Said to be universally applicable across the aerospace, mechanical engineering and mould and die sectors, DMG Mori has released its DMU 340 Gantry machining centre. The machine has a one-piece, thermo-symmetrical EN-GJS-600 cast-iron machine bed accommodating a working volume of 3400 x 2800 x 1250 mm, which is expandable to 6000 mm in the X axis and 1500 mm in Z.

Linear drives in the X and Y axes offer up to 0.5 G acceleration and (optionally) 90 m/min rapid traverse rates. The drives combine with a ram featuring an integrated, direct-drive C axis, as well as a B-axis milling head with direct drive and 50° swivel, to provide a fully interpolative five-axis machining platform for producing large, complex components. According to DMG Mori, the machine achieves surfaces finishes down to Ra 0.3 µm.
The standard machine version with 4400 x 2700 mm table accommodates workpieces weighing up to 10,000 kg, although the maximum load can be trebled on request.
A range of HSK-A63 and HSK-A100 motor spindles, manufactured in-house, is available rated up to 30,000 rpm (or 79 kW or 430 Nm). The SK40-SpeedMaster with 15,000 rpm and 130 Nm is standard. There is space for 30 tools in the chain magazine, although an optional wheel magazine can accommodate 63 tools, extendable up to 183 pockets.
DMG Mori deploys its CELOS app-based control and operating interface to a Siemens or Heidenhain CNC system. An Industry 4.0-ready interface, which is compatible with ERP systems and can be linked to CADCAM applications, integrates the machine into a customer’s production environment.
For further information www.dmgmori.com

Schunk’s ‘Expert Days on Service Robotics’, now reaching its 10th anniversary, will this year take place from 28 February to 1 March under the theme ‘Smart Future with Cobots and Co-acts’.

Staged at Schunk’s headquarters in Lauffen/Neckar, Germany, the topic spectrum will range from cobot usage in logistics and distribution, through complex control and monitoring technology for robotic systems, to value creation with the help of data-supported methods such as machine learning, visual perception or speech recognition.
For further information www.expertdays.schunk.com

In 1993, Schuler delivered the first three hot-stamping lines to automobile manufacturer Ford in the USA. What was a new method at the time has since established itself on the market as a global forming technology for automotive lightweight construction – and the trend continues unabated: Schuler has now sold what is the 100th hot-stamping line to a Chinese automotive supplier.

“Compared with forming aluminium, CFRP and dual-phase steels, this technology is an inexpensive alternative for lightweight automobile construction,” says Daniel Huber, the head of Division Hydraulic at Schuler. Oemer Akyazici, CEO of Schuler China, adds: “Chinese automobile manufacturers and automotive suppliers, such as Shanghai Superior Die Technology and Baowei are increasingly turning to hot stamping.”
For further information www.schulergroup.com

Trumpf reports that it has acquired the laser manufacturer Amphos, which was founded in 2010 as a spin-out from RWTH Aachen and the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT.

Amphos develops and produces ultrashort pulsed lasers with high output power for manufacturing and research applications. The key to Amphos lasers is InnoSlab technology, which was co-developed by the company’s founders while still a part of ILT. InnoSlab will allow Trumpf to open up an entirely new range of parameters for its ultrashort pulsed lasers.
Amphos develops ultrashort pulsed lasers that feature output power between 200 and 400 W. The company also offers high-power lasers for research applications that have an output as high as 1.5 kW. Headquartered at the Herzogenrath technology centre in Aachen, Amphos and Trumpf agreed to not disclose the purchase price.
For further information www.trumpf.com