INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Predator distributor for UK market

The CNC Training Academy, the independently-operated training division of Mills CNC, has announced that it has become the principal distributor of Predator machine monitoring and shop-floor control technology software systems and solutions in the UK and Ireland.

The distributor agreement signed with US-based Predator Software Inc will see the CNC Training Academy provide Predator hardware, software, systems training, and aftersales service and support. Predator software is designed to deliver shop-floor automation, machine monitoring and networking solutions.
For further information www.millscnc.co.uk/training

Rod mill equipment contract

Jianlong Beiman Special Steel Co Ltd, based in Qiqihar, China, has awarded SMS Group a contract to supply core equipment for a high-speed wire-rod mill. The centrepiece of the mill, which has an annual capacity of 500,000 tons, is a 10-stand wire rod finishing block. To comply with the metallurgical requirements of the finished products, the wire-rod mill has been designed for low-temperature rolling.

Saarstahl AG

In addition to the wire-rod finishing block, the scope of supply includes two cantilevered roughing stands, a group of shears upstream of the block, and a loop-laying head including pinch-roll unit. What’s more, SMS group is supplying the design for the LCC (loop cooling conveyor) with three-fan technology, as well as the coil-handling system. Commissioning will take place in spring 2019.
For further information www.sms-group.com

Latest tooling lines from Mapal

Mapal will give a UK exhibition premiere to a complete range of new products (hall 17, stand 420).

For instance, the arrival of the CPR500/510 replaceable-head reamer will be a centrepiece of the hole-making series with its optimised cooling channels. These CVD-coated reamers are designed to extend tool life as the solid-carbide replaceable heads introduce a new coating technology that has been especially developed for machining castings.
Available in diameters from 8 to 40 mm, a major development of the CPR500/510 is its cooling sleeve. The issue of cooling is critical when machining castings due to the abrasiveness of the material, which is now resolved through the internal coolant supply and outlets that direct fluid at the cutting edges. Also on show will be a complete programme of ISO indexable inserts for boring steel, stainless steel and heat-resistant cast steel.
For further information www.mapal.com

Largest profile surface grinder from GER

International Manufacturing Solutions Ltd (IMSL), the UK agent for GER, has announced the launch of the GER SR 400-100 CNC plane and profile surface grinder. Although the 4 m grinder is currently the largest profile surface grinder manufactured by GER, if required, the company is able to produce machines with capacities of up to 6 m.

The 4000 x 1000 mm capacity machine was initially developed for an Austrian manufacturer of press tools, and is equipped with a 500 mm diameter x 100 mm wide wheel head incorporating a 30 kW spindle motor and three independent rotary diamond dressers. All slideways incorporate precision ball screws, Fanuc drive motors and Heidenhain linear scales. Control is via Fanuc 0i-TD.
GER’s SR 400-100 has a vertical distance (table to wheel spindle centre) of 1000 mm and a maximum component weight capacity of 4300 kg. Perlite cast iron is used for all of the machine’s major castings, which are ribbed and feature box-section construction.
The machine’s X-axis table guideways are mounted directly to the front section of the bed, enabling the table to accept much heavier loads while still achieving smooth movement at high speeds, says GER; a design principle that also applies to the machine’s Z-axis column guideways.
A motor assembly mounted inside a heavy cast casing within the column structure is a feature of the machine’s wheel head. This heavy-duty assembly balances the generated masses and, as it is mounted at the rear of the guideways, limits wheel head overhang to avoid deflections under demanding grinding conditions.
For further information www.imsl.eu

Automated loading options extended

Two new automatic loading developments for the large-capacity Helitronic Vision 400L grinder and two-in-one Vision Diamond 400L grinding/eroding machine have been announced by Walter Ewag: the Top-Loader and Robot Loader 25.

Top-Loader features a pneumatic swivel arm with gripper to integrate with Walter’s standard robot pallet system for tools up to 32 mm diameter. The two-pallet system, one each for blanks and finished tools, can each accommodate up to 500 tools (depending on size).
The Robot Loader 25, meanwhile, can accommodate 21 tools of up to 315 mm diameter and 25 kg in weight (or 28 tools of up to 220 mm diameter; 70 tools up to 105 mm diameter). Equipped with a Fanuc robot and featuring new software that accommodates the ‘random’ loading and storage of tools and blanks in HSK holders on up to seven pallets, the efficiency and effectiveness of the Robot Loader 25 is enhanced by laser marking for tool set-up and optional ‘diameter determination’ functionality for automatic operation.
Both the Walter Helitronic Vision 400L tool grinder and Helitronic Vision Diamond 400L can accommodate tools up to 315 mm diameter and 420 mm long. The latter can process (grind/erode) rotationally symmetrical precision tools in PCD, carbide, HSS, ceramic, cermet and CBN in a single set-up.
For further information www.walter-machines.com