A clear view for coolant-intensive machining

Modern machines prevent the door being opened during operation for safety reasons, which makes it difficult for operators to view operations and cutting conditions.

Observing the actual machining process in the CNC machine without being impacted by coolant or chips can optimise manufacturers’ processes and improve working ergonomics and productivity.

Especially during intensive coolant use, clear visibility can increase workers’ productivity by reducing the time taken for setup and prove-out.  

Despite high quality coating of the machine windows and modern machine tool design, they still need a 'windscreen wiper', a spin window or rotary wiper, which cleans the window by centrifugal forces.

Dimac Tooling offers the integration of one of the most modern intelligent spin window solutions, the Pioneer rotary wiper spin window. 

The spin window is designed to provide visibility into machines with coolant system pressures of up to 80 bar, such as those found on through-tool coolant delivery systems.

The systems help address safety concerns because users have no need to bypass machine interlocks. Operators can view the process while remaining behind the safety window of the machine.

The compressed-air-driven spin windows are suitable for all types of CNC milling machines, lathes and machining centres.

For more information:
Tel: +61 3 9561 6155
Visit: www.dimac.com.au

Local benefit from Spanish deal

By Iain MacIntyre

New Zealand’s engineering industry may benefit from Auckland Transport appointing Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles SA (CAF) of Spain to build 57 new electric passenger trains.
Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) past national president Jim Kelly confirms an approach was received from CAF to discuss what potential role his members might play in building the carriages.
Mr Kelly says CAF also outlined its preferred method of operation was to build or obtain a workshop in the customer’s country and carry out most of the manufacture there, using a largely local workforce.
However, RMTU Hillside branch assistant secretary Dave Kearns says with the CAF workshop expected to be in the Auckland South area, the contract is unlikely to deliver major benefits for his workshop, which recently had 45 jobs slashed. He says any Hillside involvement would likely be limited to providing some componentry.
Based on the design of rolling stock supplied for the Heathrow Express in England, the new trains are expected to progressively enter service from the end of 2013.
They are being funded by a Government package consisting of a $500 million loan to Auckland Transport on concessionary terms and an additional grant of up to $90 million.

New Takanini distribution brings Webforge closer to Auckland clients

For more than 40 years, Webforge NZ has been the sole producer of forge-welded grating in New Zealand, operating from its headquarters in Palmerston North. For the past two months, the company has been setting up a distribution warehouse in Takanini, South Auckland, a plan that has been in the pipeline for more than a year.
Webforge NZ Auckland manager Luke Moncur says the time has come to expand the company’s operations and increase customer service and support levels.
“Based in our original location in Palmerston North, we have been ideally situated for many years to service our customer base.
“But in an ever increasing competitive market, companies must be willing to diversify and forge strong and lasting relationships with customers and suppliers alike. These relationships are built on quality, service, and efficiency.
“With this in mind we have diversified and opened an Auckland based distribution warehouse offering our Auckland and Upper North Island customers with the well known and reputable quality, great customer service and now even more efficient transactions for projects of any size in many industries.”
The Auckland branch will be the national distribution centre for Webforge’s entire range of expanded metal products—like walkway meshes, larger decorative meshes for carparks and school yards, security fencing, balustrading, architectural and agricultural meshes, sunscreens and mini meshes.
It will maintain an inventory of stock items from the rest of Webforge’s range to service maintenance and those in need of urgent supply.
All of Webforge’s products meet Australian standards. Its security fencing meshes are certified by the Department of Corrections and tested by  independent Australian universities.
One new product whose market will be developed out of the Auckland office is perforated sheets, which can be used in carparks, ballustrading infill barriers, machine guarding, noise suppression and industrial buildings, among others.
The newly opened Auckland branch is staffed by a dedicated team of professionals ready to assist with supply and offer cost effective solutions to many projects.
It has estimators to assist with specifications and procurement of clients coming from Auckland, Northland and Waikato. There is no minimum order requirement and it takes cash sales as well.
Luke says one benefit customers will get from their presence in Auckland is that orders placed before 1pm for delivery within the Auckland region will be made on the same day. But deliveries for big projects and those involving manufacturing and galvanizing will still be serviced out of Palmerston North.
Webforge, which is owned by American engineering conglomerate Valmont, will share its 900-square metre facility in Takanini with it’s sister company, Ingal Civil Products.
Its manufacturing plant in Palmerston North is supported by estimator and customer service teams. It offers an engineering service in support of its product range, including design and installation of the economically appropriate system for a particular application.

