Asia Pacific Metalworking Equipment News - Displaying items by tag: Metalworking technology

Medical Parts Machining: The Swiss Difference

The world medical market is strong for several reasons, including the fact that it has an aging population and this presents a business opportunity for the manufacturing sector. Contributed by Tornos

Tongtai Group: SH-4000 Horizontal Machining Centre

Product Highlights

Tongtai Group’s SH-4000 horizontal machining centre suits mass production line formation and fast aluminium alloy parts machining. With a more compact design than its previous model, the new machine has a 35 percent smaller footprint.

Quick Box - Features

Smart Machines Need Smart Engineering

Whether you call it the Internet of Things (IoT), Industrie 4.0, or the age of the digital machine, it’s clear that we’re entering a new industrial revolution. In the industrial machinery market, the impact of new technology will see manufacturing computerised – with production lines featuring smarter, more connected and more complex machines. By Mirko Bäcker, marketing director EMEA, manufacturing engineering, Siemens PLM Software.

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Digitalisation Of The Manufaturing Sector (Part II)

In Part II of the "Digitalisation Of The Manufacturing Sector", we look at its evolution towards an Industry 4.0 manufacturing model. By Imtiaz Ahmed, Asia Pacific Mobil SHC Brand Manager, ExxonMobil Lubricants

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Rolling With Additive Manufacturing In The Automotive Sector

Automotive manufacturers are under great pressure to develop vehicles which are due to go into production from now to 2020. A panel of experts weigh in with their thoughts on how additive manufacturing could contribute to the automotive industry.

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Quick Box - Machine Tools

Gear Cutting: Investigating The Potential Of Process Integration

Process integration presents a number of benefits for gear manufacturing but it does not mean all should jump right into it. By Uli Kaiser, business development manager (Southeast Asia), the Emag Group

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Rolling On Forward

With more autonomy to the Southeast Asian operations, Schaeffler hopes to get a further foothold in the region with its offerings. Syed Shah speaks to Mark Gabel, VP industrial and aerospace, Schaeffler Southeast Asia, to get his inputs on the company’s plans and directions for the region in 2016 and beyond.

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Advanced Vending Systems: Increased Gearing For Productivity

For over two decades industrial vending machines have provided a viable means of storing tools around the world. Raoul Rapke, Director CTMS Division, IMC Group, shares its benefits with APMEN.

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Quick Box - Cutting Tools

Energising Metalworking With Better Tools

APMEN put spoke with Marcos Rosenzvaig, Iscar’s oil & gas industry manager to dissect the energy sector from a metalworking perspective.

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Exotic Materials Need Exotic Machining

Heat-resistant superalloys and titanium alloys are exotic. While they have superb properties, they also demand exotic solutions in the form of dedicated tools and carefully developed methods if competitive efficiency and good results are to be achieved. By Christer Richt, technical editor of Sandvik Coromant

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Ramping It Up

Aluminium is one of the most important materials in the aerospace industry. Furthermore, typical components are extremely machining-intensive and therefore require long production times. Tools designed to precisely suit these requirements, such as the M2131 ramping cutter from Walter AG, help to reduce machining times and costs. Lim Ganshu, Walter marketing, explains

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Quick Box - Metrology & Design

Laser Trackers: Accuracy In Aircraft Assembly

These trackers make extremely appealing metrology instruments, especially the ability to capture large volumes of 3-dimensional coordinate data quickly and in real-time. By Minta Chen, marketing specialist, Faro.

The accuracy of an aircraft assembly jig directly affects the precision of a piece that it produces, which, in turn, affects an aircraft’s flight safety and the safety of its crew and property.

Typically, laser trackers are used to inspect the aircraft assembly jigs which form part of the production line. Once component parts of the jig are manufactured, they are put together to become the tool on which aircraft assembly takes place.

Inspection of aircraft tooling jigs with the laser tracker.

These trackers are extremely appealing metrology instruments due to their size, portability, repeatability and accuracy. In addition, the ability to capture large volumes of 3-dimensional coordinate data quickly and in real-time, appeal to the technicians involved.

