INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Hypertherm puts on a show

With a record number of visitors to the stand, the 19th edition of the recent Schweissen & Schneiden exhibition (Netherlands, October) was a huge success for Hypertherm. The introduction to X-Definition – the new class of plasma, the live cutting demonstrations and the interactive stand were highly appreciated by visitors.

Those attending the show could attend impressive cutting displays. For instance, metal artist Marcel Boonen demonstrated the capabilities of the latest generation of Powermax plasma cutters, the Powermax45 XP, by creating steel paintings and other metal art live on the stand.
Through a live, online connection with Hypertherm’s Cutting Technology Centre at its EMEA headquarters in the Netherlands, the cut quality and speeds of the new XPR300 and XDefinition plasma were ably demonstrated.
Interactive tables that allowed visitors to browse product information, along with the virtual reality game ‘Be amaze-d’, completed the visitor interactive experiences on the stand.
“The technologies we used on our stand clearly portrayed our ‘Shaping Possibility’ company vision”, says Theo Cornielje, regional director for the EMEA region. “They allowed us to explain our technologies in depth, show the systems’ capabilities and guide visitors to the solution that best fits their cutting needs.”
Hypertherm designs and manufactures advanced cutting products for use in a variety of industries such as shipbuilding, manufacturing and automotive repair. Its product lines include plasma, laser and waterjet cutting systems, in addition to CNC motion and height controls, CAM nesting software, robotic software, and consumables.
For further information www.hypertherm.com

Mazak launches laser automation cell

Yamazaki Mazak unveiled its latest laser automation cell at Blechexpo in Stuttgart last week. The OPTIPLEX 3015 DDL 4.0 kW laser processing machine features Direct Diode Laser technology unique to Mazak, complete with a new robotic automation system. Those requiring ultra-fast cutting and high-quality edges are set to benefit most.

According to Mazak, the OPTIPLEX DDL series can cut thin material 20% faster than fibre lasers, and thick materials with high surface quality. The machine has an axis acceleration of 1.8 G and benefits from rapid traverse rates of 120 m/min. Positioning accuracy is maintained to within ±0.05 mm per 500 mm in the X and Y axes, and to within ±0.01 mm per 100mm in the Z axis. The machine also offers repeatability accuracy of ±0.03 mm in the X, Y and Z axes.
Crucially, the OPTIPLEX DDL is a machine capable of a wall plug efficiency of 40-50%, compared with 10% for a CO2 resonator, 15-20% for a disc resonator and 30-40% with a fibre resonator.
At Blechexpo, the machine on display was shown as part of a new automation cell that incorporates a robotic arm mounted to rails adjacent to the cutting table, to load and unload workpieces. The arm can quickly change between sorting tools – which are mounted directly to the robot’s base – depending on application and the size and weight of the workpiece. To deliver fast and accurate machining, the cell’s laser table is equipped with an automatic clamp to secure the workpiece’s position on the table. This is especially useful for cutting thin vinyl-protected material.
For further information www.mazakeu.co.uk

Record-breaking steel supports

The William Cook group, based in Sheffield, has cast the first of up to 50 record-breaking steel supports for a flagship new viaduct to be employed by the Paris Metro system.

A cast steel column is being developed to support the 600m-long viaduct and elevated metro station in a multi-million project led by French architect Marc Mimram and the Parisian transport agency RATP. Weighing in at as much as 12 tonnes and up to 7m tall, the columns are the largest castings ever poured at William Cook’s Sheffield foundry.
A pair of full-size prototypes has already been cast by the company.
For further information www.william-cook.co.uk

Best ever EMO for Walter Ewag

Walter Ewag UK is reporting the “best ever EMO” after orders valued at more than €30m were placed at the show for Walter and Ewag tool grinders/eroders, and Walter tool measurement machines. The record order intake for more than 100 machines does not include orders taken for the other United Grinding Group brands exhibited.

Included in the host of new developments and machines shown at EMO by Walter was the Helitronic Vision Diamond 400L two-in-one tool grinding and erosion machine – for PCD, carbide, HSS, ceramic, cermet and CBN tools from 3 to 315 mm diameter and up to 420 mm long – and the Heliset Plus manual measuring device which is said to help optimise the erosion (machining) times of complex tools by up to 30%. Ewag’s display included the new six-axis Ewag Compact Line for the grinding (including peripheral grinding) of inserts in tungsten carbide, cermet, ceramic, PCBN and PCD.
For further information www.walter-machines.com

Mazak joins MachiningCloud platform

MachiningCloud, a product data provider for cutting tools, CNC machines and workholding equipment, has announced a new partnership with Mazak.

As a result, Mazak customers will have direct access to complete and up-to-date cutting tool product data from global cutting tool and workholding manufacturers, providing a simpler way to find the right tooling. Customers will have direct access to current and complete tooling data without the hassle of searching through printed catalogues and multiple websites to find the ideal tooling. This convenience and efficiency will save time and increase accuracy on the shop floor.
For further information www.machiningcloud.com