Robots partner humans at FPT

At the plant of FPT Industrial Driveline in Turin, which produces transmissions and axles for heavy equipment, can be found a new Advanced Use Robotic Arm (AURA). Dedicated to assembling axle spindles, AURA is a robot designed and built by Comau and used in the HuManS (Human-centered Manufacturing System) project, which places humans at the centre of the production system, surrounded by machinery that helps and shares the space with them in complete safety. Almost 3 m high and weighing about 3 tonnes, AURA is a collaborative industrial robot that works alongside humans, without barriers.

For further information
www.comau.com

Cafisur completes relocation

Cafisur, an industrial sheet-metal fabrication company belonging to lathe manufacturer CMZ, has completed its move to the Tecnobahía Technology Park in El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz, Spain. The new building has over 8200 sq m of usable surface area on a 16,000 sq m plot of land, which will help to significantly increase the company’s production capacity. The move aims to achieve an increase in production of 50% and a growth in turnover of up to €10m over the next 5 years. The workforce will also gradually increase in line with expansion.

For further information
www.cmz.com

Automated DED tie-up

Esprit, a specialist in CAM software for CNC programming, optimisation and simulation, is now partnering with Alma, a CADCAM provider for robotics, to create a complete programming solution for robot additive DED (direct energy deposition). Compared with a machine tool-based DED machine, a robotic DED machine costs significantly less. Additionally, many companies can retrofit existing industrial robots for additive DED applications. However, in order to program a robot for additive DED tasks, an engineer needs to determine not only the tool path of the DED head, but the robot arm movements.

To provide customers with an end-to-end solution for programming robot additive DED, Esprit has been working with Alma to bring the best of the two worlds together: advanced tool-path planning in both subtractive and additive areas; and technology in robotics trajectory computation and offline programming of arc welding robots.

For further information
www.espritcam.com

The 3D printing of composite tooling

A new white paper from Stratasys reveals how manufacturers can make 3D-printed lay-up mould tools that are compatible with existing processes, including vacuum and envelope bagging with autoclave cure, shrink tubing and shrink tape. In addition to mould tooling, 3D printing offers advantages for ancillary tools used in secondary operations such as trimming, drilling, assembly, bonding and inspection. Benefits include reduced lead time and cost, design simplification and ‘easy-to-print’ geometric complexity. The white paper includes sections on tooling applications, design consideration and adding metal inserts to prints.

For further information https://is.gd/azator

CAM market consolidation

Battery Ventures, a global technology-focused investment firm, has agreed to acquire the combined Cimatron and GibbsCAM software businesses from additive manufacturing solutions company 3D Systems Corp. The transaction is likely to close during the fourth quarter of 2020, subject to customary closing conditions. As part of the acquisition, Cimatron and GibbsCAM will join Battery-backed SigmaTEK Systems, a CADCAM software provider serving professional fabricators, in a new holding company called CAMBRIO, led by current SigmaTEK Systems CEO Robbie Payne.

For further information www.battery.com