Through accurate measurements taken, a technician can check to ensure that various component parts are in the right position and within tolerance, as stipulated by design. Without the tracker, these measurements would not be possible with common measurement methods such as fixed coordinate measuring machines or traditional tools.

Manufacturing Applications

Not too long ago, manufacturers had to perform tests on parts and components using stationary coordinate measurement machines (CMMs). This proved vexing and difficult if you were trying to measure large parts or parts still on the production machine. With the portability of laser trackers, 3D measurements can now be completed with unprecedented speed and minimum disruption.

The aerospace industry was one of the earlier adopters in the technology. Using one or more laser trackers, metrology engineers could rapidly and accurately deliver 3D measurements and process improvements.

Tianjin TQM Feiyue Aviation (a subsidiary of Tianjin Motor Dies) based in Tianjin, China, focuses on aviation equipment technology development, transfer and consultancy, as well as the manufacturing of aviation equipment such as spare parts and aircraft sheet metal parts.

Tooling for a Bombardier C-series hatch door.

The company purchased a Faro Laser Tracker back in 2008. Tianjin TQM Feiyue’s project manager, Yan Zhichao, said: “At that time, Airbus was using the Faro Laser Tracker on their shop floor. That prompted us to purchase from Faro, because we wanted to ensure consistency between us and our customer.”

Seven years later, the company purchased a Laser Tracker Vantage, the CAM2 Measure software, as well as the Prime from Faro. Two additional laser trackers and a FaroArm in were added in 2015.

Making Full Use

At TQM Feiyue, the team’s work revolves around different assembly jigs and transportation jigs. Despite the wide-ranging measurement needs of between 8 – 16 m, and accuracy requirements of 0.05 – 0.08 mm, the laser trackers were able to meet the company’s variety of needs. Separately, the FaroArm is used to verify smaller-sized tooling at time of delivery, or used to complement the Laser Trackers in measuring difficult-to-reach areas.

Inspecting a LE700 small aircraft assembly jig with a laser tracker.

In 2015, TQM Feiyue built and commissioned a complete set of aircraft assembly line for General Aviation International (Xi’an) Aircraft Technology (Gavin) line of private jets. The laser trackers were used to perform measurements and inspections, especially in the final stages of the project, before handover.

The company found that its usage of the laser trackers increased over time, with its team clocking as much as 12 hours on the devices each day. The increase in frequency is linked to the need for accuracy on the assembly jigs. The team would bring the laser tracker on-site to take pre-delivery measurements. In addition, as a post-sales service, TQM Feiyue would deploy the laser trackers at their customers’ premises 60 percent of the time, using the device on a variety of work environments.

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Nesting: More Than Just A Geometric Solution

Over the years, manufacturing processes have progressed steadily with the advent of technology. From an initial reliance on physical labour, manufacturers today are increasingly turning to more sophisticated means in their pursuit for efficiency and better results. Tom Stillwell, Senior Marketing Specialist, Hypertherm CAM Software Team explains

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Multiaxis CNC Machine Simulation: A Confidence Booster

Machine simulation can go a long way into improving part quality and productivity. By Karlo Apro, product marketing, technical manager at CNC Software, Tolland, CT USA

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Quick Box - Sheet Metalworking

Efficiency & Sustainability in Sheet Metalworking Machinery: Getting All Green About It

The global sheet metalworking industry is a major user of energy and the cost of electricity is becoming more expensive every year. Paul Hillam, area export manager, SafanDarley tells us more about energy reduction trends in the sheet metalworking arena.

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Getting Up To Speed

“Fibernomics” (as coined by Bystronic), describes an all-encompassing economic principle which seeks to give the competitive advantage in today’s sheet metal fabrication environment. It begins with the company’s fibre laser cutting system. Contributed by Oliver Hergt, editor corporate communications, Bystronic.

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Shaping The Cut: Optimising Plate Fabrication with Oxy-fuel & Plasma Cutting

Agnes Tong, product marketing manager, APAC, ESAB demonstrates how mechanised oxy-fuel and plasma cutting technologies can complement each other in heavy fabrication applications.

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