New TRIBOS clamping device: Compact, efficient and quiet

The TRIBOS polygonal clamping technology from SCHUNK is one of the world's most comprehensive programs for high-precision tool clamping. From micro to volume cutting, the patented clamping system delivers permanently high true-running accuracy, convincing vibration damping and the possibility to pre-adjust the length to exactly where you want it. The completely modified universal clamping device launched at the recent EMO show, now clamps all TRIBOS mountings quickly, precisely and energy-efficiently.

The fully automatic TRIBOS SVP-4 clamping device is more compact and lighter than its predecessor. Moreover, a new type of pump ensures that the device works more quietly. On request, it can be actuated with a 220V alternating current from the grid, or for mobile use by battery. An intuitive operational concept simplifies the clamping operation. The required clamping pressure for tool change is continuously adjusted via a controller. Then the mounting is automatically actuated with the defined pressure in no time at all. Maintenance and service intervals can be individually defined and displayed. The design of the TRIBOS SVP-4 is particularly maintenance-friendly. In order to increase sustainability, software updates can be installed with a mini USB interface.

The TRIBOS polygonal clamping technology is available for all conventional machine tool interfaces. It is used in the automotive, aerospace, mould & die, medical technology and in the machine and plant building industry. The one-piece mountings are mechanically resistant to outside pressure and permanently ensure a maintenance  and wear-free clamping. Endurance tests prove that even after thousands of clamping operations no material fatigue will occur. Since the mountings are radially deformed during the clamping operation and there is no expansion in length, tools of a minimum length tolerance of 0.01mm can be adjusted. This is an important advantage compared to thermal shrinking chucks where the length reduces during the cooling phases. The complete clamping operation is carried out in 15 to 20 seconds. Moreover, tool change is at ambient temperature, so it is completely safe for the operator. This eradicates the need for cooling lubricants that evaporate during heat shrinking or expensive energy-intensive heat shrinking units where an exhaust air plant has to sometimes be installed. The TRIBOS clamping device won't empty your wallet or endanger the health of your operators.

With such a vast selection of innovative new products, view website: www.schunk.com to view and download the new catalogue. It can also be ordered in CD format or alternately emailed to customers upon request.  Refer to page 200

Schaublin Machines SA success at EMO with new machine range

The new Schaublin 136 7AX-Y machine, presented at EMO last year, is part of a modular range that includes several models with between 2 and 4 linear axes to suit the exacting needs of the end user. The range enables Schaublin Machines to present a machining solution clearly dedicated to production environments as well as small batch or prototype machining. The 136 7AX-Y is the ideal partner for any company targeting high precision, repeatability and reliability. Schaublin Machines delivers all of this in a compact and rigid turning centre with the A2-4 spindle nose enabling a maximum chucking diameter of 140mm with a throughbore of 36mm for bar working.

The 136 7AX-Y machine is a mill/turn center that can work with bars or billets. With twin spindles and a motorized turret each with 12x12 live tools, it is possible to work on both sides of the part simultaneously. The main and counter-spindle are identical and this simplifies the transition between front and back-end working.
Renowned for its reputation for precision, the latest addition guarantees machining accuracy with a cooling system using glycol water that passes through 12 areas of the machine as well as the main base. This ensures every part of the machine works at the same temperature to avoid any non-mastered dilatation effect that can affect precision.

The turret has been designed to be as small and compact as possible to improve the mounting of live tooling that can operate at up to 12,000rpm on every position. Working in a compact envelope with a high number of tooling demands exceptional chip removal. It is here that the 136 7AX-Y enables cutting fluid to be directed precisely to the cutting edge at a pressure level up to an optional 60 bar. This efficiently evacuates swarf from the work envelope and also prolongs tool life.

With the new machine, Schaublin Machines has identified tool pre-setting as an area where it can minimize downtime and improve productivity. With this in mind, it has developed a tool setting system in conjunction with its partner Sauter Feinmechanik. The company has developed this system rather than use a universal system because accuracy is improved as it guarantees the exact position of the pre-set tools. This allows the customer to quickly change tools whilst obtaining remarkable accuracy levels that are expected from the outstanding Schaublin Machines range.

Paying attention to detail, the new 136 7AX-Y turning centre incorporates a 3D anti-collision system that enables the turret to work in close proximity. With axis feed rates of up to 40m/min and no possibility of collision, this gives the operator confidence when working at high feed and speed rates.

The new 136 series offers modular turning centres that can be rapidly adapted to specific applications whether it is high production runs or small batches with frequent changeovers. This modularity has been an area of particular development and design focus for Schaublin Machines as it has aimed to produce a machine that can be rapidly added to with complementary devices and peripherals. Flexibility can be found throughout the machine, this includes an identical main and counter-spindle that creates balanced machining.

