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With EuroBLECH fast approaching, I want to share with you all an interview with one of Bystronic's big guys. The interview was conducted by Oliver Hergt. Feel free to comment!

With this promise, the Swiss machine manufacturer Bystronic will present itself at EuroBLECH this year. It is based on the comprehensive "World Class Manufacturing" program. Where this program will lead is explained by Johan Elster, Head of Business Unit Markets at Bystronic.

Mr. Elster, this year Bystronic will welcome its customers to EuroBLECH with the slogan "World Class Manufacturing". What is behind it?

Johan Elster: With "World Class Manufacturing" we provide our customers with the competitive edge. This slogan is based on a comprehensive program of products and services, with which we optimize the manufacturing processes of our customers. So profoundly that we are able to say: With us as a partner, users in the sheet metal processing sector become world class manufacturers.

What in your opinion is a world class manufacturer?

In order to be right at the forefront of competition, users require more than just a fast laser cutting system or pressbrake. Sheet metal processing consists of many individual stages. It begins with the drawing up of an offer, includes programming the cutting and bending processes and ends with the delivery of the finished product. Anyone who has mastered all these stages and simultaneously releases the full potential for optimization at every stage is a world class manufacturer.

Some of your customers will remember "World Class Manufacturing" from last year. Will Bystronic continue to pursue this topic in the long term?

"World Class Manufacturing" will continue to be a topic at Bystronic for quite a while yet. Because when we examine all the processes related to cutting and bending, we still see many possibilities to improve. In addition, our customer's demands are naturally also always changing. Gaps are always opening up anew, which we will continue to close with innovative solutions.

How would you sum up "World Class Manufacturing" in just a few words?

With our program, users reduce their production costs, simplify their processes and increase their efficiency. In addition we provide functions that inform users about their processes and production data, anywhere and at all times. Plus, we are a partner who creates trust.

Let's remain with the keyword "trust". How does Bystronic create trust with its customers?

We are very close at hand to our customers throughout the world and can bring our know-how to bear around the globe. This creates trust. And our customer can pass on this trust to their customers. This creates added value.

How does this work in practice?

For example, in our sales subsidiaries, we have trained experts to broaden the know-how relating to all aspects of software in the local markets. We have also set up an e-learning platform that enables us to provide training for our own people on the latest innovations as quickly as possible, allowing them to immediately pass this on to our customers. This increases our local expertise.

What challenges do users currently face in the field of sheet metal processing?

We are noticing that added value is playing an increasingly important role for our customers. Previously the focus was on time pressure. Everything needed to be faster – quicker bending, faster cutting. This focus has weakened. The pressure is shifting to production costs. Now the objective is to produce parts as profitably as possible.

What do you believe are the reasons for this change in trend?

Sheet metal processors are faced with fluctuations in incoming orders and batch sizes. Every order that comes in must generate a profit. In such an environment production costs are naturally very important.

In addition to machines, Bystronic is now also expanding its portfolio with service products. In what sense do these enable users to be successful in the long term?

Our focus is expanding from the machines to all the services related to cutting and bending. Service products are becoming increasingly important, because using modern machines is no longer the only deciding factor for competitive success.

Can you illustrate the importance of service products using a concrete example?

Used intelligently, services make processes faster, error-free and hence cost-effective. PartID, our most recently developed product, allows the user to achieve seamless transitions between laser cutting and bending.

Is the added value of PartID measurable for the user?

PartID labels laser-cut parts with an identification code, enabling the pressbrake to automatically load the correct bending program for the incoming part. This allows mix-ups to be virtually ruled out, preventing reject parts and saving costs. For the user, this is a tangible added value.

What trends do you currently see in the field of sheet metal processing?

With regard to cutting, there is certainly a clear trend toward the fiber laser. The second-most important trend is increased automation. A further trend is the fast retooling of production systems, because in the light of fluctuating batch sizes flexibility in the field of cutting and bending is important. We have already discussed added value. I also consider this topic to be a trend.

Are service products also a current trend?

I would not, at least for the moment, consider them to be a trend. The traditional services that machine manufacturers offer, such as maintenance, training, and spare parts are in principle not new. In the field of services, new products are only just being developed. From my point of view this offers considerable potential for a coming trend. If we consider the entire process related to cutting and bending, services offer great opportunities to optimize.

Let us talk about the fiber laser. In this area a rapid development has taken place during recent years. What is your assessment of the current situation?

