchase or investment credit? Especially for small and medium-sized companies it is often a challenge to procure machinery in order to survive in the market and at the same time remain liquid. A tailor-made financing solution can be a decisive component in this respect.

Carsten Oberwelland, managing director of Meba, underlines the importance of individual financing concepts: “The financing of production machinery requires flexibility and individuality. What makes sense for one company does not always fit for another. Financing strategies are different. We decided to work with Mietfinanz because they enable us to offer our customers this necessary differentiation and individuality. In addition, the independent position of Mietfinanz ensures the best solutions.”

Using a financing calculator, interested parties can make a quick pre-selection on the Meba homepage. In only five clicks it is possible to find the optimum financing solution. The customer then receives a tailored financing concept from Mietfinanz that is adapted to the existing structure. The system takes the entire spectrum of possible subsidies into account.

Customers receive financing outside of their own banking circles without the future burdening of working capital. Since no negotiations with potential financing partners are necessary, purchasing decisions are quick. The entire process runs confidentially; data protection is secure and support provision is on hand.

For further information
www.meba-saw.com

Although medicine has ancient origins, its main goal has always been clear: to help humans live longer and in better conditions. This year, like no other, has raised awareness about the potential of technology and the increasingly important role it plays in the field of health and medicine.

Technology applied to the medical sector is the main application field of a leading Italian group that sawing machine specialist MEP has helped by developing a system to cut titanium used in the production of orthopaedic solutions directly from 3D printing plate. This collaboration with the division involved in the study and manufacture of specific prostheses for patients made of innovative materials, comes from the need to cut off prints of special elements in titanium in a quick yet accurate manner.

This challenge for the engineering team at MEP led to the recommendation of a Shark 350 NC HS 5.0, a dual-column automatic band-sawing machine.
The cast-iron structure of the Shark 350 NC HS 5.0 absorbs vibration and provides the machine with stability while cutting. Moreover, automatic acquisition of the cutting start position reduces operation time, while control of the saw head – powered by a hydraulic cylinder on linear guides with preloaded ball-screw slides – guarantees the reduction of mechanical vibration.

Further advantages of the machine include an adaptive cutting-force control device that facilitates cuts with high surface finish even when using a worn-out tool. The Shark 350 NC HS 5.0 also features a frequency drive that manages the saw-head motor to maximise performance. MEP sawing solutions are available in the UK from ADS Precision.

For further information
www.mepsaws.it
www.adsprecision.com

Behringer has recently complemented its product portfolio with the new 3D series, which comprises two models (HBE320-523 3D and LPS-T 3D). The high-performance sawing machines were developed for cutting additively manufactured components in different sizes and shapes.

Additively manufactured parts are printed on a base plate via a supporting structure, and this base plate has to be removed. The new 3D series from Behringer is designed to separate the additively manufactured parts from the base plate with high cutting precision, thus ensuring neither the print plate nor the printed parts get damaged.
No matter whether steel, aluminium, titanium, nickel-based alloy or plastic, the 3D saws from Behringer are said to cut all additively manufactured parts in different sizes and shapes without any problems. As the fixture can be individually manufactured to customer requirements, high flexibility is guaranteed.
The HBE320-523 3D, which is based on the existing HBE Dynamic series, offers a fixture for small and medium-sized plates up to 500 x 300 mm. A simple, quick set-up process and compact machine dimensions are among the advantages of this model.
Behringer’s other machine in the series, the LPS-T 3D, demonstrates its strengths when sawing larger printing plates. The vertical design of the machine, with a freely accessible machine table, ensures easy loading and handling of large and/or heavy base plates. Especially when sawing steel or other difficult-to-cut materials, the standard servo-feed system provides a steady saw-feed movement that helps to ensure a quiet and stable cutting process. This capability results in high cutting performance and blade life.
With the blade deflection monitoring system and its adjustable thresholds, both models of the Behringer 3D series ensure high sawing precision.
For further information www.behringerltd.co.uk