For more information:
Webforge (NZ) Ltd
Luke Moncur
Freephone: 0800 932 367
Mobile: 021 430 280
Visit: www.webforge.co.nz

Dealing with the Middle East takes patience, and cultural awareness

East Auckland-based specialised tooling manufacturer Formtool Precision Engineering reports a more than 200 percent increase in export volume to its clients in the Middle East over the last two years.
Formtool started exporting specialised notching tools and tool holders to Middle East steel mills, which it was able to develop with assistance from the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, about three years ago.
Today, the four steel mills listed in its export book, two of which are from the United Arab Emirates, require Formtool to courier tools at least once a month - a development that managing director Rodney Ewing says is “just fantastic”.
Mr Ewing understandably prefers to keep quiet about sales figures or the names of his clients but he estimates that, to Formtool, the Middle East market for steel mill tooling has a potential “much, much greater” than its New Zealand domestic market.
The company’s sole New Zealand steel mill tooling client Pacific Steel produces about 300,000 tons of steel products yearly, according to its website.
“At the moment we are talking about the four Middle East clients being able to produce 4 million tons a year. And there are others like them elsewhere in the area,” Rodney says.
No wonder Rodney visits the Middle East every eight months or so to go out with the company’s Middle East based agent on sales calls.
He says Formtool’s seven staff, five of whom are technical, had to make “slight adjustments” when the company started to service its export clients as the tooling orders had a lead time of only four weeks.
The products Formtool exports are used in a wide variety of notching machines. They are fabricated from the company’s CNC machining facility in Howick, Auckland out of carbide bars imported from Europe and steel sourced locally.
Formtool believes in supporting the local market and through their exporting they are able to provide additional work which benefits other New Zealand companies as well.
“The type of machines we make the tooling for, like Atomat, Shin-Ill and Herkules, of which there is only one machine in New Zealand. So anything we produce for our clients starts with their drawings and specifications. But we do work with our clients and, where necessary, recommend material changes to provide better quality,” Mr Ewing says.
Louis Twyman, a team Leader at Pacific Steel, indicated on his posting on Formtool’s website that because of the “material composition” of Formtool’s notching tool bits, they “last more than 30 percent longer and have far less edge breakages” than other products on the market, and give composite arbors and tool arbors “a longer life span of over 50 percent” resulting in higher efficiency and real cost savings.
Mr Ewing says New Zealand engineering firms wanting to explore markets like the Middle East should work with NZTE but, most importantly, they need to be patient, and committed to the Middle East.
This is a place where you may need to visit for three or more times and demonstrate product quality prior to receiving any serious enquiries.
“It cost us less than $1000 to work with NZTE initially. But we worked with them very closely. They have a specialist in the Middle East and that helped,” Mr Ewing says. “We have a very good reputation in the Middle East due to our commitment and the building of close relationships. They now recognise us as a specialist in this field.”
Apart from manufacturing tooling for steel mills, Formtool manufactures profiled cutting tools for CNC lathes and machining centres, and makes precision engineering equipment, including specialised cylindrical grinding and precision machinery components.