In the foreseeable future the fiber laser will certainly continue its advance into the CO₂ laser's range of applications. Currently the benefits of these technologies are still balanced. But the advantages of the fiber laser are constantly increasing. In this context, particularly the trend toward added value is decisive. I.e. the question about how much a part costs to produce. In this respect the fiber laser has significant advantages over the CO₂ laser, because it enables faster cutting speeds in the thin to medium range of sheet metal thicknesses and is more cost-effective with regard to maintenance and energy consumption.

What does this mean for Bystronic? Is your focus of development shifting?

We recognized the trend toward the fiber laser at an early stage and reallocated our development resources accordingly. Now we can draw on sufficient development potential to set new trends in fiber laser technology as well. But in this regard I cannot reveal too much now – we will lift the veil at EuroBLECH at the end of October. (laughs)

Which fields of application do you believe will remain for the CO₂ laser in the future?

Currently the CO₂ laser still has an extensive range of applications. How this range will change in the coming years remains to be seen. In thick sheet metal, the advantages of the CO₂ laser are still very pronounced. Customers who process the entire range of sheet metal thicknesses, are still very well served with the broad spectrum our CO₂ lasers offer.

What can visitors to EuroBLECH expect from Bystronic this year? What will Bystronic focus on at the exhibition?

Our visitors certainly have something to look forward to. A main focus of our innovations will be services. In this area, we are taking one of the greatest steps I have ever experienced in my 18 years with Bystronic.

 

1 week to go before IMTS 2014

Only one week before IMTS 2014 opens its doors at Chicago’s McCormick Place. The exhibition is expected to cover more than 1.2 million net square feet of exhibit space and hosting more than 1,900 exhibiting companies. Some highlights to watch for:

 A 3D-printed electric car by IMTS partner Local Motors is anticipated to WOW visitors. Local Motors will build and deliver the first direct digital manufactured vehicle at IMTS 2014.

AMT is proud to announce that former Astronaut Wendy Lawrence will deliver a keynote address on behalf of Sally Ride Science on Wednesday, Sept. 10, during the Smartforce Student Summit at IMTS.

The Association For Manufacturing Technology is proud to announce that Gregg Fleisher, Chief Academic Officer, National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), will deliver the keynote address on Tuesday, Sept. 9, at the Smartforce Student Summit at the International Manufacturing Technology Show 2014 (IMTS).

The Association For Manufacturing Technology is proud to announce that Vince Bertram, President, Project Lead The Way, will deliver the keynote address on Monday, Sept. 8, opening day of the Smartforce Student Summit at IMTS 2014.

For more information, please visit: http://www.imts.com/media/ 

Exciting news for IMTS 2014 attendees

Are you in to Cosmonaut, intergalactic or rocketeer? Well this is your chance!

AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology announced on Friday, August 1 that Former Astronaut Wendy Lawrence is expected to deliver a keynote address on behalf of Sally Ride Science on Wednesday, September 10, during the Smartforce Student Summit at IMTS - The International Manufacturing Technology Show 2014. Sally Ride Science® provides tools for college and career readiness that can build students' passion for STEM fields and careers.

Founded in 2001 by Dr. Sally Ride, America’s first woman in space, Sally Ride Science brings science to life for upper-elementary and middle school students, and offers professional development via the Sally Ride Online Academy, helping educators incorporate engaging career-focused approaches into their existing instruction. Through teacher training programs, books and eBooks (e.g., the Cool Careers and Key Concepts in Science series), and various events and services, the company shows students that science is creative, collaborative, fascinating, and fun.

“A focus of my keynote will be on the lasting impact teachers—and anyone, really, such as the STEM professionals at the Summit—can have on students when they expand STEM topics ‘beyond the classroom’ and connect them to careers. Once students can envision themselves as a marine biologist, engineer, astronaut, or other STEM professional, there is really no stopping them. Introducing students to the wide array of women and men working in STEM—whether through in-person contacts or through Sally Ride Science books, products and programs—is the best way to build student interest in STEM fields, says Ms Lawrence.

34,500 visitors from more than 100 countries join AUTOMATICA 2014

Organizers of AUTOMATICA 2014 in Messe Munchen released its final report. About 34,500 visitors from more than 100 countries attend the show, while 731 exhibitors from 42 countries exhibited their products. The show is indeed a great start for service robotics.

Trade Fair Deputy CEO Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer "The growth rates and the high degree of satisfaction among exhibitors and visitors prove that AUTOMATICA has expanded its leading role." VDMA Robotik + Automation Managing Director Patrick Schwarzkopf added: "AUTOMATICA provides a decisive contribution to a change in production as an innovation platform. Trade visitors from the whole world learn what the future looks like at AUTOMATICA."

