The new direct diode laser (DDL) version of Mazak’s Fabri Gear machine range made its European debut at the recent EuroBlech 2018 exhibition in Germany.

Mazak has fast-tracked the development of the DDL FG to complement the company’s existing CO2 machine, due to the productivity potential that laser users can derive from DDL technology.
DDL is suited to cutting both thin and thick materials, and is also capable of cutting high reflectance material, such as copper and brass. Moreover, the machine is equipped with a 4 kW DDL resonator that can achieve a 20% productivity improvement. This gain is derived from its use of nitrogen, a reduction in piercing time due to a beam-on approach pierce, and an increase in cutting speed thanks to its higher light harvesting. What’s more, the DDL is capable of rapid traverse rates of 100 m/min in the X axis, 36 m/min in the Y axis and 30 m/min in the Z axis. If production is interrupted by an alarm, the ‘Quick Program Restart’ function makes it possible to quickly restart the machine, reducing downtime.
The machine is also equipped with a new 3D head, developed with an independent Z axis and tapping units. Furthermore, new laser light shielding covers have been developed to cover both the loading and unloading sides of the machine.
High productivity is matched by quality of cut, with cutting quality for thick mild steel comparable to a CO2 laser, reports the company.
Mazak says that the Fabri Gear range has long been popular in the construction industry due to its ability to cut round, square and rectangular pipe or tube often used in building projects.
For further information www.mazakeu.co.uk

Schwäbische Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH (SW), a specialist in challenging, workpiece-specific production systems for metalworking, is expanding its portfolio with a third plug-and-play-capable manufacturing cell.

The complete system consists of a BA3 series two-spindle horizontal five-axis machining centre, a loading module with integrated six-axis robot, and a vertical pallet storage unit for raw and finished parts.
SW’s latest module enables loading and unloading of the machining centre in parallel to machining time, and is completely integrated with the basic machine at the company’s plant. This process makes it possible to achieve especially short start-up times at the customer site. The machine, robot and workpiece storage system are designed as a crane hook solution to meet specific customer needs. Overhead robot mounting in the loading module provides more freedom of motion. The pallet storage is offset to the side, thus also allowing for manual loading of tools into the machine while requiring very little space. A maximum storage of 24 pallets (600 x 400 mm) can be offered.
Under the motto “Be Pro”, the machine made its exhibition debut at the recent AMB 2018 exhibition, where it could be seen producing electronics housings for an electric drive.
SW has also developed its own Cloud solution. The SW CloudPlatform gives customers transparent and user-friendly access to the machine information and process data of their machining centres. Continuous performance monitoring of machining centres ensures greater transparency over the entire manufacturing process.
For further information www.sw-machines.de

Starrag has announced a world first in Droop + Rein vertical milling centres with the launch of three machines – led by the FOGS HD “which takes heavy-duty cutting to the next level” – and the NEO update of existing series machines.

The latest developments and updates all involved existing machine designs and complete the Droop + Rein product range of large vertical milling centres. Of overhead gantry design are the newly developed FOGS HD and updated FOGS NEO/N40 machines; of floor-guided gantry design are the latest GS and GFS NEO/N40 models; and of portal design are the updated TS and TFS NEO/N40 machines.
Following Starrag’s philosophy of modular design, the FOGS HD with hydrostatic guideways can be supplied with a choice of control systems, table configurations, milling heads, tool-changing system and spindles – rated up to 100 kW/7500 Nm – to satisfy even the most demanding tasks asked of its X, Y and Z axes travels of 31, 6 and 2.5 m, respectively. Feed rates are 40 m/min in X and Y, and 20 m/min in Z.
Droop + Rein’s evolutionary update of its milling technologies is exemplified by the machines with the NEO designation, and this work includes a newly devised rack and pinion drive system for the ram (Z axis) and an integrated C axis design of ±400° using a torque drive.
The enhancements to the NEO machines’ main milling drive – which utilises the multi-functionality of a 40 kW main spindle drive and head change, and are designated as N40 models – include a newly developed main drive motor and two-stage gearbox that can now be extended to 60 kW and 1800 Nm in S6 mode.
For further information www.starrag.com

Starting January 2019, Sunnen is bringing direct sales and service to Canada, providing an enhanced customer experience and full access to the company’s total bore solutions.

The establishment of a Canada-based sales and support team will provide increased access to customer service and offer the full support of Sunnen’s corporate headquarters located in St Louis, Missouri. Sunnen products were previously available in Canada via a factory authorised distributor. All Canadian orders and customer-service requests will now be handled directly by a staff of sales representatives and technical personnel located in Canada.
For further information www.sunnen.com

Taking place on 14-17 January at the Expo Centre in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, SteelFab will mark 15 years as a major technology showcase in the Middle East.

Indeed, the exhibition has evolved to become the region’s premier trade show for metalworking, metal manufacturing and steel fabrication. At the 2019 show, visitors will not fail to notice the strong macro-economic tailwinds propelling industrial growth in the Middle East. Significant among them is the rise in oil prices, which along with easier fiscal consolidation and tax reforms, helped to register UAE growth of 3.8% in 2018.
At SteelFab 2019, Haas and BLM will be among new machine tool exhibitors taking their place, while a new UK Pavilion will shine the spotlight on companies such as Chester Machine Tools, Kingsbury, Kitchen & Walker and Brierley. Heavy-duty machine tool specialist, Broadbent Stanley, will also be present. In total, 300 exhibitors from 23 countries are expected to take part. Spanning six halls, it is anticipated that over 7000 visitors will attend the show.
For further information www.steelfabme.com