E-mail: sales [at] formtool [dot] co [dot] nz

Innovation in weld technology comes to New Zealand following success overseas

The all new weld process TIP TIG has been brought to New Zealand by Southquip Industrial. This innovation was designed European weld engineer Siegfried Plasch. He proved the key to dramatically improving manual and automated TIG weld quality and productivity was not to add sophisticated electronics to the tig weld equipment but to design a process that could "physically change the conventional tig weld pool dynamics".
The key to the TIG TIP process lies in its patented wire feed system which resistance heats the wire with a TIP TIG 80 Amp power source then feeds it into the weld pool with a mechanical vibration. The steady forward motion of the weld wire is superimposed by a linear forward and backward action.
It is then constantly directed into the fluid weld pool in the arc sweet spot and the vibration agitates the weld, driving the most fluid part of the weld outwards towards the cooler weld periphery. The TIP TIG mechanical wire action dramatically changes the weld surface tension and dynamics and reduces the sensitivity to the weld receiving the wire.
With the ability in introduce more wire means weld speeds can increase to migweld rates.
Weld speeds superior to pulsed mig are readily attained.

The superior speed allows high arc current which gives TIP TIG welds the lowest possible weld heat input and thus less concern for cracks, oxidization and distortion.
TIP TIG is a versatile process which is good for all position welding and all weldable metals. The agitated weld pool reduces concern for sluggish alloys and improves weld fusion resulting in the lowest possible internal weld defects, potential stresses and porosity.
With no need to introduce wire, operators have both hands free for torch control if needed and there is generally no need for a foot control. Wire feed can be manipulated from the torch. An added safety and environmental bonus is that the TIP TIG process produces minimal weld fumes and extraction equipment is typically not required for the majority of TIP TIG welds even when welding with duplex, stainless or other high chrome weld wires.

Users can expect a dramatic reduction in consumable costs because of no wasted wire ends and cheaper wire from using spools or reels. Standard argon gas is all this process requires for most metals and as TIP TIG welds are made at much faster weld travel rates than regular tig welds you will typically require 20 to 50% less weld gas.
Excellent results have been achieved with the TIP TIG hotwire and cold wire processes in a range of automatic applications. Robotic and common bugo carriage systems are readily adaptable to the TIP TIG process. Another bonus is the adaptability of the process to your power source.
Southquip can supply the recommended TIP TIG 500amp DC power source although pleasing results have been attained using machines such as the Millar Dynasty 350 AC/DC which give added flexibility for the welding of alloys.
There are already more than 1000 units commissioned in the US and Europe in many applications including vessel and tank manufacture, the oil and gas industry, petrochemicals, aerospace, defense and many others where optimum weld quality is mandatory.

To arrange a demonstration on your applications, contact:
Samuel Kelly
Southquip Industrial, Invercargill
Tel: 03 218 4168,
Fax: 03 218 4164
Mob 021 220 1412
Email samuel [at] southquip [dot] co [dot] nz
Visit: www.tiptigusa.com