Robotics and automation are becoming increasing important globally
A total of 32% of the visitors came from foreign countries, an increase of more than 15%. "The motto of AUTOMATICA – "Optimize Your Production" – is experiencing a boom throughout the whole world," Hans-Dieter Baumtrog explained, Chairman of the Board of VDMA Robotics + Automation. "It concerns the quality, safety and sustainability of products. Integrated assembly solutions, robotics and industrial machine vision are the key to success in this context! The increasing internationalization of AUTOMATICA is a clear indication of this development." Stefan Kapferer, Permanent State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy: "AUTOMATICA has once again demonstrated the outstanding position of Germany in robotics and automation."

SPARC: 2.8 billion euros for European robotics
The role of the industry is becoming very clear on a European level. Neelie Kroes, Vice President of the European Commission, announced the world's largest civil robotics promotion program SPARC at AUTOMATICA 2014. With a total volume of 2.8 billion euros, Europe's leading position is to be expanded and consequently more than 240,000 jobs created. Ms. Kroes emphasized: "AUTOMATICA is a perfect opportunity to showcase the latest European robotics technology."

Man and machine will work hand in hand in the future
Robotics and automation are reaching a new dimension with man-machine cooperation. Robots are handling work in the place of people that is monotonous, injurious to health and requires no special job skills. This makes workplaces more productive, flexible and ergonomic. AUTOMATICA also showed the enormous potential for small- and medium-sized firms in numerous examples.

Professional service robotics – a fantastic start
Marketable service robotics created a lot of interest. More than 60 companies, specialized in service robotics with B2B relation, exhibited the outstanding possibilities of intelligent service robots and components from the areas of medicine and nursing, inspection and maintenance as well as logistics. The Berlin-based company Argo Medical Technologies won the first Service Robotics Masters Start-up Award with its exoskeleton suit, which provides paraplegics with the possibility to walk again.

The fourth industrial revolution on the rise
The fourth industrial revolution has no longer been just a vision for quite some time. Trade fair visitors obtained information about the concrete effects of Industry 4.0 on production in live demonstrations and during talks given by experts. "The realization of Industry 4.0 will determine our future, because we can only succeed in establishing a networked, resource-efficient and highly flexible form of doing business in this way," Mr. Kapferer explained.

Good mood among visitors and exhibitors The range of offers at the trade fair ensured full halls and created a good mood among exhibitors and visitors. The independent market research institute tns infratest determined that 97% of the surveyed visitors found the completeness of the offer good to excellent, and 95% praised the good presence of market leaders. The feedback from exhibitors was correspondingly positive. The mood at the trade fair was good to excellent for 95% of the surveyed companies. The next AUTOMATICA will take place In Munich from June 21 to 24, 2016.

IMTS 2014: Products to watch out for!

The International Manufacturing Technology Show 2014 (IMTS) Conference which will run four days and is set to provide solutions to current manufacturing problems, such as improving productivity, improving part quality, and developing a stable, competent workforce to lower the costs of manufacturing in the United States and create new levels of market demand.

Here are some of the products you should watch out when you visit IMTS this September 8-13 at McCormick Place in Chicago Illinois.

Advancement in CNCs

Exciting new developments in machine tool CNC hardware and software technology will be demonstrated by NUM at IMTS. Highlights will include a highly cost-effective dual channel CNC kernel for designers of small to medium size machines with up to five axes, a functional safety architecture that can easily be scaled to suit any type of machine, and new grinding software for complex geometry tools.

Forming the latest addition to NUM’s market-leading Flexium+ CNC platform, the dual channel Flexium+ 8 CNC kernel provides an exceptionally high level of control flexibility. At any time, either CNC channel can be used to control a spindle motor and four simultaneously interpolated axes – and control can be passed on-the-fly from one channel to the other. This simplifies the design of complex machines with multiple synchronisation requirements, such as thread or gear cutters, and in many cases eliminates the need for a second CNC kernel.

NUM will also be providing software demonstrations of complete conversational and cycle solutions developed specifically for the North American market. Based on Flexium+ systems, these include solutions for gear hobbing, shaping and grinding, OD/ID grinding and metal spinning.

