INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Lubricant partnership

DMG Mori AG and Fuchs Petrolub SE have signed a collaboration agreement in which the pair intend to set standards with innovative product developments for machining lubricants. The goal of the technology partnership is to jointly develop new lubricant solutions and services for machine tool applications.

The plan also includes further progress in digitisation of production processes and condition monitoring of machines and plants. Today, a modern cutting fluid is subjected to a variety of demands. Cutting fluids for metalworking processes must be effective, economical and free from ingredients that are harmful to health and the environment. In process chains downstream of metalworking, customised cleaning agent solutions and process-compatible and reliable corrosion preventatives play a decisive role when it comes to production reliability and product quality. That is why optimally matched lubricant concepts are important – because all process steps must be taken into account. With its range of lubricants and application experience, Fuchs says that its cutting fluids are durable and economical in consumption.
For further information www.dmgmori.com

AP&T success

AP&T, which is headquartered in Ulricehamn, Sweden, has received another award for its proprietary production solution for the forming of high-strength aluminium.

The 2017 Quality Innovation Award was conferred by SIQ, the Swedish Institute for Quality. The committee of judges shared the following justification for its decision: “The new technology enables radical reduction of the material’s thickness and weight, which leads to lower fuel consumption and less environmental impact – at the same time increasing crashworthiness.”
For further information www.aptgroup.com

Qatar agrees contract for Typhoon

BAE Systems and the Government of the State of Qatar have entered into a contract, valued at approximately £5bn, for the supply of Typhoon aircraft to the Qatar Emiri Air Force along with a bespoke support and training package. The contract is subject to financing conditions and receipt by the company of the first payment, both of which are expected to be fulfilled no later than mid-2018.

The contract provides for 24 Typhoon aircraft with delivery expected to commence in late 2022. BAE Systems is the prime contractor for both the provision of the aircraft and the agreed arrangements for the in-service support and initial training. Charles Woodburn, BAE Systems chief executive, says: “We are delighted to begin a new chapter in the development of a long-term relationship with the State of Qatar and the Qatar Armed Forces, and we look forward to working alongside our customer as they continue to develop their military capability.”
For further information www.baesystems.com

Mubadala puts R&D front and centre

Mubadala has announced plans for its aerospace, renewables and ICT platform to invest a further AED82.5m in R&D over the next five years. The funding will be used to accelerate several technology development projects that focus on differentiating concepts from Industry 4.0, including 3D printing, digital manufacturing and advanced materials.

The programme will build on the success of an existing R&D initiative launched in September 2015, and will support the growth strategies of Strata Manufacturing (Strata) and Turbine Services & Solutions (TS&S), two of Mubadala’s aerospace/industrial businesses.
For further information www.mubadala.com

Six-axis tool grinder unveiled

The new six-axis Ewag Compact Line tool grinder from Walter Ewag has been designed as a small-footprint, flexible solution for the grinding of inserts in tungsten carbide, cermet, ceramic, PCBN and PCD. Peripheral grinding is also included in the machine’s capabilities, alongside optimised kinematics and C-axis motion, which together ensure the application of protective chamfers on the inserts’ main cutting edges.

According to Ewag, machine downtime is minimised by the Compact Line’s short travel distances and integrated six-axis Fanuc robot that offers agile handling and a high degree of flexibility for loading complex inserts. A ‘three-in-one’ dressing unit offers wheel dressing, regeneration and form ‘crushing’ (for profiling diamond grinding wheels) in a single package.
Machine traverses in the X, Y and Z axes are 450, 180 and 150 mm respectively, while axis resolution is 0.0001 mm. The 5.5 kW grinding spindle produces 10,000 rpm.
Machine usability and effectiveness is also said to be guaranteed by the integrated ProGrind software, while the Fanuc control system enables all grinding routines to be programmed quickly and easily via its user-friendly touch-screen panel.
For further information www.walter-machines.com