Aerospace engineering firm JJ Churchill has reduced its tooling costs by 5% with a 50% reduction in the number of machining operations on a specific critical part. This has been achieved with Blue Photon technology, which is marketed in the UK and Europe by NCMT.

The technology is being applied to an aerofoil blade component made from titanium aluminide, an extremely difficult material to fixture and machine. Blue Photon fixes the component to the tool with an adhesive, which cures under UV light, making it strong enough for rigorous machining techniques. The process is a replacement for encapsulation, providing reduced fixture complexity. Operation reduction is achieved by fixing on to a single face of the component, as opposed to potentially many faces.
Locating on a single face provides access to other faces, enabling several complex features to be machined at the same time. This capability delivers greater precision during machining, and ultimately reduces the amount of metal wasted/scrapped.
Once the blade root and tip have been machined (held using Blue Photon technology), the workpiece is transferred to a Starrag five-axis machining centre, in this case a 28 kW/18,000 rpm LX051. The workpiece is held in specifically-developed fixtures for the complete machining of the aerofoil from forged blanks that are, at most, 5 mm oversize.
The impact on JJ Churchill’s overall production is to increase capacity, which is essential as the company continues its growth trajectory, while also benefitting the environment. Using Blue Photon reduces the electricity required for the process.
For further information www.jjchurchill.com

MACH 2018 was a huge success for Schunk Intec with the company announcing that lead generation was significantly higher than the 2016 event. From a stand more than 20% larger than in 2016, the gripping systems and clamping technology specialist received a high level of interest in a complete range of product lines.

Schunk used MACH as an opportunity to hold a special ceremony on its stand to celebrate the company’s 20th anniversary in the UK. At the show, established product lines won plaudits and generated a high level of enquiries, however, it was new technology like the Vero-S Aviation stationary clamping system that really sparked the interest of MACH visitors.
Making its MACH debut, the Vero-S Aviation is a pneumatically actuated, zero-point clamping system developed for the direct clamping of structural components in the aerospace industry.
Also making its MACH debut was the new Co-act (collaborative actuator). As part of Schunk’s gripping system programme for safe human-robot collaboration – said to be the world’s first intelligent gripping module of its type – the Co-act was certainly a focal point at the show. The system permits adjustments to the gripping process to be made in real-time using diverse sensor systems.
Further stand-out solutions on the stand were the Vero-S quick-change pallet system, the Tendo hydraulic tool holder, the PGN-plus gripper, Magnos magnetic clamping technology, Rota-S manual lathe chuck and more.
For further information www.gb.schunk.com

From its biggest ever stand at MACH 2018, Thame Workholding (Hall 6, Stand 170) will display a number of products receiving their UK exhibition premiere. For instance, RoboTrex is the first Lang automation equipment based on the small QuickPoint 52 system.

Suitable for retrofitting to the front or side of a machine tool, the RoboTrex can work with individual components up to 12 kg. Customers can choose from up to four specially designed workpiece trolleys that serve as vice storage systems. Furthermore, two new RoboTrex vices, with a jaw width of 46 and 77 mm, can be mounted vertically for optimal use of space when being picked-up by the robot.
Another MACH debutant on the Thame stand will be the Inoflex VL range. This weight-reduced series of self-centring four-jaw chucks is suitable for vertical turning centres, offering part-clamping capacity from 420 to 1200 mm. Compensating features permit the clamping of round, cubic and geometrically irregular workpieces when milling or turning.
While conventional chucks operate with all jaws moving in the same direction, either towards or away from the centre of the chuck, the Inoflex chuck operates with the jaws moving together or apart on two parallel axes. In addition, weight-reduction characteristics improve clamping forces at higher machining speeds while simultaneously reducing the stress and forces placed on the spindle when machining large workpieces.
Thame will also introduce its latest series of multi-face fixture systems for five-axis machining. This three-faced fixture facilitates the clamping of three individual components on a single device. According to the company, the fixture provides greater clearance and access to five-axis parts, especially when compared with standard four-face tombstone systems.
For further information www.thame-eng.com