Laser cutters - an edge for global competitiveness

Laser cutting is gradually gaining its place in Australia and New Zealand. If adoption of this technology overseas is an indicator, as our fabricators grow their markets we can expect more laser cutting technology to come into play.
In the USA, laser cutting is gaining popularity predominantly due to its ability to provide a high-quality edge.
Considering that our fabrication swings tend to mirror those of North America and Europe, we could expect to see more laser cutting equipment used by fabricators -- particularly as integration with other high technologies such as automation and robotics.
An overseas example which is likely to be a similar (if scaled-down) occurrence here is that of Great Lakes Manufacturing, Inc..
This USA company began operations in 1998 as a precision sheet metal fabrication shop when its original function was to be a supplier to sister company Great Lakes Case & Cabinet.
However, this modest objective was met and dramatically exceeded thanks to an exceptional performance by the company's management and 102 employees.
Using the latest technology combined with a commitment to lean manufacturing the company has differentiated itself. Automation, robotics, information technology, and a high level of employee skill allows it to be competitive in a global economy - something which has been of intense interest to a growing number of fabricators in Australia and New Zealand.
But the telling factor has been that Great Lakes Manufacturing in the past two years has invested more than US$3-million in its facility.
Part of that investment was earmarked for the procurement of a new laser. A representative from the company visited several companies and thoroughly investigated the best lasers on the market. The same study was sent to each of these companies. The representative also came across the L6 Laser Work Center.
When the time studies of the same nesting run came back, this machine's time was 60% faster than the best time.
It was a massive production improvement. Great Lakes also received some parts back so it was able to check the edge quality and everything worked out very well. The company selected the L6 with load/unload and a 10-shelf storing tower which was installed in December, 2004.
The L6 Laser Work Center utilises a flying optics/moving beam system driven by a linear drive motor system to achieve maximum speeds, even while cutting small notches or narrow contours.
It L6 features a 4 kW fast axial flow CO2 laser. Cutting speeds up to 60mm/min are reached using nitrogen as cutting assist gas. The L6 can process sheet sizes up to 18.2m x 36.4m and up to 20mm in thickness.
Performance values include a positioning speed of 300m/ min., acceleration of 2g, and cutting speeds up to 60m/min. Unlike conventional repositioning, where straight line movements of the cutting head waste time, this machine optimises the cutting head movement with "Ping Pong" repositioning.
This smooth and efficient transition translates to added production speeds - up to 1,000 holes/min are now possible. A patented L6 rigid frame design withstands all the forces of high-speed positioning and provides a solid base for stable beam delivery optics.
Automation was another key reason for the choice. With other lasers, automation involved taking down an entire shelf of material and working with that. With the L6, the company only takes down one sheet at a time, so it can nest and kit parts.
Management can run a 13 gauge sheet and then a sheet of 16 gauge and then a sheet of aluminum: and build up kits that way. Over the last 1? years, Great Lakes has had a heavy flow of lean manufacturing - it is not batch manufacturing anymore. It is producing a lean flow with this automation.

Thinking Thin
On the L6, Great Lakes runs anything from 24 gauge cold rolled steel to 6.35mm hot rolled steel; 1.5mm - 4.7mm aluminum; and 20 gauge - 13 gauge stainless. The high productivity of the L6 in thinner sheets is very important. Other laser builders make 5 kW resonators and different laser beam shapes and styles that will do beautiful jobs on big thick sheets - but great Lakes is not a thick sheet producer and it doesn't do plate work.. It fabricates thin sheets so high speed and high quality in thin sheets is very important.
About 60% of the material Great Lakes puts on the L6 is between 16-14 gauge cold rolled steel. Currently, the L6 is running 20 hours per day, five days per week. The L6 replaced two older technology turret punch presses and has enabled Great Lakes to add 30-40% to its output.
The biggest impact has not been the mass of parts it has been making but the flexibility. Now it can make one part without a setup and do a certain amount of business in what is called 'design changes'.
It sells a standard product - 482mm (19-inch) rack mounts for the IT industry. If a customer wants a fan in a certain spot on the door or they want a different networking coil, and they only want one or two of these parts, a traditional punching sheet metal shop would have a hard time making these few parts at a competitive price.

For further information contact: Automated Sheetmetal Technologies Ltd
Tel: 03 341 1080

Your CADCAM Solution

From concept to manufacturing, VX CAD-CAM offers an End-to-End solution for industrial designers, tool-makers and manufacturers.
VX Corporation is a pioneering developer of advanced, integrated CADCAM solutions. VX have recently released Version-12 in NZ. Significant advances include exciting new capabilities in mould and industrial design, enhancements in photo-realistic and light-source rendering, raster-to-vector conversion, surface analysis, assembly modeling, drawing layout, and extended capabilities of a fully integrated CAM.

