First shown last November at the Blechexpo 2019 exhibition in Stuttgart, a new Industry 4.0-ready system for automatically positioning and securing a tool on the ram of a power press and then feeding back production data has been launched in the UK and Ireland by Roemheld.

Flexline offers numerous configuration options for rapidly installing almost any tool on a variety of punching and forming presses. During operation, integrated sensors measure die or punch holding force and monitor it in real-time, allowing data to be transmitted continuously via an interface such as IO-Link to the press control.
Andreas Reich, head of quick die-clamping technology at Hilma-Roemheld in Germany says: “Many press operators like the fact that their systems can be digitalised and networked with little effort. Flexline is suitable for either factory installation or retrofitting. It is simple to operate and inexpensive to purchase, so is a practical, innovative solution that is readily accessible to manufacturers.”
Industry 4.0-ready clamps secure the upper punch or die on the ram of an automatic hydraulic press. The operator then has access to information concerning the actual holding force on the tool and is immediately able to detect unusual clamping and stripping forces during production, as well as tool overload, wear and breakage.
A continuous log of the retaining force simplifies error analysis and enables rapid problem-solving when servicing is required. This functionality facilitates predictive maintenance, helping to stabilise processes and avoid downtime.
Flexline is Industry 4.0-ready and has a modular design for mounting on the clamping edge or in the T-slot of the ram. With its double piston, a clamping stroke of 19 mm and travel speed of up to 150 mm/s, it is said to be suitable for many applications.
For further information www.roemheld.co.uk

Roth Composite Machinery has started its four-year partnership with the cross-industry AZL network of more than 80 companies.

The manufacturer of filament winding machines will actively participate in the AZL ‘Composite Pipes & Vessels’ working group and contribute its system expertise to a joint study on winding technologies for composite pressure tanks. Andreas Reimann, managing director of Roth Composite Machinery, says: “AZL membership has many benefits. For instance, it helps us get in touch with users, interested parties and partners, and provides ideas for the development of new solutions.”
For further information www.azl-lightweight-production.com

Romi C series heavy-duty flat-bed CNC lathes are built with Romi-made mono-block cast-iron beds to enhance rigidity, accuracy and performance.

The C series includes nine models ranging from the C1100H with a 720 mm swing over cross slide and 53 kW main motor, to the C2600H with a 2030 mm swing over cross slide and 115 kW main motor. All key components of Romi machine tools are designed and built in-house for complete control and assurance of manufacturing quality.
The line of heavy-duty CNC lathes from Romi features net weights ranging from approximately 18,000 to 61,000 kg, maximum weight between centres from 15,000 to 50,000 kg, and maximum torque from 12,429 to 44,200 Nm.
Romi’s robust mono-block bed is made of grey cast iron and is said to exhibit extreme rigidity. In addition, the cast-iron headstock (also manufactured by Romi) features a spindle with Timken bearings.
C series heavy-duty CNC lathes are powered by a high torque, continuously variable speed AC motor. The manually driven quill has a built-in live centre with precision bearings.
All models are built to reduce machine vibration and allow fast and accurate machining at full power. C series lathes are suitable for heavy applications in the mining, aerospace, steel mill, and oil and gas industries.
For further information www.romiuk.com

When turning long-chipping malleable materials, Citizen’s low frequency vibration (LFV) software fragments swarf into manageable chip sizes, whereas normally it would become a stringy bird’s nest entangled around the tool and component.

The latest sliding-head bar auto on which the technology has been made available is the new Cincom A20-VIILFV, while it can also be found on one of the company’s Miyano fixed-head models.
All machines have been fundamentally redesigned with uprated ball-screws, lubrication system, guarding and other elements to provide additional strength. This strength helps withstand the oscillation caused by very short periods of intermittent air cutting that produce the chip-breaking action. Productivity is maximised by avoiding having to stop the machine repeatedly to remove clogged swarf, facilitating minimally attended operation and enabling lights-out running.
A further advantage is the avoidance of the need to fit a high-pressure coolant system to encourage swarf breakage, which involves high capital investment and increased running costs.
Embedded in the operating system of the control system, the chip-breaking software synchronises axis servo drive motion with the spindle speed. The software version on the A20 is suitable for longitudinal and face turning, as well as drilling, and involves multiple oscillations per revolution of the main spindle. LFV is highly controllable and can be programmed using G-codes to switch on and off during a cycle, as required.
This function is distinct from being part of the program itself, as is the case with alternative CNC pecking macros, which have the disadvantage of rubbing the tool. In contrast, LFV oscillation of the tool by tens of microns allows coolant to penetrate the cut more efficiently for the brief periods when the tip lifts clear of the component surface. As a result, the reduction in heat helps prolong cutter life, by as much as five-fold in some instances.
For further information www.citizenmachinery.co.uk

As the COVID-19 pandemic pushes healthcare services to their limits, the Tornos SwissNano is helping a US-based subcontract machine shop, Petron Automation, to supercharge its production of a complex, tight-tolerance component for much-needed ventilators.

Many manufacturers of small, challenging medical device components turn to Petron Automation for the quality required in the risk-averse medical sector. By the same token, Petron Automation has turned to Tornos for precise manufacturing solutions, including four SwissNano 4, two EvoDeco 32, two EvoDeco 16, two MultiSwiss 6×32 and three Deco 13 models.
“In early March, we were at the end of our first-quarter 2020 order for a specific ventilator part for an important customer, who told us we were going to have a huge uptake in these components.”
At this point, Petron Automation had been producing 5000 ventilator armatures per week for that customer, which asked the business to ramp up to 20,000. The SwissNano sliding-headstock lathe helped the business double its production capacity for the armature within a week. Machined from bars of 430FR stainless steel, the part carries critical tolerances ±0.0088 mm.
Paul Thornberg, VP of business development at Petron, says: “It’s got some tight tolerances and we must maintain very sharp edges with maximum edge breaks of 0.0127 mm and surface finish under Ra10 μm. We are producing 2000 pieces per machine, 10 hours per day, holding those tolerances.
“The reliability of our SwissNano machines allows us to run these parts lights out with very little tolerance deviation,” he continues. “One of our SwissNanos ran for 23.9 hours on 13-14 May, and the other ran for 23.4 hours on the same day. That’s a testament to the capability of these machines.”
For further information www.tornos.com