Since its founding in 1969, tool and machine manufacturer FOBA Laser Marking + Engraving (Alltec GmbH) has developed from a craft shop for mould making into an international provider of system solutions for laser marking.

The initially used solid-state and CO2 lasers were supplemented in 2004 by the first fibre laser in FOBA’s portfolio. Constant optimisation of the material and technologies make these today highly powerful marking lasers. As a result, FOBA’s systems can mark virtually any type of material in high quality, with durable characters.
For further information www.fobalaser.com

Industrial automation solutions provider Compac Srl of Urbino, Italy, has been acquired by LVD.

The pair have partnered together since 2016 to produce automatic warehouse systems for numerous LVD laser-cutting machine installations in Italy. LVD will add Compac systems for metal fabrication to its automation portfolio, broadening the choice of solutions for its punch press, fibre laser and tube-laser cutting machines for customers worldwide. The metal fabrication systems will be branded as LVD, while Compac will retain its brand for automation solutions supplied to other markets.
For further information www.lvdgroup.com

Steep mountain passes and narrow winding roads; this is how the first Vollmer sharpening machine found its way through the northern Italian Alps more than 25 years ago.

The machine’s destination was saw blade manufacturer Moreschi, in the small town of Vilminore di Scalve. A strong partnership has linked the two companies ever since, with Moreschi today relying on Vollmer CHD, CHF and CM grinding machines for sharpening carbide-tipped circular saws, and the Loroch KSC-710 series of machines for sharpening HSS circular saws.
Marco Moreschi, CEO, confirms that the company is “currently using more than 15 Vollmer and Loroch machines”.
Eight CNC-controlled axes, along with measuring technology, make the CHD 270 suitable for automatically machining carbide-tipped circular saw blades with an outer diameter of between 80 and 840 mm, while thanks to its fixed grinding unit and solid structure, the CM 300 grinding machine achieves precision for circular saw blades with a diameter between 200 and 1440 mm. When it comes to extremely large dimensions, right up to circular saw blades with a diameter of 2200 mm, Moreschi uses Vollmer’s CHM and CHMF 400 grinding machines. These two models, with five CNC axes each, grind the tooth face and tooth top of the saw teeth, as well as their sides.
Moreschi’s international customer base includes numerous companies from the steel and metal alloy industry, meaning that the blades are used mainly by large manufacturers, as well as in saw mills. Since customer requirements can differ greatly, Moreschi provides advice that is tailored to each individual customer, supported by custom-produced saw blades.
For further information www.vollmer-group.com

Laser Lines has been named as an exclusive UK reseller of SISMA’s laser-welding systems, which are suitable for customers in the industrial and mould-tool repair markets requiring manual, semi-manual and automatic solutions.

Italy-based SISMA offers both entry-level solutions for one-off welding applications, often used in the dental and jewellery industries, as well as more complex systems, which include advanced movement and programmable welding path features that can incorporate robotics. Laser Lines will be selling units based around both lamp-pumped and fibre-laser technologies.
For further information www.laserlines.co.uk

Advanced Grinding Solutions of Coventry has struck a partnership with the Italian filtration system manufacturer Comat.

Chris Boraston, MD at AGS, explains the rationale behind the new joint venture: “We’ve been importing a wide range of grinding and finishing machinery into the UK for decades, and have previously relied upon the choice of the machine builders that specify filtration units for their machines. This has worked reasonably well, but has proven to be problematic in recent years because either UK-based support for the filter units was non-existent or, if it was, we found it increasingly difficult to get good and fast support. This is because most UK-based distributors of filter systems are usually excluded from the purchasing process as filters are mostly bought turnkey directly from machine makers.”
It transpired that Rollomatic, which is AGS’ biggest agency and supplies many tool grinding machines into the UK every year, was working closely with Comat. AGS was therefore given excellent references for its systems and subsequently arranged to visit the company, which is based near Milan.
Comat manufactures super-filtration systems that deliver ≤2-3 μm filtration quality, making oil cleaner than new, unused oil. Importantly, this occurs throughout the entire working cycle, while minimising lifetime running costs and maintaining maximum coolant consistency.
Importantly for AGS and its UK end users, Comat filter systems use the company’s ‘Intelligent Performance Technology’, which allows remote monitoring in real-time during the manufacturing processes to ensure that optimum filtration quality is obtained at all times. Of course, remote diagnostics is part of this offer and overcomes most of the issues AGS had with other filter units. Furthermore, depending upon the model, the Comat filter units can be monitored, controlled and optimised by integrated controls, or externally by PCs, tablets or smartphones.
For further information www.advancedgrindingsolutions.co.uk