For further information, e-mail: rhys@pulse-pr.co.uk or view website: www.pulse-pr.co.uk

Productivity takes off for Irish subcontractor with Open Mind

When JW Kane Precision Engineering Ltd invested in new staff and new machine tools that included DMG and Unisign 5-axis machining centres, the tier 1 aerospace supplier wanted to optimise its investment and exploit its 5-axis machining capability with a suitable CAM vendor. The extensive experience of the CAD/CAM staff at JW Kane and the type of complex aerospace parts produced led to a natural selection of Open Mind Technologies hyperMILL CAM software.

When the Portadown, Northern Ireland based company employed Ryan McClure as the Engineering Team Leader, his primary remit was to develop the company's 5-axis machining capability and the CAM software for producing such parts. At the time of Ryan's employment, the SC21 Bronze awarded company already had a seat of hyperMILL and a seat of a competitors software that were not being fully utilised. As Mr McClure recalls: "When I arrived at JW Kane the company was using a number of CAM packages and with my extensive experience of most CAM packages, it was my position to maximise the company's 5-axis potential. At the time I had little experience with hyperMILL but its ease of use and intuitive and time saving features now see 95% of our parts programmed with hyperMILL."

Machining highly complex components for customers such as Bombardier, Airbus, Thales and additional globally renowned aerospace manufacturers, impeccable component quality, time and price pressure are all factors that the 43 employee company has to overcome. To this end, hyperMILL has proven a resounding success by reducing programming times and cycle times by over 50% on most components. As Mr McClure continues: "hyperMILL has a number of features that are not provided by alternate CAM suppliers, and it is these features that have made a considerable difference to our productivity levels."

Two hyperMILL features that have made a contribution is the Stock Model and the Linking Cycle features that have recently saved 51% on an airframe structure part for Bombardier. Using a Heidenhain 3-axis control, the component previously had a stage 1 operation time of 10 minutes with a second stage cycle time of 42 minutes. By utilising hyperMILL, this 52 minute time was reduced to 28 minutes with stage one and two respectively taking 8 and 20 minutes to machine.

As Mr McClure states: " I attribute this time saving to the ability of the software to calculate the 'Rest' material or residual stock during roughing and to only cut exactly where the 'Rest' material is with consecutive cutters during rest milling and finishing operations."

"The linking of toolpaths within the work area removes the number of rapids the machine requires during positioning. This reduces air time and keeps the tools doing what they are best at - cutting. Its the air time that costs us money. The ability of the Linking Cycles to move the tool around the work piece to the next approach position is a bonus, this move is collision checked and checked against the stock when used in production mode and this ensures the shortest possible tool path."

Comparing hyperMILL to the competitor CAM package at JW Kane, the company reduced the cycle time of one aerospace part from 41 minutes to 17 minutes with hyperMILL. This is a saving that Mr McClure attributes to Open Mind's Residual Stock Model feature that eliminates mid-air cutting with efficient tool paths.

Another major feature that hyperMILL offers that competitor CAM packages do not is the Mirroring feature. This has slashed programming times for JW Kane as Mr McClure continues: " Mirroring is a real time saver for us. Aeroplanes by their nature are symmetrical with left and right hand components. Out of a standard batch of 40 aero parts that we are currently machining, each one has an opposite hand. Considering that the standard programming time per part using conventional software is 8 hours and an additional 4 hours for the opposite hand, Open Mind enables us to program the same parts in less than 5 hours. The mirrored part then takes anything from 10 to 30 minutes. This makes a mockery of other software that cannot mirror toolpaths, especially when it comes to multi axis parts that can be mirrored automatically and then the tool paths edited independently of the parent geometry."

The workload at JW Kane is extremely diverse with the company producing anything from prototypes to batches of 50 with jobs ranging from 50mm square parts up to 4.5m long structures from aluminium, titanium and stainless steel. This diversity can see machining times range from 5 minutes to 30 hours per part, so making such significant savings on programming times is a blessing for JW Kane.

The success of hyperMILL at JW Kane noted the company acquiring a second seat in May and since this purchase, the company has continued to improve its production times. In addition to the 50% programming time savings created from Mirroring and the cycle time savings from the Arbitrary Stock Model and Linking Cycle features, JW Kane is continually looking for additional savings. To this end, the company is currently trialling Open Mind's hyperMAXX roughing module that is an optional addition to hyperMILL. Discussing this point, Mr McClure concludes: " In the aerospace industry we say that the final part is most important and we must rough economically to achieve good cycle times, keep making a profit and make good quality. I tend to look at it from another perspective, we are really in the business of making swarf at the most economical rate that we can, aerospace parts are generally machined from solid billets with up to 75% of the billet being machined away, so we must be in the business of making the swarf as fast as we can and then finishing the part to remarkable quality levels. We are testing the HyperMAXX module with different components to see what the results are, it requires a change in mentality and thought process that yes you can 'Take that much off'. With one 6 by 4 inch part we have machined with hyperMAXX, we cut the cycle time from 6 minutes 37seconds to 4 minutes. This saving of over 30% to the machining time is creating real excitement about the potential when it comes to machining large parts that are currently taking over 20 hours."

For further information, e-mail: adrian.smith@openmind-tech.com or view website: www.openmind-tech.com