Hyfore Workholding says that automating a machining centre has never been so easy with the arrival of the latest Midaco automatic pallet changing system. It is possible to integrate this affordable technology into virtually any machining centre to improve uptime and spindle utilisation rates, while reducing costs.

With decades of expertise in fast-change pallet systems, US-based Midaco has now developed its latest range of adaptable automated pallet systems that are available in the UK from automation, work-holding and integration expert, Hyfore Workholding. The Midaco automatic pallet changing system can be retrofitted to any new or existing machining centre, so operators can load, unload, inspect parts and set-up jobs while an alternate pallet is running in the machine.

The Midaco automatic pallet loader incorporates: a PLC that is fully integrated with the machine tool; a Mitsubishi control interface; a servo-drive system; a receiver unit that mounts directly on to the machine tool table with hardened and ground location pins; and a pallet system with precision ground rails to ensure long-term precision operation. Customers can also opt for a three-sided enclosure to maximise safety.

According to Hyfore, the benefit of this automation system is that it can integrate with any machine tool with absolute ease. Heavy and large workpieces can easily be loaded outside the machine envelope and the pallets ae easily interchangeable between machine tools or different departments.

The automatic pallet system is available with several variants from the Series 16SD through the Series 120SD. Midaco’s smallest pallet system has dimensions of 559 x 356 mm with the largest pallet measuring 3810 x 990 mm. Pallet load capacity extends from 125 to 3636 kg.

For further information
www.hyfore.com

At South Korean aerospace component manufacturer, Hana ITM Co, an Erowa Robot Dynamic 150L is helping the company to increase its global competitiveness by reducing non-conformities by 30%, while also keeping employee numbers under tight control.

Originally, the company focused on honeycomb seals and shrouds for gas turbines, but then it developed a new process for the production of low-pressure turbine nozzles based on a five-axis CBN creep-feed grinding process.

CEO Steve Yoon says: “Of course, there are countless ways of machining turbine nozzles, but the machining technology of five-axis CBN creep-feed grinding provided the break-through for the efficient grinding of the radial grooves on turbine nozzles. It was also a very crucial step that the machine producer Doosan modified its DNM350 5ax with special grinding equipment for us. This machine tool is really a milling machine, but we use it for creep-feed grinding.”

Today, an automated production cell that consists of 10 of the modified Doosan DNM350 5ax machines is supported by an Erowa Robot Dynamic 150L.

“The whole cell is 25 m long and the Erowa robot serves five machines on each side,” explains Yoon. “Added to this, there are two loading stations, and after machining the parts are washed and checked on a CMM. This set-up has proved extremely successful. We were able to reduce personnel expenditure by 75%, while reducing non-conformities by 30%; and this with a simultaneous increase in production agility. I can say that we have achieved our objective.”

Hana ITM has further plans for automation in the near future.

“At present, we are very hopeful of being awarded a new contract, and that could very well be the next project for Erowa,” concludes Yoon.

For further information
www.remsystems.co.uk

With a focus on sustainability and the efficient use of resources, the accurate not liberal concept of DirectCooling from Ceratizit brings a minimalist approach to machining companies.

In a typical turning scenario, coolant is distributed extensively in the machining area. However, with the new MaxiLock-S DC turning tool holders, which form part of the DirectCooling (DC) system, coolant is applied precisely to the cutting edge via two internal holes. This design guarantees that coolant is applied precisely to the cutting edge, with one hole targeting the rake face from above and the other the flank from below. The addition of flank cooling boosts service life by 60% compared with cooling exclusively on the rake face, says Ceratizit.

“We wanted to take what has since become the norm for grooving holders and apply it to our turning tool holders for external turning applications,” explains Stefan Karl, product manager – cutting tools. “This resulted in the MaxiLock-S DC range, which allows customers to boost both general process security and cutting values thanks to targeted cooling. Compared with conventional cooling, DirectCooling achieves service life improvements of around 65%, regardless of material and machining application.”

Ceratizit has also reworked the insert seat, adding greater stability to the clamping of the indexable insert, which in turn reduces wear on the cutting edge and creates better surface finish on the workpiece.

DirectCooling works with a minimum coolant pressure of just 10 bar, fed through the turning centre turret.

“Of course, the higher the pressure, the better chips are broken and cleared away,” says Karl. “This is particularly beneficial to those machining steel, especially in combination with our new ISO-P indexable insert. However, the MaxiLock-S DC is just as comfortable on stainless and difficult-to-machine materials.”

For further information
www.ceratizit.com

In order to remain at the ‘cutting edge’ of tooling manufacture and help keep pace with growing demand for its output, employees at Coventry-based Exactaform continually search for advanced production equipment that will further improve capabilities. The latest addition to the company’s machining aids is a rotary table purchased from Swiss manufacturer PL Lehmann.

Research and development director Martyn Biddle says: “To further develop our capabilities in the important area of tooling trials we recently searched for a large, heavy-duty CNC rotary table that would provide the high-precision, five-axis machining that we need, and that could be retrofitted to our DMG Mori DMC 1450 machining centre. After carefully assessing alternative products from several manufacturers, we came to the conclusion that the T1-520530 TOP3 from PL Lehmann best matched our needs.

“Following trouble-free fitting into our machining centre and integration with its Siemens controller, our new rotary table soon began to deliver the levels of performance we were promised,” he continues. “The 5th axis provided by our PL Lehmann rotary table, and its impressive speed and precision, are now making significant contributions to our tooling machining trials.”

The T1-520530 TOP3 model, as installed on Exactaform’s DMG Mori DMC 1450, is PL Lehmann’s largest available CNC, 5th-axis rotary table, and is able to accommodate workpieces of up to 600 mm diameter and weighing up to 200 kg. Despite the rotary table’s capacity, its design means that it occupies a relatively small space within the machine tool. Given the demanding machining applications it undertakes, the rotary table boasts high clamping forces of 2000 Nm rotating/7000 Nm tilting. Aiding machining efficiency, the T1-520530 TOP3 provides 50 rpm rotating and 25 rpm tilting speeds.

For further information
www.lehmann-rotary-tables.com

Polypipe Building Services is leveraging the additional benefits offered by Stäubli’s QMC122 range of magnetic platens to further improve productivity levels in the manufacture of the company’s injection moulded plastic waste fittings.

Within the plastics injection moulding sector, a key element in attaining target productivity levels is reducing the time required to change mould tools. The traditional method requires multiple bolts to be undone and clamps removed to release the mould tool from the platens. Users then have to replace these bolts and clamps and correctly re-tighten them to secure the new tool in place.

Magnetic platens offer a quicker and simpler solution to mould tool changes and the Polypipe Building Services site in Aylesford, Kent has experience of using this technology, as Steve Tulett, Polypipe’s manufacturing innovation manager, explains: “We adopted magnetic platen technology some time ago and quickly realised the benefits in terms of simpler and faster tool changes, saving on average around 30 minutes each time. However, we continually review the technologies available to ensure that we can take advantage of any new developments. We identified Stäubli’s QMC122 range of magnetic platens as a solution that provides a number of additional benefits, such as greater levels of feedback from the interface, which allows us to obtain an exact measurement of the clamping force when we install the new tools.”

Stäubli’s QMC solution integrates an interactive control panel which enables the validation of the safety points during mould changing operations. Also, the system accurately controls clamping force in real time.

The QMC 122 range is currently in use on a 150T Demag Ergotech Machine and a new Haitian 160T machine.

For further information
www.staubli.com