Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has introduced full IP54 protection for its latest range of Absolute Arm models, together with other usability improvements and compatibility with the HxGN SFx asset management service. From ultra-high-accuracy probing with the Absolute Arm Compact to high-productivity 3D laser scanning with the Absolute Arm 7-Axis and Absolute Scanner AS1, every new Absolute Arm model will be fully equipped for the demands of measuring and monitoring in the most challenging measurement environments.

According to Hexagon, an IP54 protection rating is a market first for portable measuring arms and comes alongside a further environment-related improvement that sees the system’s maximum operating temperature increased to 45°C. Together with the Absolute Arm’s portability and versatility, these updates complete a package that is suitable for the demands of the hot and dusty environments in which metrology-grade inspection is used all over the world.

“In the past few years we’ve seen a migration in where our arms are being used,” explains Anthony Vianna, product director – portable measuring arms. “Whereas once most arms would sit in a nice clean metrology room, today we see them used on shop floors, in foundries and close to machining centres. That’s why this update to the Absolute Arm is so important – we want our customers to go into those environments with total confidence that they can measure anywhere.”

Also arriving with this update are improvements to the functionality of the Absolute Arm wrist display, now upgraded to a touchscreen, and the RDS software that drives it. These are changes intended to further enhance the ease of on-the-ground measurement processes by bringing more functionality to the point of measurement and reducing trips back and forth between the arm and its control computer.

For further information www.hexagonmi.com

AMRC North West will help businesses unlock productivity and sustainability gains and keep the UK’s advanced manufacturing sector ‘ahead of the pack’, the Industry Minister said as he opened the new £20m applied research and development facility in Lancashire. Lee Rowley, Minister for Industry at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), added that AMRC North West is a key innovation asset for the region and beyond.

The applied research centre, which sits at the heart of the Samlesbury Aerospace Enterprise Zone in Preston, has been built using a £20m grant from the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership Growth Deal and extends the University of Sheffield’s AMRC footprint across the north. It was opened by the Industry Minister accompanied by Koen Lamberts, president and vice-chancellor at the University of Sheffield, and Debbie Francis, chair of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership.

For further information
www.amrc.co.uk

The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) is to host a two-day conference that will drive the uptake of robotics and automation across UK manufacturing and address the widening productivity gap. ‘Robotics and Automation – A New Perspective’ will take place on 4-5 May and enable delegates from a range of industries to share insights into the transformational benefits of cutting-edge robotic technologies in development at the MTC.
Mike Wilson, MTC chief automation officer, says: “The UK lags behind many industrialised nations in its adoption of robotics – currently 24th in the world. Such a slow uptake is undoubtedly holding industry back. This conference aims to change that and instil confidence in manufacturers seeking transformation. Pioneers of robotics will be on hand to highlight successful projects that have reaped the benefits of intelligent automation, and help people make the right decisions.”

For further information www.bit.ly/3KHWVQ0

The recent replacement an older grinding machine with a new Studer S121 universal cylindrical grinder from UK agent Micronz has ensured the efficient production of premium-quality ring gauges offering sub-micron levels of accuracy at the Bradford manufacturing facility of Bowers Group.

Metrology group technical director at Bowers, Tom Parry, says: “An older grinder, used to internal-grind our ring gauges, was beginning to need regular maintenance so we recently made the decision to purchase a new machine. We’ve been very impressed with the precision and efficiency of a Studer S33 grinder that we installed several years ago. This machine is now in constant use grinding spindles and other high-precision components.

“After carefully evaluating market alternatives we came to the conclusion that the Studer S121 best met our challenging, sub-micron precision grinding requirements,” he continues. “It helped our decision that, although we chose the S121 on its technical merits, the Studer machine was actually less expensive than some of the less able grinders that we saw. Now installed in our dedicated, temperature-controlled precision grinding department, the Studer S121 has significantly improved our ring gauge manufacturing capabilities. It’s providing outstanding sub-micron levels of grinding precision and enabling highly efficient production.”

The S121 universal cylindrical grinding machine accommodates medium-sized workpieces in both individual and small batch production runs. It has a swing diameter above the table of 400 mm and is able to process workpiece lengths, including clamping devices, of up to 300 mm. An internal length of up to 175 mm can be ground, while the S121 can handle workpieces of up to 125 kg.

For further information
www.micronz.co.uk

XYZ Machine Tools’ main stand (Hall 18, Stand 130) will not be short of new products with several machines making their UK exhibition debuts, including the new XYZ SS 65 sub-spindle lathe (pictured), a first for XYZ and one that is generating lots of interest due to its capability and competitive pricing. Introduced in response to demand from customers seeking increased productivity and less spindle downtime, the XYZ SS 65 features a 16.5 kW, 4000 rpm main spindle with 65 mm bar capacity and 200 mm diameter chuck as standard, complemented by an 11 kW, 5000 rpm sub-spindle featuring a 52 mm bore and 150 mm chuck.

Also making its MACH debut will be the XYZ ProTurn RLX 780 lathe. While not new to the range, the sheer scale of this machine has precluded it from being shown before. Weighing in at 8600 kg, the machine features a swing over the bed of 780 mm (1090 mm in the gap) and a distance between centres of 3000 mm. The spindle is powered by a 32 kW motor with the gearbox providing two speed ranges from 20 to 1300 rpm.

For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com