INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Milling, EDM and laser texturing

GF Machining Solutions, a specialist in three- and five-axis milling, laser texturing, and automation and tooling systems, will be showcasing a range of its technology solutions at the exhibition (hall 20, stand 460).

Six machines will be on the stand: two AgieCharmilles wire EDM machines (a Cut P 550 and Cut 1000); two Mikron five-axis machining centres (a Mill P 500U and HSM 200U LP); an AgieCharmilles Form P 350 die-sink EDM machine integrated with a System 3R WorkPartner 1+ automation system; and an AgieCharmilles Laser P 400 laser-texturing machine.
For further information www.gfms.com/uk

Intelligent measurement from Hexagon

The latest large-scale portable laser scanner will be among a raft of measurement technologies highlighted by Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence (hall 18, stand 430).

The Leica Absolute Scanner LAS-XL not only offers a scan-line width of up to 600 mm and measurement stand-off distance of up to 1 m, but accuracy to within 150 µm. Hexagon says the scanner’s expanded measurement field and point acquisition rate means components and assemblies such as large blade surfaces or aircraft and rail carriage interiors can be digitised faster than ever before.
Speed is also the hallmark of Hexagon’s Romer Absolute all-purpose, portable measuring arm, which will be demonstrating its rapid 3D data capture capability via a new integrated RS4 scanner. Thanks to an ultra-wide laser strip of up to 150 mm, the RS4 scanner is able to acquire 752,000 points per second, reducing the number of passes required to fully scan a part.
For further information www.hexagonmi.com

12 machines on DMG stand

Digitisation and complete machining with CNC technology will be presented by DMG Mori (hall 20, stand 490). In total, 12 machines will be on display.

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Among them will be the company’s latest DMC 80 FD DuoBlock universal machining centre (equipped with a pallet changer), which offers improvements of 30% in the core characteristics of precision, performance and efficiency, says DMG Mori.
The DMC 80 FD DuoBlock is capable of performing heavy-duty cuts on rotational parts – for instance in aerospace applications – with its HSK100 B-axis interface and PowerMaster 1000 spindle, which provides power of 77 kW, a maximum speed of 9000 rpm and torque of 1000 Nm. Additionally, DMG Mori offers the integration of grinding technology for the DMC 80 FD DuoBlock, guaranteeing surface finish to Ra <0.3 µm. For further information www.dmgmori.com

Ecological sawing in the spotlight

Kasto has introduced what it describes as a high-performance, economically priced bandsaw to leverage the benefits of either tungsten-carbide tipped (TCT) or bi-metal blades. At MACH 2018, visitors to Hall 7 Stand 365 will see that the KastoWin Pro AC 5.6 offers short cutting times, long blade life and intuitive operation.

Compared with standard KastoWin machines, the bandsaw can increase production efficiency by between 50 and 100%, more in some instances, depending on the type of blade and material being cut. Having an installed weight of 4.3 tonnes, the saw band is driven by an 11 kW frequency-controlled motor, delivering infinitely adjustable cutting speeds from 12 to 150 m/min. The maximum size of stock that can be cut is 560 mm and the smallest dimension is 25 x 25 mm, while the shortest residual length is 10 mm for individual offcuts and 35 mm in automatic operation.
The saw incorporates ecological design features that lower energy consumption, especially in the hydraulics. Kasto has complemented this technology by developing electro-mechanical down feed of the blade controlled via two ballscrews, each with a servo drive. The hydraulics system is therefore only responsible for workpiece clamping and saw blade tensioning, so is actuated far less than in the past, delivering an energy saving in this area of 93%.
All drives are controlled by intelligent converter technology, while dynamic parts such as the saw frame have been designed to be lighter. Overall, these measures have made it possible to achieve significant improvements in energy efficiency; consumption being on average 28% lower compared with Kasto’s previous bandsaw model of equivalent size.
For further information www.kasto.com

Blade evolution on show at MACH

At the forthcoming MACH exhibition at the Birmingham NEC next month, Vollmer (Hall 20, Stand 160) will be giving an exhibition debut to two machines for the processing of saw blades and cutting tools: the Loroch Evolution K850-M and Vgrind 360.

Incorporating a 19” touch-screen CNC that is comparable to a smartphone configuration, the Loroch Evolution K850-M allows blades to be programmed in minutes. Suitable for processing HSS, solid-carbide and friction saw blades, the machine has a direct-drive grinding wheel configuration which reduces power loss and eliminates undesired vibration that can impact blade quality.
Capable of automatic processing, saw blades can be loaded from 130 to 520 mm diameter in random order, while manual loading will accommodate blades up to 850 mm diameter. To achieve the automated concept with differing bore sizes, bore-reducing rings can be used to create a common bore diameter. With eight CNC axes, just one clamping flange is required for blades from 130 to 850 mm diameter.
For manufacturers of carbide drills and milling cutters, the Vgrind 360 features two vertically arranged spindles and five harmonised CNC axes that achieve interpolation with short travel distances for both the linear axes and swivel ranges. Capable of processing cutting tools up to 200 mm diameter, the machine has a number of automation options for lights-out production that will be demonstrated at the show.
For further information www.vollmer-group.com