Better Tools for Mold Designers
VX Version-12 introduces a new design-centric, intelligent, parametric mould library that includes a host of powerful mould tools and cooling channel layouts. It is a very intuitive interface, designed by mould designers for mould designers.
VX has kept the sequences and operations as simple and intuitive as possible, so that users don't have to re-learn the software every time they want to use it. Both outer and interior parting faces can be user defined or created automatically. Core and cavity removal is also an automatic process, achieved with just a couple of mouse clicks. And by using the powerful part-line gap analysis, the parting faces of imported files can be checked and healed.
The user can parametrically create inserts, sliders, cooling channels, runners and ejector pins in seconds simplifying and speeding up the design process. There is a new electrode design wizard that automatically creates mould electrodes.
VX FABDesign is a module that adds specialized design and manufacturing routines for sheet metal components and assemblies. The designer can create a feature-based solid model of a sheet metal part in the context of a full 3D assembly, folding and unfolding the entire part or individual bends at will and adding features such as louvers, dimples, flanges, notches and bends to the part in the folded or unfolded state. As the part is designed, bend allowances and relief etc. are automatic created.

Industrial Designers work Faster and Smarter
VX delivers capabilities to the desktop traditionally reserved for the extreme highend enterprise-class systems. The intelligent sketching is second to none. Features such as, class A surface modelling, surface, flow & tool-path analysis, geometry healing, flexible history control, automation templates, and concurrent engineering & manufacturing are but a few of the high end features. VX has simplified complex, resource-intensive tasks and manages 3D models with ease whilst keeping a complete history of revisions.
This is a true hybrid system, providing a seamless union of solid and surface modelling. By enabling users to effortlessly and simultaneously work in both worlds, VX delivers the strengths of each without the drawbacks of either.
Version-12 includes so many user enhancements that only a few can be mentioned here.
A new "Visualise" toolbar has been added with "easyto-use" texture mapping that allows designers the ability to map external image files as textures on 2D or 3D surfaces. A new image-to-geometry (raster to vector) translator allows designers to import pictures and convert them to sketch geometry. A fast new "Inlay" command applies a face inlay based on any wireframe geometry for engraving on solids and surfaces.
Reverse engineering has taken a major step forward with many "Point Cloud" enhancements. 360-degree surfaces are now supported. Multiple planes or surfaces have been added as well as the ability to slice and trim multiple point clouds simultaneously. VX can also sub-divide large STL files to make the data easier to manipulate for reverse engineering and machining.
With new Assembly Light sources, designers can create libraries of lighting fixtures that are inserted and positioned as assembly components as well as new functions for creating assemblies using in-place modeling. VX can automatically extract each shape in a part as a component, turning the original multi-shape part into a multi-component assembly. Enhanced surface merging with better tangency control across boundary edges of merged faces promotes smoother and more ergonomic designs.
VX have also introduced powerful analysis and healing tools for solid models, such as auto gap detection and auto gap fill.

CAM Enhancements
CAM is native to VX CAD/CAM - not an add-on, afterthought, or third-party solution. The CNC machine routines are an integral part of the modelling engine, ensuring 100% synchronization between design and manufacturing. Changes to design geometry on the fly are automatically up-dated in CAM. The VX CAM functions are among the most powerful and accurate and the VX Quick-Mill tool paths provide extraordinarily smooth transitions between surfaces.
There's a new 5-axis iso-cut tool path and side cut depth for the current 5-axis swarf-cut operation. There are numerous enhancements to the CAM including rest milling, individual CAM output files, Fixture Offset Registers, Inter-path Move operations, Profile and Containment preview options, Solid Verify, and support for open surface boundaries and silhouettes in CAM profiles.
Whether you work in industrial design, toolmaking, production machining, manufacturing or aerospace, VX CADCAM provides a full toolbox of drafting, hybrid modelling & assembly, and CAM functions that equal or surpass other high-end systems. And, the cherry on top is the very affordable price.

For further information contact: Sinot New Zealand
Tel: 09 414 4644
Mob: (0274) 304080
Email: inquiries [at] sinot [dot] co [dot] nz
Web: www.cadcam.sinot.co.nz