Heraeus Amloy and Trumpf have started working together on the 3D printing of amorphous metals.

Their goal is to establish the printing of amorphous parts as a standard production method on the shop floor by improving process and cost efficiencies. Amorphous metals are twice as strong as steel, yet significantly lighter and more elastic. These materials exhibit isotropic behaviour, which means their properties remain identical, regardless of the direction in which the 3D printer builds up the workpiece. Heraeus has optimised its amorphous alloys for 3D printing and tailored them for use with Trumpf’s TruPrint systems.
For further information www.heraeus.com

Changing what is the company’s most popular product can pose significant risk, but in the case of Ceratizit Group’s SilverLine solid-carbide milling cutters, taking that calculated gamble has paid significant dividends for users, who can now enjoy improved performance from the totally updated range.

While cautious not to make change for change’s sake, the development team was tasked with improving the three key elements that give a solid-carbide tool high performance, namely the carbide substrate, coating and geometry.
Demonstrating that SilverLine was a “good tool made even better”, extensive field trials were undertaken in Germany. The test results speak for themselves, as highlighted by the example at long-standing SilverLine user Heinz Knöpfle GmbH.
Says production director Christian Knöpfle: “As big fans of the original SilverLine tools, we had very high hopes, but the amazing results that we’ve achieved with the upgrade have far exceeded expectations.”
The results from the trials showed a tangible increase of between 20 and 40% in cutting speeds. At the same time, service life increased by 30 to 40%.
“I noticed straight away that the new SilverLine tools are quieter, thus reducing the burden on the machine,” says Knöpfle. “The values obtained over the months then confirmed this; we have a new favourite tool.”
In the tests, SilverLine was initially used for machining a stainless steel polygon shaft, which Knöpfle produces in various sizes for a water management company.
Says Knöpfle: “We use the tool at extremely high cutting speeds and therefore achieve excellent chip evacuation, with a service life and level of process security that other milling cutters never reach. This is ideal for users like us, who only wish to use a small selection of tools.”
For further information www.ceratizit.com

A form-compensation option has been launched by NUM for its Numroto tool-grinding software.

The option enables tool manufacturers to ‘close the loop’ between CNC tool grinding and measurement, further increasing process accuracy and consistency. NUM’s system inherently compensates for process variables, such as temperature fluctuations and grinding wheel wear, and is likely to prove popular with manufacturers of specialist precision tools, which demand tight production tolerances.
Machine shops seeking to maximise the accuracy of tools produced on CNC grinding machines generally use a CMM to obtain probed measurements of the machined part; using this information to influence the production process during subsequent machining operations. Until now, Numroto users processed CMM results with proprietary third-party compensation software running on an external computer, before feeding a suitably corrected target profile back to the CNC machine.
Designed in conjunction with several key Numroto end users, NUM’s form-compensation facility is a fully integrated part of the company’s form-cutter package, and completely dispenses with the need for any third-party software. The data exchange between the CMM and CNC machine can be handled by XML interface, or by export/import of the DXF file via a local area network (LAN).
The software employs filtering algorithms to create a smooth and precise compensation profile. Importantly, the orientation of the grinding wheel and the path speed from the original profile is always calculated so that only the position of the contact point on the cutting edge is compensated – and not the orientation of the grinding wheel. Performing the calculation in this way ensures that the surface quality of the tool is unaffected by the compensation. The form-compensation option is compatible with Numroto version 4.1.2 or later.
For further information www.num.com

Bounce back in China’s manufacturing sector points the way; other countries expected to follow as lockdown is lifted

Latest in series of on-line ADIPEC Energy Dialogues hears it could be late 2021 before oil and gas markets recover to 2019 volumes
OPEC+ supply constraints coming under pressure from US shale and indebted oil producers as prices strengthen; production cuts likely to be rolled over and extended

Abu Dhabi, UAE – XX June, 2020 – A revival in manufacturing across the world holds the key to the mid-term recovery of oil and gas markets, with consumer demand likely to lag as the energy industry begins to recover from the twin shock of the COVID-19 crisis and the resulting demand crash.

Participating in the latest online ADIPEC Energy Dialogue, Rachel Ziemba, an economic and political risk expert and Founder of Ziemba Insights, said the early signs from China, the first major economy to exit from the COVID-19 induced lockdown, are that manufacturing has bounced back more than consumption and that trend could be repeated in other countries.