The functional safety architecture, known as NUMSAFE, is compatible with all NUM Flexium+ CNC systems. It provides machine builders with a highly flexible means of implementing functional safety functions and can be scaled to suit almost any type of machine tool, regardless of complexity or the number of axes. Key benefits include minimal additional hardware and wiring – the safety PLC and safety I/O modules can be contained within the same standard terminal as other elements of the control system – and simple software development using the same powerful tools that are used to commission the CNC, PLC, drives and I/O modules.

For the first time in the USA, NUM will be showing the new version of its market-leading NUMROTO tool grinding software, which now includes functions for complex geometry tools such as multi-helical end mills with variable width flute areas. In addition, the software now accommodates several new types of gash out on drills and form cutters, allowing the grinding wheel to follow the tool’s ballnose- or corner-radius in order to create a defined rake angle along the radius and the gash out. The software’s integrated automatic product documentation function has also been enhanced so that it can import detailed views from the Flexium 3D simulator, to create extremely realistic drawings of the tool.

NUM's booth – E-5135 – is located in the East Building at McCormick Place.

PowerMILL 2015 for high-speed and five-axis machining

Delcam will launch the 2015 version of its PowerMILL CAM system for high-speed and five-axis machining at IMTS 2014 in Chicago from 8th to 13th September on booth E3222, the largest CAM software booth at the show.  The new release will include improvements to the Vortex high-efficiency area-clearance strategy, improved collision checking to also cover near misses, and more efficient raster finishing.

For more information on PowerMILL, please go to www.powermill.com 

The Vortex area-clearance strategy produces safe toolpaths with a much deeper cut by using a controlled engagement angle that maintains the optimum cutting conditions for the whole toolpath.  As a result, higher feed rates and material-removal rates are possible, making the cutting time shorter by as much as 70%.  In addition, cutting is undertaken at a more consistent volume-removal rate and at a near constant feedrate, so extending tool life and protecting the machine.

Two enhancements in PowerMILL 2015 will give even greater reductions in machining time compared to conventional roughing. The first change allows toolpaths to approach the part from outside the stock at the cutting height for open pockets or in areas where earlier cuts have made this possible.  Previously, all entry moves had to be made by plunging onto the surface or by ramping into the material.

The second change allows an increased feed rate to be set for non-cutting moves. The default value is set at double the rate for the cutting moves but this can be altered as required for each machine tool.  The extra time that can be saved depends on the shape of the part but an additional saving of around 20% should be expected above the earlier releases of Vortex.

Another problem in previous versions of PowerMILL was that unnecessary lifts could be added to area-clearance toolpaths when the cutter moved outside the stock or close to its edge.  Changes to the roughing algorithm have now reduced the number of lifts per toolpath slice to the minimum needed and so made area clearance much more efficient.

Companies using PowerMILL for either positional or continuous five-axis machining will benefit from improvements to the collision checking within the software.  Firstly, collision checking has been changed so that warnings can also be flagged for near misses.  The user can now specify a clearance value and when the machine tool comes within this value it will turn yellow in colour to highlight a near miss.  Collisions will still be shown by a change of colour to red.

Secondly, the display showing the list of collisions, and now near misses as well, has been updated to be easier to read, making it simpler to extrapolate the coordinates at these points.  For near misses, the clearance distance is shown in the display, with the distance shown as zero for collisions.

Another improvement will help companies using four- or five-axis machines with trunnions or similar tilting tables.  Previous PowerMILL toolpaths could exhibit unwanted changes of azimuth as the cutting tool approached a position vertical to the part.  This would slow down the machine, often to the extent that a witness mark would be left on the surface.  New options are now available to specify the information used by PowerMILL to distribute the toolpath points so that the machine’s gimbal-lock position is avoided and a smoother motion results.

Raster finishing has also been improved in PowerMILL 2015, with the software now able to set automatically the most appropriate angle for each region of the part.  In previous versions, the user had to select each area and specify the angle manually.  The new option, which provides the same functionality that already existed for steep-and-shallow finishing and face milling, is most beneficial when finishing a series of pockets aligned in different directions.

A number of improvements have been made to the PowerMILL interface.  Most important is a clearer form for the strategy selector that makes navigation easier when choosing which strategy to use.  It has also been made easier to create folders of strategies, for example, those most suitable for a particular machine tool, material or type of part, and to add and remove strategies from those folders.

Finally, three new curve-creation options have been added to the curve editor – ellipse, spiral and helix.  These options can be used to create patterns or boundaries when generating toolpaths.

