Wide-ranging processes finding fresh ways to work together
The neighborhood that is the Fabricating and Lasers Pavilion is varied and wide-ranging, with something interesting and innovative down each aisle. A fabrication shop can have many hard-working days, but none that are typical. There are specialists in sheetmetal processing with slitting, blanking, punch pressing, pressworking, waterjet and plasma cutting, not to mention all kinds of welding and joining. Even the lasers portion can cover many functions and processes: laser cutting, welding, and marking, to name a few.
However varied in expertise, they all exist in a business environment where delivering quality results and achieving return on investment (ROI) are paramount. In the words of Jerry Letendre, president and CEO, Greenerd Press & Machine Co.: “Manufacturers are looking to innovate and make capital investments to improve their bottom line and streamline line processes. They need the technology and engineering expertise to help make their teams safer and more productive, reducing complexity whenever possible.”
Greenerd continues to keep pace with those demands, he said: “We look forward to highlighting our hydraulic press and automation solutions while connecting with customers at IMTS.”
Some of the key press technology Greenerd will showcase this year (at Booth 236402) includes the benefits of using more advanced control methods to achieve greater positional accuracy and stroke repeatability. Intelligent use of sensor data and detailed process monitoring are also key, as well as customizable stroke profiles to vary speed and power throughout the cycle.
“We will discuss the benefits of serialized production documentation and reporting process data for compliance reports for aerospace, medical/pharmaceutical, and other industries,” Letendre added. “Automated and fully integrated press lines are experiencing increasing demand, and can help relieve skilled labor shortages. As a FANUC Tier 1 Authorized Integrator with significant experience in turnkey press systems, we have welcomed this evolution in industry requirements and we will present our solutions that include the design and building of presses that are often exceedingly large in size, scope, and complexity for a wide range of industry applications.”
Alois Rupp, CEO of pressmaker Bruderer Machine (RM Group Booth 236257) also acknowledged the rise of integrated press lines and related the example of customer Facet Medical wanting to bring stamping in house for the production of lancets and other over-molded medical sharps. Facet had a number of goals for bringing stamping in house. Primary among them was cost. “We were largely depending on external suppliers,” stated Giles Rae, Facet’s chief commercial officer. “This affected quality control, meaning we had to verify and validate outside manufacturing processes rather than relying on our own.”
And those processes are not simple and straightforward. As lancing devices are a high-volume business for Facet’s OEM customer, component parts arrive on a continuous reel. To integrate them into production, assembly, and inspection at Facet, the defect rate had to be as low as possible. “We just cannot accept rejects,” Rae stated.
In addition to the stamping line, Bruderer specified and supplied four molding lines for Facet’s growing production process consisting of the following equipment:
--Bruderer/Leicht powered de-coiler specially configured for pre-stamped material.
--Bruderer push-pull gripper feed system for sequential feeding of the stamped strip through the molding operation.
--Arburg injection molding machine (provided by Facet).
--Bruderer/Leicht powered rewinding system configured for stamped over-molded components including paper interleaf and loop control.
Facet got more than that, though. The company acknowleged in a statement that in addition to the equipment, “We received a valuable network—an entire ecosystem of stamping, strip handling, molding, cleaning, and inspection expertise.” Added Rupp, “Our team was able to provide Facet a complete production solution to receive raw materials—in this case chemically etched stainless steel and resin—and ship out sharpened, over-molded, cleaned and inspected needles.”
Exemplifying the wide and varied range of production technologies on the Fabricating and Lasers Pavilion is Munich-based KraussMaffei, a developer of equipment for injection molding, extrusion, and reaction processing of plastics and rubber. A theme for the company is energy efficiency in the design and operation of its equipment.
One example is what the company calls the BluePower servo drive. It controls an injection molding machine’s pumps according to optimal requirements for energy consumption. In a sample calculation based on a GX 1300 injection molding machine (clamping force 13,000 kN) makes the savings clear.
Assuming 6,000 production hours, a shot weight of 1,155 grams and a cycle time of 60.3 seconds, the BluePower servo drive saves up to 75,000 kWh of electricity per year. At the current energy price of 0.27 €/kWh, that equals EUR 20.250 ($21.36), according to the company. The CO2 footprint is also notably reduced—the BluePower servo drive means up to 30 fewer tons of emissions are released into the atmosphere.
Another example is EcoPac insulating strips that can be wrapped around the cylinder and are available for all injection unit sizes. They stabilize the temperature profile and increase process stability. Heating time is reduced by as much as 30 percent. The savings for energy consumption are particularly lucrative, with up to 40 percent being possible. As a result, the investment for the EcoPac insulation quickly pays for itself. For the example calculation with an MX 1000 injection molding machine (clamping force 10,000 kN) and 6,000 production hours, this cuts the energy consumption by as much as 24,000 kWh. Multiply this by the current electricity price of EUR 0.27 per kilowatt hour, and savings of EUR 6,480 (about $6,836) are possible, the company calculated, with up to 9.6 fewer tons of CO2 released.
You can find KraussMaffei at Booth 236580.
Participating in the Lasers portion of Fabricating and Lasers is Plymouth, Mich.-based Coherent (Booth 236008), a full-line supplier of lasers, machines, and components for laser cutting, welding, marking and engraving, and laser measurement. In April, the company announced the new PowerLine FL series integrating a fiber laser with optional scanner, chiller, vision, and process monitoring, all operated using Coherent’s Laser FrameWork software, to simplify and speed production fiber laser welding. At the heart of the new family of laser subsystems is a single-mode fiber laser with 1500 W of output power in a highly focusable beam. The laser can be operated in either CW or pulsed modes from single shot up to 5 MHz. Together with a range of scanner options supporting working areas from 55 × 55 mm to 260 × 260 mm (and larger on request), this allows PowerLine FL to be optimally matched to a broad range of welding applications, the company said.
Process control options include a vision system and process monitoring functions. All these PowerLine options, plus the laser, are operated through the Coherent Laser Framework, an integrated software platform that simplifies operation, enhances productivity, and eases integration, including compatibility with Industry 4.0 technology and data logging for traceability.
The PowerLine FL is available with Coherent’s SmartWeld+ application package that uses precise beam “wobble” to create welds with highly defined seam shapes and cross-sections with maximum precision and minimum heat input. These welds are needed to join dissimilar metals and temperature-sensitive materials even in very thin forms, including copper-to-copper and copper-to-aluminum. These are needed in applications such as e-mobility (e.g., battery welding), consumer electronics, medical devices, and watch making, as well as several other high-tech industries.
The Fabricating and Lasers Pavilion is also the IMTS home for robots and their ever-growing applications. One solutions provider is Waukesha, Wis.-based Acieta, a systems integrator working with FANUC robots. The company designs, engineers, and installs robotic cells for welding, machine loading, and other applications for improved safety and process efficiency.
Earlier this year, Acieta demonstrated the new FastARC CX1000 welding cobot—which, the company noted, will enable customers to “save your skilled workers for higher-return jobs and dedicate the simple, repetitive work to the cobot.” The results will be consistent, high-quality welds, less scrap, and maintenance-free operation for up to eight years, according to Acieta. You can visit the company at IMTS at Booth 236270.
Connect With Us
