INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Shot-blast solution suits EV components

Due to rapidly growing demand for electric vehicle (EV) components, Alupress AG, a Brixen, Italy-based manufacturer of aluminium and magnesium die-castings, recently had to increase its shot-blasting capacity. For this purpose, the company purchased a continuous feed spinner hanger blast machine, including a transport system, from Rösler. The custom-engineered equipment design guarantees effective but also gentle de-flashing of workpieces without any risk of warping.

To ensure gentle but fast and effective de-flashing in continuous flow, the Rösler feed spinner hanger shot-blast machine features eight special turbines, each with an installed power of 11 kW. The turbines contain extra-wide throwing blades generating a particularly broad blast pattern. Furthermore, contrary to the standard placement of turbines on one side of the blast chamber, turbines are located on both sides.

This duplex turbine placement, together with the broad blast pattern, generates a gentle blast operation, significantly minimising the risk of warping. Meanwhile, the comparatively high blast media throughput, needed for the efficient de-flashing and cleaning of light metal components, ensures fast and effective shot-blasting operations.

Another feature preventing part warping is the workpiece carrier, which not only rotates during the shot-blast process but also oscillates back and forth in three positions. This guarantees the safe removal of flashes and burrs, even in difficult-to-reach areas like undercuts.


Necessary maintenance work is facilitated by multiple connections for cleaning equipment at different sections of the shot-blast machine.

A handling system ensures easy and trouble-free transport of the workpieces. At the load/unload station, the height of the workpiece carrier is adjustable to the height of the respective operator.

More information www.rosler.com

Optimising the finish of wind turbine bearings

Since 2008, Lippstadt, Germany-based Thyssenkrupp Rothe Erde has received six Dörries Contumat vertical turning and grinding machines from Starrag. Satisfied with the results, this specialist in large-diameter anti-friction bearings for wind turbines has now ordered the same model again, but with modified and optimised features.

Without large-diameter anti-friction bearings and rings from Thyssenkrupp Rothe Erde, many wind turbines would not be turning. These parts see use in the drives of nine out of 10 wind turbine manufacturers worldwide. The finishing of the bearings takes place on seven Dörries Contumat vertical turning and grinding machines, the latest arrival being a larger Dörries Contumat VC 6300/500 MC F.

The portal of the machine is designed to be larger than currently required. Indeed, the newly installed base supports a base table which holds a magnetic chuck with a 5 m diameter. It is possible to extend the base table to 6 m using ring segments, which allows it to support an even larger magnetic chuck. Furthermore, Starrag has installed a new grinding support on the left with a centrally positioned motorised grinding spindle.

Feedback from operating personnel was the impetus for further improvements. For example, Starrag changed the dressing position to eliminate the previous bottleneck to the protective cover. Now, it is easy to dress grinding wheels of all types (on the left and right) up to a diameter of 650 mm.

“It’s a significantly optimised, universal dresser,” states Hubert Erz, senior consultant for sales in the renewables sector at Starrag. “Multiple dressing positions allow operators to adjust the dressing process precisely to the grinding operation.”

More information www.starrag.com

Italian machine tool orders increase

In Q3 2024, Italy’s index of machine tool orders – compiled by the Economic Studies Department and Business Culture Centre of UCIMU – returned to positive territory by recording a 7.9% increase compared with the same period in 2023. Orders collected overseas reported a 10.7% upturn, while domestics orders saw a 4.3% rise. Riccardo Rosa, president of UCIMU, states: “The return of the order index to a positive sign after six consecutive quarters of decline is welcome news, because it interrupts a trend that has accompanied the sector for too long.”

More information www.ucimu.it

Stainless steel machining webinar

On 4 December, a Seco Tools webinar will explore the challenges of dynamic turning in stainless steel. This webinar is for all machining professionals wishing to deepen their understanding of difficult materials and chip control techniques.

The programme will span: metallurgy and machining challenges for stainless steel materials; the advantages of dynamic turning; and a Q&A session that will see Seco experts respond to questions in real time. Seco is advising machining professionals not to miss this opportunity to deepen their knowledge and improve their machining processes. The webinar will take place between 15:00 and 15:45 CET. Register at the link below.More information www.bit.ly/4fvILRL

B-axis tool spindle instead of a turret

Increasing component diversity and diminishing batch sizes tend to extend periods of unproductive set-up. The CLX TC turning centre series from DMG Mori addresses this issue by replacing the tool turret in the company’s CLX lathes with a ±120° swivelling B-axis tool spindle that offers positioning resolution of 0.001°. The new CLX 550 TC model is now available, joining the smaller capacity CLX 450 TC introduced in 2023.

A tool magazine offering space for up to 60 cutters (30 tools is standard) serves a CompactMaster 12,000 rpm turn-mill spindle with 90 Nm of torque. Tools can be loaded and unloaded in parallel with production to minimise machine downtime.

The main and counter-spindle motors are rated at 4000 rpm/720 Nm, maintaining flexibility when programming the machine to produce complex components on six sides in one hit. Users can deploy chucks up to 400 mm in diameter, while bar capacity is 102 mm.

Maximum workpiece size is 550 mm diameter by 1600 mm in length. The use of steady rests, which are available up to a workpiece diameter of 360 mm, is recommended for machining long components. A Y axis with 270 mm of travel allows eccentric machining.

DMG Mori’s Celos X user interface in conjunction with the Siemens Sinumerik One control and ErgoLine operating panel enable the use of multiple software offerings. They include OP Workbench to enhance the efficiency and productivity of machine operators, as well as dozens of app-based technology cycles.

In addition, 3D Shopfloor Programming, a joint development by DMG Mori and Siemens, uses the 3D model of a component from the design department to create an NC program mostly automatically based on underlying data. Automated feature recognition speeds programming time by up to 80%.

More information www.dmgmori.com