Open architecture of NUM's CNC simplifies educational role

To  foster advanced CNC programming skills, helping to meet resurgence in the domestic automation market

Purdue University’s prestigious College of Engineering has chosen to equip one of its key educational laboratories with NUM's open-architecture CNC systems and 3D simulation software. The equipment will provide students with hands-on CNC programming experience and help to familiarise them with advanced CNC machine tool operation and control techniques, using a powerful combination of virtual machines and physical high performance CNC demonstrator systems.

Purdue University is one of the USA’s leading academic research institutions and hosts one of the nation’s largest engineering faculties. Its College of Engineering comprises 14 schools and departments – each specialising in a particular engineering discipline – and is currently undergoing further major expansion. As part of the expansion, Purdue University is upgrading the mechanical engineering laboratory at the university’s main campus. This laboratory is principally used for teaching students the basics of CNC control and programming, and introducing them to machine-based manufacturing processes and techniques. It is currently equipped with several 2-axis CNC demonstrator machines based on NUM 760 and 10xx series CNC systems, together with a NUM 2D simulator.

According to Professor Yung C. Shin, who oversees all CNC-related education and research activities at the School of Mechanical Engineering, “When we set up the mechanical engineering lab in the 1990s, we looked at CNC systems from many manufacturers. However, most of the systems were like black boxes so their operation was difficult to understand, which was far from ideal when we wanted to teach the basics of CNC control. We therefore decided to base our educational platform on NUM’s CNC systems, primarily because of their open architecture and the fact that the NUM was enthusiastic about helping us to use their products in this role. The openness of NUM’s CNC, especially with regard to NC code and I/O facilities, enables us to clearly demonstrate the exchange of data between the PLC, CNC and drive electronics, and simplifies integration with other lab equipment. Also, many of the CNC machines that we use in our manufacturing research labs are based on NUM CNC systems, so there is a high commonality of coding.”

NUM has acted as a CNC partner to the School of Mechanical Engineering for some 24 years. Steven Schilling, General Manager of NUM Corporation in Naperville, Illinois, points out the importance of such long-term support for educational establishments, “The staff at Purdue always have access to our technical support people and receive engineering help whenever they need to reconfigure or reprogram CNC systems for new projects. This close cooperation ensures that the Purdue’s laboratory CNC equipment has the latest features and tools to aid students in developing new machining technologies.“

The latest upgrade to the mechanical engineering laboratory’s CNC equipment is extensive. NUM has supplied two Flexium 68 CNC systems configured for milling applications, each with an NCK (Numerical Control Kernel), PLC, HMI and 3D simulator hardware and software, plus additional simulator dongles for four PCs. Flexium 68 provides a very versatile foundation for educational and research applications such as this, where the type of machine and the control approach change over time. As standard, the NCK accommodates up to 5 axes/spindles on a single channel, with full interpolation on 4 axes. Single NCK options can expand this to 32 axes/spindles in up to 8 channels, with up to 32 interpolated axes, while multi-NCK configurations can handle more than 200 axes.

To help improve ergonomics, the laboratory has installed two desktop consoles for human-machine interaction. Each console is equipped with a NUM FS152i operator panel and an MP04 machine panel, fitted with CAN interfaces. The operator panels feature 15 inch LCD screens and integral industrial PCs with solid state drives, run an embedded version of Windows, and are connected to the university’s Ethernet network. Each console can be used for simulation or for controlling the laboratory’s CNC demonstrator machines.

NUM has also supplied all the motors, drives, power supplies and associated hardware for two additional 2-axis demonstrator machines. Both of these combine latest-generation bi-axis NUMDrive C servo drives with BPH brushless servo motors. One of these machines uses the HP version of the drive with high performance control loops, to facilitate research into applications involving very fast or precise kinematics.

Using Flexium, Purdue University’s students and post-graduate researchers can now investigate CNC techniques to a very detailed level. All CNC, servodrive, I/O and PLC setup and programming is performed using a unified software toolset to help shorten the learning curve, increase productivity and work satisfaction, and encourage collaborative effort. The system’s inherent open architecture has multiple advantages. Application-specific HMIs (Human-Machine Interfaces) can be easily created or modified using industry-standard editors and languages such as HTML, JavaScript, Visual Basic, Delphi, C or C++, while the PLC can be programmed using any IEC 61131-3 compliant object-oriented graphical or textual language. In addition, students who need low-level control of the NCK – for example, for real-time axis transformations – can use dynamic operators in the code, while techniques such as real-time compensation can be developed using embedded loop control macros in the servo drives.

