INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Solutions from coarse to high-purity parts cleaning

Whether solvent or water-based cleaning, initial or final cleaning, or ultra-fine and high-purity cleaning, the tasks in parts cleaning have never been as varied as they are today. Ecoclean (Hall 10, Stand D36) will be presenting a complete product portfolio for these very different applications and requirements in the various industrial sectors at the Parts2Clean 2025 exhibition.

As a full-service provider of future-oriented, flexible and resource-efficient solutions for industrial component cleaning, Ecoclean and UCM will be presenting a tailored range of products and services at this year’s Parts2Clean on 7-9 October in Stuttgart.

Four cleaning systems will be on show. These include the new EcoCvario aqueous chamber system, which is equipped with PPC as standard and can therefore handle even very demanding cleaning tasks reliably and economically.

The cost-efficient and flexible EcoCcompact for solvent cleaning will be shown in the L version. Notably, this product family is available in three working chamber sizes, and batch weights of up to 150 kg and can be easily converted from hydrocarbon to modified alcohol. Adapted to the cleanliness requirements, these compact plug and play systems can be equipped with all process technologies available for solvent cleaning and for use in high-purity cleaning.

With the UCMIndexLine, the manufacturer is presenting a compact rotary indexing system. Equipped with six cleaning and rinsing stations – with and without ultrasound or PPC – almost all processes for aqueous-based precision cleaning can be mapped. The system was designed for cleaning small and compact components.

Ecoclean will also be exhibiting the UCMCombiLine, a modular ultrasonic cleaning system for low throughputs and high cleanliness requirements.

More information www.ecoclean-group.net

Boost For UK Steel

British steelmakers stand to make millions extra a year as the EU gets rid of its steel tariffs following the UK Government’s EU deal signed in May. It means UK steelmakers will be able to export more steel used for large building projects to the EU tariff-free, supporting the UK’s wider economic growth ambitions. The move follows the decision to take control of British Steel following years of mismanagement – a decision that the Government says saved thousands of jobs and secured Britain’s place as a steelmaker. The UK steel sector supports around 40,000 jobs across 1145 firms, with a further 61,000 jobs in related sectors.

More information www.gov.uk

Key European role for FANUC’s Bouchier

Tom Bouchier, managing director of factory automation specialist FANUC UK and FANUC Ireland, will take on the additional role of northern Europe co-ordinator, vice president FANUC Europe, from 1 September 2025. FANUC says this strategic appointment demonstrates its commitment to strengthening the company’s European sales strategy and reinforcing collaboration across the region.

In his expanded remit, Bouchier will provide co-ordination and guidance across northern Europe, supporting FANUC UK’s continued growth and alignment with the company’s broader European goals. He says: “In my expanded role, I’m looking forward to aligning the goals and aims of FANUC UK and FANUC Ireland with those of FANUC EU, bridging the gap towards a more successful, innovative and productive manufacturing sector.”

More information www.fanuc.eu

Start-up programme to accelerate innovation

Digital transformation specialist PTC has launched a new start-up programme to help early-stage companies bring new products and innovations to the aerospace and defence market faster. The initiative offers free access to PTC software that includes its Creo+ software-as-a-service (SaaS) CAD solution, Onshape cloud-native CAD and product data management (PDM) platform. Firms can also tap into the Codebeamer+ application lifecycle management (ALM) solution, as well as a start-up package for its Arena product lifecycle management (PLM) and quality management system (QMS) solutions.

More information www.bit.ly/3GXIxHc

Fine-pitch milling cutter suits aluminium parts

Kyocera Corporation has launched its MD90 super-fine pitch cutter, a new milling tool specifically designed for machining aluminium parts in industries such as automotive.

In recent years, there has been a growing demand for lightweight, high-strength aluminium components, driven by advancements in vehicle fuel efficiency and the rise of electric vehicles (EVs). Additionally, the increasing use of smaller machines in manufacturing sites has created a need for cutters that can efficiently and effectively process machines aluminium parts. According to Kyocera, the MD90 not only meets these needs but also offers potential cost savings through its high efficiency and quality, making it an attractive option for manufacturers.

The MD90 features a 24-insert design with a diameter of 125 mm, enabling efficient and high-quality machining of aluminium components.

Among the main benefits of the MD90 include the ability to maximise machining efficiency. The proprietary shape of the holder ensures high rigidity, even with super-fine pitch specifications. This design reduces chattering and enables efficient machining with a table feed of Vf ≥24,000 mm/min.

Lightweight aluminium holders are a further advantage, ensuring suitability for small machines tools (BT30).

With the MD90, Kyocera says customers will gain from high-quality production. PCD inserts are specifically engineered to reduce burr, achieving surface roughness of 0.8 μm Ra or less. Moreover, the company says that the double coolant holes and streamlined chip pocket structure offer excellent chip control performance, ensuring smooth and precise machining and long tool life.

Of course, every application presents unique requirements. For this reason, the MD90 is available with customised configuration options. Cutting diameters range from 20 to 350 mm diameter, and the cutting-edge geometry can be precisely tailored to suit specific operational demands. This level of flexibility ensures optimal utilisation of the tool’s full potential.

More information www.kyocera-unimerco.com