THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Okuma opens plant in Taiwan

Okuma, which is represented in the UK by NCMT, says it has put an advanced manufacturing facility into operation in Taiwan.

Using experience from its smart factories Dream Site 1 and Dream Site 2 in Japan, Okuma has applied the same level of automation and IoT connectivity to its new Taiwanese plant.
To achieve a production capacity of 300 machine tools per month, the facility utilises Okuma’s Connect Plan smart manufacturing solution to link machines, monitor operations and progress, and provide accurate work instructions through the IoT. Real-time data analysis and advanced visualisation of everything from machine utilisation to assembly work help maximise productivity and evolve manufacturing on a daily basis.
For further information www.okuma.eu

Growth matched with investment at LC Precision

Formed in 2013 when Lee Coles bought a one-man machining business, Weymouth-based LC Precision Engineering has achieved sales growth in excess of 600% over the past five years.

The company works across a variety of sectors, including defence, motorsport, nuclear and electronics, mainly focussing on work that could be produced on its three-, four- and five-axis vertical machining centres. To further develop its offer, the company has now invested in new turning capacity in the form of an XYZ SLX 1630 ProTurn lathe.
With five employees, including managing director Lee Coles, LC Precision Engineering may be a small business, but it has big ambitions. Over £175,000 has been spent on new equipment in the past two years.
The XYZ SLX 1630 ProTurn lathe is described by Coles as being “in a different league” when compared with his previous experience on manual lathes. While the SLX 1630 may be the entry point for ProTurn lathes, it comes with a cast bed and base, 400 mm swing over bed capacity, 760 mm distance between centres, and a 5.75 kW, 150-2500 rpm constant surface speed spindle.
The SLX ProtoTrak control was key in the decision by Coles to go with XYZ Machine Tools for his move into CNC turning: “The control system definitely sold the machine to us. We specialise in lower volume work with seven out of 10 jobs being one-offs. Therefore, the ability to easily programme complex forms and be confident that we will achieve a good part first time, every time – thanks to features like TRAKing and Do-One – makes a huge difference.”
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

Ground-breaking ceremony for new building

Pressen HAAS GmbH and PTF Maschinenhandelsgesellschaft mbH have constructed a new modern office and warehouse centre in Straßberg/Winterlingen. The recent growth of the two companies, which specialise in used machines for metal forming and sheet metal working, should continue and is supported by the new 2,500 sq m facility.

“In addition to trade in second-hand machines, it is above all the services that make the difference,” says Mario Kosjerina, one of three managing directors. “A large number of our customers are not satisfied with the mere delivery of machines. Modifications, overhauls, commissioning and training for local staff are essential service components. We are well aware that in addition to investing in buildings, an expansion also involves more staffing requirements. Therefore, we are of course looking for service personnel at
our new location.”
Since 2006, when Kosjerina took over press specialist Werner Haas, a lot has happened in the industry. Thomas Geisel, managing director on the board since 2011, adds: “The internet has changed the trade significantly in recent years. Offers have become more transparent, making comparability much easier for the customer. In order to stand out from the competition, the services for selling a used machine are therefore becoming increasingly important.”
Holger Keinath, who is primarily responsible for the concerns of PTF, adds: “By expanding our business activities with the takeover of PTF in 2012, we have moved from pure trading in metal-forming presses to a partner in the metalworking industry. There is nothing that we cannot obtain if we do not have the right machine in stock.”
For the future, both companies plan to expand their activities and enter new markets, focusing on emerging regions such as Vietnam, North Africa and Mexico, although the EU and Asian markets continue to be important. The export share of the two companies is over 50%.
For further information
www.pressen-haas.de www.ptf-maschinen.de

Mazak chosen for government 5G factory initiative

Yamazaki Mazak has been chosen as one of a select few UK companies to act as a ‘testbed’ for the deployment of next-generation 5G technology, with a view to improving commercial digital infrastructures and ultimately boosting productivity across the UK industrial sector.

5G is set to become the industry standard for connectivity in the future. With potential speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second, it could allow for industrial automation systems to operate at as-yet unseen speeds, as well as increase the speed of real-time analysis, meaning quicker reactions to any red flags and reduced downtime.
The consortium has been granted £4.8m in government funding to conduct the 5G testbed trial. This funding will be used to gauge how faster internet speeds can improve industrial productivity and advanced cyber security, via increased investment in next-generation technology. The work will include experimenting with preventative and assisted maintenance techniques using robotics, big data analytics and augmented reality, at the company’s European Headquarters, in Worcester.
For further information www.mazakeu.co.uk

New flagship range of measuring arms

Eight years after the launch of the first Romer Absolute Arm, Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has unveiled the latest Absolute Arm range, complete with a ground-up redesign.

A standout feature of the new Absolute Arm is its modular wrist design that allows both the RS5 laser scanner and pistol grip to be completely removed, facilitating easy probing in tight spaces. When reattached for laser scanning applications, a variety of grip sizes are available to ensure the best fit for every user. The newly developed wrist also features a display screen that allows for measurement result oversight, profile switching and calibration right at the point of measurement, reducing time spent switching attention between the arm and its control computer.
“Over the past eight years we’ve received a lot of positive and constructive customer feedback, and hopefully people will see how this has informed our design,” says Anthony Vianna, product manager for the Absolute Arm range. “Many customers told us they needed to measure in smaller and smaller spaces, like cavities or inside complex fixtures, and it was that sort of direct-from-the-user intelligence that drove us to create the most compact scanning configuration on the market today.”
The new Absolute Arm models are also available in a six-axis version designed for dedicated probing applications. Within this category is the new Absolute Arm Compact, with accuracy now to within just 6 µm. The full Absolute Arm range is available across seven sizes, with measurement radii from 1.2 to 4.5 m, and three levels of accuracy, resulting in 36 unique arm configurations.
For further information www.hexagonmi.com