Summer 2024 saw UK-based EDM hole drilling machine manufacturer TEK4 open its US facility in Greenville, South Carolina. The 372 m² facility will support the company’s growing North American customer base.

The new technology centre features the latest TEK4 EDM and laser machines for precision hole development. Customers can also tap into turnkey solutions comprising complete in-house tooling design, programme development and process prove-out for complex parts. In particular, TEK4 is able to provide bespoke tooling packages in support of highly productive solutions.

US-based field service engineers can deliver fast and reliable support throughout North America. Supporting the service team is an extensive Inventory. Over $250,000 of spare parts and consumables, available for next day delivery, ensure high uptime. Notably, the US facility and US personnel enable TEK4 to comply with ITAR standards.

TEK4 specialises in fast hole drill (FHD)/high-speed drill (HSD) EDM hole drilling machines for producing straight and shaped cooling holes in aero and IGT blades, vanes, segments and other components. The company currently has four different machine sizes offering the EDM process.

TEK4 also offers an EDM drill service is for generating small holes in turbine blades and vanes. STEM drilling is another specialist process available from the company. This process is similarly adept at drilling small holes in aero parts for cooling purposes.

According to TEK4, the company says it understands the importance of making informed decisions. That is why it offers comprehensive machine demonstrations and customised trials. The company’s global headquarters is in Leicestershire, UK.

More information www.tek4.co.uk

ONA is introducing its AV35 Next, the evolution of its AV35 wire EDM, incorporating a number of notable improvements. The development and studies carried out for this new model have allowed ONA to offer particular enhancements in precision, reliability and productivity, as well as handling. Furthermore, the AV35 Next offers automation and monitoring options that improve overall machine performance.

This new wire EDM machine brings together the best of ONA’s 70 years of experience with different technologies, to offer users optimal ergonomics, ease of use and precision in the production of parts.

From the perspective of precision, the machine’s structure sees a change of the tank rear closure system in order to reduce both friction and backlash. There is also a wider range of wire tension (from 100 to 3000 kg), with more optimisation of the wire brake wheel’s repositioning capabilities.

Among the features boosting autonomy is filter cartridge status monitoring. The machine notifies operators that the filter cartridges are becoming saturated, so they can plan to replace them with new ones at the most convenient time. There is also an option for an external wire feeder for spools of up to 45 kg, compatible with the existence of the standard feeder for spools of up to 16 kg included on the front of the machine.

As another benefit, the machine is more flexible than its predecessor model, chiefly due to automatic threading with special wires. It is now easy to configure custom wires in order to adapt the automatic threading to other types of wire that do not resemble those which appear in the tables that the machine incorporates.

More information www.onaedm.com

The new CUT S 400 Dedicated wire EDM from GF Machining Solutions is specifically for turbine manufacturing applications in the aerospace and power generation sectors. Developed in close collaboration with customers and partners, the CUT S 400 Dedicated builds on GF Machining Solutions’ legacy wire EDM technology for manufacturing fir-tree disks.

Unlike the company’s other wire EDM machines, where the emphasis is on precision, higher productivity is the main focus with the CUT S 400 Dedicated, largely through improved reliability, enhanced process security and ease of maintenance. These features combine to deliver what GFMS describes as an efficient and effective production machine.

The CUT S 400 Dedicated incorporates technologies such as tilting and rotating axes. Further features include the company’s Intelligent Speed Power Generator (ISPG), 3D-printed heads for more effective flushing and proprietary Spark Track technology. The latter optimises spark energy in real time to prevent wire breaks and maximise cutting speed. The machine’s design facilitates easy access for cleaning and maintenance operations, reducing downtime and costs.

GF Machining Solutions’ eTracking software ensures monitoring of the machine’s status, job progress and processing traceability in real time. This functionality is NADCAP-compliant and enables prompt responses to any deviations. Smart wire spools with RFID technology further improve traceability and efficiency in the production process.

The CUT S 400 Dedicated suits lights-out operations with a large wire spool (up to 45 kg capacity) and six high-efficiency filters. Notably, the machine supports easy integration with a range of automation systems to increase its operational capabilities. The CUT S 400 Dedicated offers a 28% reduction in daily energy consumption compared with the previous-generation machine.

More information www.gfms.com

Since its inception in 1945, Northern Tool and Gear Ltd (NTG) have been producing high-quality gears at its facility in Arbroath. Nowadays, the company utilises a diverse range of high-end machine tools to manufacture everything from one-offs to the high-volume production of gears and transmission components. To support this activity, NTG recently invested in a Mitsubishi MV4800S wire EDM machine from the Engineering Technology Group (ETG).

NTG’s managing director Gordon Strachan says: “To produce things like keyways, we would previously use a broach or old-fashioned slotting machine, which was slow and laborious and would occasionally display quality issues. Splines and external gears have dedicated machines that are fast and efficient but require a lot of tooling and long set-up times. In fact, sometimes the tooling would cost more than the job. Now, if the customer needs something in a hurry, we can cut it on our new Mitsubishi wire EDM.”

Discussing the selection of the Mitsubishi MV4800S, he adds: “We looked at four or five manufacturers. I cut this list down to two and eventually, through the graces of RAM Engineering & Tooling, the Scottish distribution partner for ETG, we selected the Mitsubishi. I had been impressed with Mitsubishi machines from the start and, from visiting machines at the sites of users, I could see the quality of the product and the technology involved. Everything is state-of-the-art and the control system is very user-friendly.”

The particularly large MV4800S machine incorporates technology like automatic wire threading, linear shaft motors and an optical drive system for precision and circular accuracy within 1 µm.

More information www.engtechgroup.com