Structural steel investment

Cairnhill Structures has installed a Ficep close-coupled CNC sawing and drilling line.The machine boasts high speed carbide drilling capability and scribing technology, and it complements the purchase, some 3 years ago, of a FICEP P51 CNC punch.

Established in 1990, Cairnhill, Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, produces steel buildings and structures, and has been a customer of Ficep for over 10 years.

The Scribing attachment on the new machine automatically marks all reference points, including fit up lines and reference point indication, for all fittings. The unit even marks the part number of each fitting at the point where it is attached to the job, which is a great time saver during the fabrication process.

After thoroughly evaluating the market, coupled with experience of the first class service we have received from Ficep over the years with our older equipment, we were extremely confident that our investment in Ficep's latest drilling and sawing technology would substantially improve our production capability to suit the needs of our clients now and into the future," said Jack Sanderson, managing director, Cairnhill Structures.

The company has now created some of the most significant steel structures in Scotland, including the pergola at the Scottish Parliament, the Forth Bridge Toll Canopy, and the HQ of East Renfrewshire Council in Paisley.

Ficep claims to lead the field in this market sector with over 200 CNC machines operating in structural steel manufacturing and fabrication companies of all sizes providing innovative and highly cost-efficient solutions for their drilling and sawing applications.

http://www.machinery.co.uk/article/19192/Structural-steel-investment.aspx

Power Machinery unveils the Tornos MultiAlpha

Tornos, represented in Australia by Power Machinery, has launched its MultiAlpha 8x20 multi-spindle turning machine.

The multi-spindle-turning machine that integrates a thread-whirling process.

With eight powered spindles and a five-tool counter spindle, the MultiAlpha is a high-precision bar-turning unit for complex work pieces that integrates a thread-whirling process.

Thread whirling, for example, allows bar-turners to respond quicker because for a large production run, all that needs to be done is the setup of one multi-spindle turning machine instead of several different single-spindle turning machines.

Moreover, on these machines the thread-whirling unit never leaves the machining area and thus the temperature levels on the material remain balanced throughout the entire production run, thereby assuring consistent precision.

The CNC-controlled limit stop enables bar turners to program various batches comprising shorter runs of different lengths but with the same diameter in one extended operation on a MultiAlpha machine.

This approach also makes it possible to machine series of work pieces of different lengths from a single stock of bars without having to stop the machine or reset it to change tools.

Soraluce's 'green' machine agenda

Spanish machine tool builder Soraluce (Ward CNC) is implementing a range of groundbreaking 'green' philosophies. Soraluce's commitment to its Ecodesign philosophy is demonstrated by its participation in a number of European-wide projects and its quality accreditations. These include ISO 9001 (it was the first European manufacturer of milling/milling-boring machines to attain this) and IQNET (Structural Funds programmes), as well as being the only European machine tool manufacturer to achieve the Silver Q for management quality awarded by the Basque government/EFQM.

Part of the Danobat Group, the company was also the first European manufacturer of milling/milling and boring machines to attain the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Certificate. Soraluce's initial eco-design research commenced in 2006 when it began the Prolima project (www.prolima.net) in conjunction with Danobat Group's Ideko technology centre and 22 other European organisations.

The aim of the project – which ended in 2008 – was to adapt eco-design methodologies to machine tools.
Soraluce's Ecodesign policies result in machines that offer:

[] Reduced energy consumption – machine parts are designed and manufactured with minimal excess material for machining; the use of roller guides minimises friction; more efficient (in terms of current use and torque output) Ecodyn motors are used; and high-torque motors for headstocks replace kinematic chains and thus reduce heat, noise and energy loss.
[] Reduced cutting fluids – use of the MQL air/oil system eliminates coolant, a high-cost pollutant.
[] Reduced raw materials – finite element modelling minimises material wastage, and the machines' cast structure is completely re-useable at life cycle end (circa 25 years) via the application of new guides and drives.
[] Reduced lubricant – use of special low environmental-impact greases instead of oil reduces consumption as well as eliminates pollutants from guide lubricants and the recycling/cleaning of contaminated oil.
[] Reduced carbon miles – the preference for locally-sourced parts means that both transport costs and the manufacturing carbon footprint are less.
[] Reduced environmental impact of paintwork – water-based paint can be used

http://www.machinery.co.uk/article/19137/Soraluces-green-machine-agenda.aspx