The Flexium 3D graphical simulation capabilities that Purdue University is installing in the mechanical engineering lab will improve work flexibility significantly. Until now, the simulation software required physical connection to the CNC system – which meant that only one student at a time could use it – and was limited to basic 2D simulation of path lines. The lab now has six separate simulator stations – two on desktop consoles and four on standalone PCs – each capable of true 3D workpiece simulation in standalone mode, without needing access to a CNC system. A further six networked PCs are also being installed, allowing students to perform simulation at different locations.

Students are now able to simulate and optimise any ISO-code part program that they have written, with full visualisation of the tool centre point path and workpiece material removal, backed by automatic checking for collisions between machine components, the tool and the workpiece. The simulation software currently supports 3-5 axis turning and 3-axis milling/drilling, as well as water jet and plasma contour cutting, and can be transferred between applications very easily. It creates a dynamic colour image, showing the workpiece as a 3D volume than can be rotated and viewed from any perspective.

Purdue University plans to make the new CNC facilities available to students in the fall, as Professor Shin explains, “We need to be able to provide more students with hands-on experience of CNC programming and visualisation as soon as possible. There is now a resurgence in the domestic automation market thanks to new processes like additive manufacturing, and CNC programming skills are once again in short supply. Students are excited by CNC programming when they can see the results of their efforts – whether that's on a simulator, a CNC demonstrator or machine tool – which is why our new facilities are such an important educational tool. Some 65% of our graduates go on to pursue careers in manufacturing – and many have become professors in their own right. I like to think that when they set up their own laboratories they will remember the grounding that we gave them.”

Don’t miss TMTS 2014

Taichung City is a place located in western Taiwan. This is where the upcoming Taiwan International Machine Tool Show (TMTS 2014) will be held. And we are excited to announce that Ringier Metalworking will be the official media for this year’s show. So do watch out for new updates about the show. But before I talk more about the show let me share with you some facts about Taiwan.

Do you know that Taiwan is a major manufacturing country and consuming market for global machine tools. There are more than 1600 manufacturers in the Taiwanese machine tool supply chain, and nearly 90 percent of these manufacturers are concentrated in the Greater Taichung area. Taichung is not only an important global machine tool manufacturing base, but also a major consuming market in machine tools and other mechanical equipment. Inside 60 kilometer radius of the Taiwan machine tool cluster, the best engineering solutions are available for global machine users. Resources can be found for buyers, from one single machine tool to full-scale automation equipment planning. At the same time, all other machine tool demands, such as fixtures, tools, accessories and software planning, can be fulfilled. Taichung represents a unique machine tool cluster in the world because all required precision components can be found for producing machine tools. Whether custom-made or market available specification components, all can be supplied swiftly with attractive pricing.

Organized by Taiwan Machine Tool & Accessory Builders’ Association (TMBA), TMTS 2014 will open its doors on November 5-9 at the Greater Taichung International Expo Center. More than 650 companies, both domestic and international, are expected to attend TMTS 2014. The area for the exhibition is 78,000 square meters, with more than 3,700 booths exhibiting all types of high precision machine tools, components, accessories, tools and automation equipment. TMTS features an innovative "Exhibition integrated with Manufacturing Supply Chain" exhibition style. There is 54 percent increase in overall scale, and 45 percent increase in exhibitor number compared with the last TMTS.

Taichung is chosen to host TMTS 2014 because it provides buyers the best business platform along with a visit to manufacturing plants. It takes only 30 to 40 minutes’ drive to the factories for a peek on how the Taiwanese machine tools are made.

So what are you waiting for plan your visit to Taichung and attend TMTS 2014.

Ringier Metalworking will attend the pre-show press conference this August so do check our blog for more news and information about the show.

New videos on YouTube

Ringier Metalworking have uploaded a couple of videos in our YouTube account taken during the recent METALTECH show in Kuala Lumpur. Feel free to visit or subscribe to: http://www.youtube.com/ringiermetal.

You can also find these videos in our website: http://www.industrysourcing.com/industry/132/news.aspx

AMT announces Local Motor’s 3-D Printed Car Challenge winners

Excited to know who won Local Motor’s 3-D Printed Car Challenge?

Out of 207 entries, seven designs were awarded: the overall winner, the community choice, and five innovation awards for design or technology that may influence the final produced vehicle.

So, without further ado…the overall winning design was Strati by Harlock, aka Michele A., which featured a unique design that will be compatible with 3D printing. The car has a sleek look with a retractable roof.