“It is notable that the COVID crisis and the associated economic and energy crisis has really been the first to blow out the global consumer,” Ziemba said. “2008 was much more of a hit to the financial sector and manufacturing. This time it is the reverse. The big question is how quickly consumer demand will come back.”

Ziemba added it could be well into 2021 before oil and gas markets get to volumes approaching where the industry was at the end of 2019.

Looking at the trends likely to impact the recovery of oil markets in the mid-term, Ziemba said the OPEC Plus group of producers has had some success in tightening the market. But a question mark hangs over how long supply can be constrained.

“The challenge is that a few countries, those that are most economically strapped and not eligible for debt relief, are not complying in full and some have barely reduced production,” Ziemba said. “Despite pressure from the likes of Saudi Arabia and Russia, it is going to be very difficult for them to comply because these are countries that had big fiscal deficits when oil was $70 a barrel.

“The other challenge is that we are starting to see parts of the US shale industry starting to reverse shut ins. We are also seeing more rig activity after many weeks of decline. In a price range of mid-30s into a 40 range, there will be more entities that can make some money and the risk is that it puts even more pressure on OPEC Plus. So, I do think the most likely scenario is a rolling over and extension of the supply cuts.”

Access to credit, to support economic recovery, is an additional challenge for indebted oil producing countries, which are having to deal with multiple shocks at the same time, including sizable outbreaks of the COVID-19 coronavirus that may or may not be under control. Many of the oil producers that are in a tougher financial position than their rich peers are too wealthy to qualify for debt relief, Ziemba said, heightening social, political and economic risks which could further impact the oil and gas industry.

Elsewhere, as oil and gas companies seek for ways to recover, Ziemba said she expects to see some industry consolidation, particularly in the United States with more cash rich entities looking to go into smaller, more speculative areas that are lower cost. She also highlighted the possibility of further job cuts as companies become leaner and decide between boosting commercial reserves, or partnering with governments. Meanwhile, she added she expects to see more National Oil Company enter into partnerships, for example Middle East producers and Asian buyers, which enable greater creativity in payment terms and contracts.

The ADIPEC Energy Dialogue is a series of weekly online thought leadership events created by dmg events, organisers of the annual Abu Dhabi International Exhibition and Conference. Featuring key stakeholders and decision-makers in the oil and gas industry, the dialogues focus on how the industry is evolving and transforming in response to the rapidly changing energy market.

ADIPEC 2020 is projected to attract more than 155,000 energy professionals from 67 countries; including senior decision-makers and energy industry thought leaders, over 2,200 exhibiting companies and 23 national exhibiting pavilions as oil and gas companies convene to share views and best practices to address the long-term impact of the triple challenge of lower oil prices, weaker demand and over supply.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE; hosted by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC); and supported by the UAE Ministry of Energy & Industry, the Abu Dhabi Chamber, and the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, ADIPEC is scheduled to take place from November 9 to 11, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).

To watch the Energy Dialogue series go to: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnFtPtFwMrRkuGUTk4Rh4tA

Heidenhain has incorporated new software into its TNC control systems that allows complex trochoidal milling routines to be programmed conversationally on the shop floor, without having to download the cycles from a CADCAM station

OCM (optimised contour milling) functionality is a new option available for the company’s TNC640, TNC 620 and TNC 320 CNC systems.
The OCM algorithm takes conventional ideas for trochoidal milling, traditionally used to achieve high material removal rates when slotting, and considerably expands the range of application. In addition to the roughing of any open or closed pocket or island, the software also offers cycles for finishing the floors and side walls.
A milling tool’s wrap angle can be limited to reduce heat generation and prolong cutter life. As cutting forces are lower, delicate and thin-wall parts can be machined with greater accuracy, and even spindles with low power and torque can be used successfully, says the company. Moreover, as the milling cutter occupies less of the area of a slot or pocket during machining, the accumulation and re-cutting of chips is minimised, which is particularly important for features that are deep in comparison with their width.
The control automatically calculates the best tool paths for maintaining constant cutting parameters. Subsequent machining operations run with continuously optimised cutting values, resulting in increased machining speed and a noticeable reduction in tool wear, reports Heidenhain. A sample part produced recently in Germany demonstrated the effectiveness of the new milling strategy: OCM lowered the machining time and raised tool life by a factor of three compared with conventional milling strategies.
For further information www.heidenhain.co.uk