With over 300 ATC (Automatic Tool Change) press brakes installed throughout Europe and more than 1000 globally, Amada is bringing the company’s proprietary ATC technology to its mid-range line-up for the first time. Previously only available on high-end press brakes such as the Amada HG-ATC and its predecessor the HD-ATC, the new Amada HRB-ATC mid-range model responds directly to market demand for a solution of this type using original Amada tooling.

The HRB-ATC features a full size ATC, offering exactly the same number of tool storage racks as the company’s high-end HG-ATC press brake. Furthermore, the machine comes with a package of Amada tools based on an assessment of the customer’s manufacturing requirements. Importantly, the HRB-ATC is completely compatible with Amada AFH/Promecam standard tool sets. As a result, any existing customer using these tools can load them manually to the new machine if desired.

A CNC press brake with ATC capability brings many advantages to companies that want to increase the amount of time their press brake is engaged in actual bending activities. The ATC can reduce set-up times by up to 80% in comparison with an operator loading a tool manually, which is a clear benefit for subcontractors or companies that undertake several tool layout changes a day.

With its ATC and rapid set-up potential, the new press brake is suitable for those processing small batch sizes. Subcontract fabricators serving markets such as refrigeration, kitchen equipment, retail display, furniture and construction, for instance, will benefit.

The machine is initially available as a 100 tonne/3 m model, with a 220 tonne/4 m model planned for release later this year.

For further information
www.amada.eu

CNC tube and pipe bending machines from Schwarze-Robitec have long since proven themselves in shipbuilding and the offshore industry. Therefore, after successfully using a CNC 220 HD (Heavy Duty) for the past two years, Norwegian company Framo has once again opted for a tube and pipe bending machine from the HD series. The CNC 80 HD processes tubes and pipes of various geometries for Framo’s piping systems with precision and speed.

From its headquarters in Bergen, Norway, Framo offers numerous solutions for demanding pumping operations on ships and offshore installations.
The single-stack CNC 80 HD is suitable for continuous use under heavy loads, bending tubes and pipes up to a diameter of 89 mm with a maximum wall thickness of 7.6 mm. In addition to smooth stainless-steel pipes, it is even possible to process high-strength duplex steel with dimensions of 65 x 5 mm. Both the CNC 220 HD and the CNC 80 HD have an integrated flange pipe device that eliminates the need for any subsequent flanging of pipes, reducing costs and boosting productivity.

Even before the bending process begins, Schwarze-Robitec uses special software to determine the perfect cut length. Certain factors, information on the material and empirical values are included in the calculation. The specification of the ideal cut length eliminates the need for subsequent reworking and corrective work steps. After the bending process, the tube or pipe is immediately ready for installation, shortening production times and reducing material costs.

For further information
www.schwarze-robitec.com

The National Centre for Eye Proton Therapy, part of The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust’s Wirral campus, is a world leader in the treatment of rare eye cancers. The advantage of proton treatment is that the penetration depth of the 60 MeV proton beam can be controlled and only has a maximum range of 31 mm in water, making it suitable for treating any position within the eye and, in many cases, preventing the complete removal of a patient’s eye.

Patients require four treatments over four consecutive days that each take just 20 minutes. Key to the success of that treatment is a small brass component called a collimator, which is tailor-made to shape the beam to cover a specific tumour, while protecting the surrounding area. These collimators are now being machined using a new XYZ 500 LR vertical machining centre, in a cycle time that is 95% shorter than before.

Prior to treatment, a patient has the affected eye scanned to precisely identify the size and position of the tumour. Following conversion of the scan into a DXF file, a Siemens CAD reader generates tool paths for the XYZ 500 LR. From receiving the scanned data to finished part now takes between 15 and 20 minutes (against more than two hours previously), with less than seven of those minutes actual machining time.

This significant time saving has two major benefits. First, it frees-up time in the workshop to carry out other tasks, and second, on those occasions where a quick turnaround is required, it is possible to complete machining of the collimator in the time it takes the radiographer to set-up the proton beam machine and prepare the patient for treatment.

For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland, has recently supplied ECAM Engineering with a new NHP 6300 horizontal machining centre.

Installed at the company’s 20,000 sq ft facility, it is the first horizontal machining centre acquired by the company in its 52-year history, as well as its first Doosan machine tool investment.

The arrival of the machine has not only increased ECAM’s machining capacity but also its production capabilities and will, over time, improve the company’s operational efficiencies and productivity levels.

Says ECAM’s managing director, Phil Arme: “We have a number of three-axis vertical machining centres at our disposal and use them to machine precision components, made from steel plate of varying thicknesses, that have previously been through our in-house steel profiling and fabrication processes. The arrival of the new NHP 6300, with its twin-pallet configuration and B-axis table, will enable us to machine these parts quicker and more efficiently. Furthermore, the new machine’s rigidity, large working envelope and BT 50 spindle technology provide significant opportunities for us to secure new contracts that involve the machining of larger and heavier components.”

The NHP 6300 supplied to ECAM includes a 37 kW/15,000 rpm BT50 spindle, a 60-tool servo-driven ATC and the latest Fanuc 31i control. Further features include roller LM guideways, a B-axis table that rotates in increments as small as 0.0001°, twin (630 mm) pallets, rapids of 60 m/min and axis travels of 1050 x 900 x 1000 mm.

Says Arme: “In the near future the machine will be used to machine steel components, often with intricate details and features, to high precision and tight tolerances.”

For further information
www.millscnc.co.uk

Subcon 2021 (14-16 September, Birmingham NEC) is free to attend for anyone working in UK manufacturing and engineering, with visitors also gaining access to two further co-located events: The Engineer Expo and – new for 2021 – the Manufacturing Management Show (MMS). The Engineer Expo provides UK engineering professionals with the latest in-house manufacturing and design solutions alongside cutting-edge developments in advanced engineering technologies.

MMS supplies attendees with everything they need to know about running a successful manufacturing site under one roof. From maintenance and materials handling, through to continuous improvement, skills, IT and health and safety, MMS showcases a multitude of topics curated specifically for the UK’s senior manufacturing leaders.

For further information www.theengineer-expo.co.uk, www.manufacturingmanagementshow.co.uk