This design will be built onsite during the six days of IMTS, using parts manufactured on the show floor. And, not only will this car be 3D printed, but it will also be electric! The idea behind this vehicle is to create a solution for the urban transportation needs of Chicago. AMT, Local Motors and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which has been testing 3D designs, have partnered to demonstrate how sustainable green technologies, using additive and subtractive techniques, can create stronger, safer, faster, and more efficient vehicles. The finished car will be an example of how green technology can reduce life-cycle energy and greenhouse gas emissions, lower production cost, and create new products and opportunities for high paying jobs.

The design contest takes the competition up a level since contestants were only asked to design the skin of the Rally Fighter for IMTS 2012. “This continues the legacy of Local Motors bringing disruptive technology to IMTS. We started this journey in 2010 when Jay B. Rogers, Jr., President, CEO & Co-Founder, Local Motors, appeared at the AMT Annual Meeting and from that a partnership emerged to build the Rally Fighter on the show floor at IMTS 2012,” says Peter Eelman, Vice President, Exhibitions & Communications, AMT. “We are excited to showcase the winner’s innovative design and demonstrate to the industry this new process of manufacturing a car with a substantial structure being 3D printed onsite in AMT’s Emerging Technology Center at IMTS 2014.”
 

Konecranes provides NS BlueScope Malaysia with highest levels of safety and efficiency

To those of you who are in need of lifting equipment and services, Konecranes, a Finnish company, which specialises in the manufacture and service of cranes and lifting equipment as well as the service of machine tools, can help you improve your productivity in a wide variety of industries. And to prove that, the company released various case studies for you to read. Below is one company in Malaysia in which Konecranes provided 23t overhead double girder CXT production crane.

The strong safety culture of the international BlueScope Steel Organisation has been ideally matched in service at its Malaysian NS BlueScope facility by the global safety focus of the Konecranes Group.

NS BlueScope Malaysia produces high quality products, derived from continual product research and development in Australia. They strive to provide their customers with rugged, durable steel products for every environment, from industrial and severe marine environments to fluctuating tropical climates.

“Safety takes a high priority in everything the company does, so Konecranes were a good fit for us. BlueScope has a strong safety culture and Konecranes aligns with this very well,” says Mr Mohammad Abang, Technician, NS BlueScope Malaysia.

The Konecranes Group, which operates under the market signature ‘Hooked on Safety’ is the world’s largest crane service organisations – with over 420,000 cranes under service contracts worldwide – and has enjoyed a strong relationship with the BlueScope Steel Organisation across Australasia due to both organisations’ strong safety oriented cultures.

“Konecranes is a large, well-known and reliable company, which makes service and maintenance easy. They have a really fast service time and their internal reporting is the best we’ve seen,” says Mr Abang.

“We are also constantly impressed with the availability of spare parts and the efficiency in which Konecranes can deliver and install them,” he said. Some of the cranes have recently undergone a modernisation upgrade to include a mechanical drive.

Several Konecranes overhead CXT cranes have proven their worth in service at the Malaysian facility. Since installation in 2002, 18 cranes have been used in the Selangor steel manufacturing facility that is the only local manufacturer of both ZINCALUME® and TRUECORE™ zinc/aluminium alloy-coated steel and Clean COLORBOND® pre-painted steel.

The CXT cranes, in single girder, double girder or monorail range from 0.5t to 23t and are used for loading, unloading and maintenance on production and coating lines. Konecranes also do the service and maintenance of all the cranes at the Malaysian facility.

“We like the elaborate design of the Konecranes units. We are constantly looking to improve efficiency and safety and Konecranes can provide this,” says Mr Abang.

Konecranes has built on decades of experience with proven technologies to introduce this robust and durable unit, with dual lifting speeds, a standard limit switch and versatile configurations, like hook suspension, push trolley, and motorised trolley versions.

CXT wire rope hoists utilise the latest advanced technology from the Konecranes group to extend hoist operation cycles, safety and durability. The versatile hoist can be adapted to a huge variety of applications and ensures reliably operation, regardless of the conditions.

The compact dimensions allow the CXT to utilise smaller spaces more efficiently, and different trolley configurations maximise the lifting height potential. To further optimise the efficiency of the crane, the empty hook can be driven with up to 50% higher speeds compared with the loaded hook, allowing the operator to choose the most efficient way to operate the hoist.

The latest CXT wire rope hoists are available with smart features including:

•         Adaptive Speed Range (ASR) – this allows very slow speeds, which are important in moment of load lift-off and lowering. It also has the ability to lift up to 50% faster than traditional hoisting control. ASR is typically used in light to medium lifting.
•          Extended Speed Range (ESR) – this is an extension of the ASR that allows even slower speeds. ESR is typically used in heavy to very heavy lifting.
•          Load control – designed to make the operator’s work safer and more productive
•          Positioning and area control – designed to assist the operator in positioning the load more efficiently and accurately. It also allows the crane’s working area to be adapted to the varying physical layout of individual facilities and production lines.

“These are some of the most advanced features available for cranes. We work closely with customers and engineers to produce ways of increasing safety, efficiency and productivity. Our latest smart features combine engineering expertise with knowledge of our customers,” says Mr Adrian Lim, Country Manager, Konecranes Malaysia.

Get Automation Answers at IMTS

For those of you who are coming to IMTS 2014 in Chicago, this is your chance to get all your automation answers.

Tim Shinbara, Technical Director, AMT - The Association For Manufacturing Technology writes: 

What comes to mind when you think of automation? Is it more mechanical than sensory, or more mundane than dynamic? While each individual’s thoughts may ebb or flow between answers, the world of automation seems to be changing to become more flexible to hit multiple moving targets.
IMTS not only has the advantage of seeing the latest and greatest in a given technology sector, it also provides the means to discern what technology elements will work well together as a production solution. Things to think about as you delve into IMTS 2014:

•Are these technologies to augment/supplement or replace my current capabilities?  

•Do I need an island solution or do I need some level of commonality for holistic incorporation?

•What data would be beneficial to have from my manufacturing technology?

Many of these answers may seem to focus more towards a system solution; a solution where automation may have a role in either discrete processes or in the integration of the pieces. Whether you feel automation is too expensive, too complex or too much capability, one thing remains…you never know until you ask! 

So ask away at IMTS 2014, but be prepared to be pleasantly surprised, blown-away or just awed by the presence of so much technology! 

If you have any questions, e-mail: tshinbara@AMTonline.org.

MTConnect conference: Attendees come away educated, connected and inspired

I just want to share with you some interesting insights that happened during the manufacturing conference organized by MTConnect. Indeed attendees came home educated, connected and inspired. Here are some of the highlights from the MTConnect: Connecting Manufacturing Conference in April.

Founding principal of MAYA Design and co-author of Trillions: Thriving in the Emerging Information Ecology, challenged attendees to look beyond just the Internet of Things and “imagine a world in which you could not buy a microprocessor that didn’t have a radio on it. Everything, every trivial piece of bric-a-brac we build with processors, is going to be communicating with everything else. What would such a world look like?”

He continued, “It’ll be a lot like nature. Trillions of computers communicating with billions of people and an uncountable number of information objects, flowing freely from device to device with everything connected.”

In another keynote address, Greg Harris, Ph.D., who is with the U.S. Army, Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center, Engineering Directorate, Manufacturing Science & Technology Division and Program Manager of the Digital Manufacturing & Design Innovation (DMDI) Institute, explained how the federal investment for the DMDI Institute that will be used to establish the Digital Lab for Manufacturing (Digital Lab), led by a Chicago-based research and commercialization collaborative called UI Labs came to be. “We knew the basic criteria necessary for innovation to take place: close proximity, ways to make the design-make-and-learn cycle faster and an ecosystem in place to support innovation. As a pillar of President Obama’s investment in U.S. Manufacturing, the Digital Lab will be the nation’s flagship research institute in digital manufacturing and design innovation and a world-class, first-of-its-kind manufacturing hub with the capabilities, innovation and collaboration necessary to transform American manufacturing.”

On the closing day of the conference, The National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) and the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Defense-wide Manufacturing Science and Technology (DMS&T), along with AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology and the U.S. Army Benét Labs, announced the three top winners of the MTConnect Challenge 2 as voted by [MC]2 attendees. The MTConnect Challenge was a two-part competition for the development of manufacturing intelligence ideas and software applications utilizing the MTConnect standard.

First prize of $100,000 was awarded to Valerie Pezzullo of Clemson University for Machining Process Monitoring to Aid in Chatter Identification. Second prize of $75,000 went to Joel Neidig of ITAMCO for Expanding Manufacturing's Vision: MTConnect + Google Glass. Third prize of $50,000 was awarded to Shane Crandall for Promise.

The conference also featured an End User Forum and various other educational sessions where attendees received hands-on training about MTConnect and the MTConnect/OPC UA Companion Specification.