Wednesday, October 26, 2022

ASK High Speed Collet Chuck

 




Product Description

l   ASK tooling System are suitable for high speed and high precision cutting.

l   Special nut design provides better cutting condition and reducing cutting vibration.

l   Wrench must be ordered separately.

l   ASK collet can be achieve the best cutting condition when using AA grade.

l   Balancing: 30,000 r.p.m G2.5

l   ABT-ASK is produced by order.

Showroom link: https://www.industrysourcing.com/client/product/details.html?id=102282


Friday, October 14, 2022

EX-2000 series of high-precision turn-mill center from Taiwan Takisawa

The EX-2000 series from Taiwan Takisawa Technology Co., Ltd is new generation high precision turn-mill center with built-in spindle design which achieves more precise accuracy. The axial travel speed increased by 50% and the Y-axis function is enhanced by the built-in design of main and sub spindle. 

Taiwan Takisawa is actively applying the module design concept, which can extent to multiple machine types at one series design to achieve the best productivity. EX-2000YS gains good evaluation, and it stood out in the low-profile exhibition atmosphere and attracted many people. It announced that Taiwan machine tool maker can also achieve German and Japanese quality design levels.

Showroom link: https://www.industrysourcing.com/client/supplier/product.html?id=24445




Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Beyond Limits APAC President on adoption of Cognitive AI


Beyond Limits Inc.
 is a California Institute of Technology (Caltech)/Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) spin-out company leveraging 20 years of deep space expertise in Cognitive AI. The company’s technology has been proven in the most extreme operating conditions, from NASA Mars Landings to remote subsurface environments in the energy sector.

In 2020, Beyond Limits announced its first wave of initiatives and partnerships to establish and expand their presence within the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. It’s regional headquarters in Singapore helps them drive strategic investments for joint ventures and partnerships in Asia. Beyond Limits also have operations in Hong Kong, which focuses on expanding AI solutions into verticals; Taipei centres on advanced manufacturing, while Shenzhen, Tokyo, and Singapore addresses energy and healthcare sectors.

 

In an interview with International Metalworking News for Asia (IMNA), Leonard Lee, President of APAC, highlights the key aspects of its technology, and the manufacturing trends they are seeing in APAC.

 

IMNA: How has the nature of manufacturing in APAC changed, what trends do you see?

 

Lee: The manufacturing industry is constantly undergoing change, and with rapid digitalisation, the sector is proving themselves as frontrunners when it comes to streamlining processes and optimising entire operations. Adopting next-generation AI software and data analytics have allowed manufacturers to eliminate potential bottlenecks and improve quality management in their manufacturing cycle. In Asia Pacific, manufacturers are facing an increased production output, despite having a declining workforce.


The shortage of talent has been a longstanding issue for the sector. However, it is raising alarms due to the rise of consumerism in the region and the demand for increased output. Simply put, younger talents rarely view manufacturing as their default choice of career, and the majority within the sector are an aging workforce. As a result, the talent pool has dwindled to only a few select individuals.  With output demand soaring, manufacturers need these individuals to be quickly onboarded with the right skills and knowledge base. The underlying issue is that this expertise and skills are not easily transferable. In this regard, Cognitive AI in manufacturing is already making its mark.

 

To illustrate, manufacturing generally across all industries would involve individuals with high expertise and accumulated experience they received by working in a variety of operations setups and scenarios. With the declining workforce, there’s only so much that existing employees can do when facing a particular issue in a challenging situation. This is where the experience of older operators needs to be captured somehow to be used in their absence. New operators must be equipped with the ability to resolve pressing issues that could possibly lead to bigger problems across the board, from an operation or profitability perspective.

 

Yet there is a gap in manpower capabilities where older or more experienced operators have left or been laid off. They have been replaced by new operators who have limited experience. Enabling digital solutions that are paired to Cognitive AI, allows the technology system to capture human knowledge – which, in this case would be the experience of the more senior operators – translating it to new joiners. With all the dynamic factors with manufacturing operations, Cognitive AI can provide advice or recommendations to young operators on what actions to take to either correct an error or optimise to maximise certain goals.

 

IMNA: What kind of role do you see technology playing here, what can you do to help?

 

Lee: Take Automatic Optic Inspection (AOI), for quality control (QC) in Surface Mounting Technology (SMT), as an example. It is easy to buy into the idea that smarter, stronger, and more inspection equipment reduces the quantity of human labour in the QC stage. On the contrary, highly sensitive AOI equipment generates a large number of false alarms that require double inspection from humans.


Instead of improving the accuracy of AOI and reducing false alarms, Beyond Limits collaborated with one the world’s largest electronic Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) in Taiwan to deploy Knowledge Base Operation (KBOps), which extracts and digitalises knowledge from seasoned domain experts, for root cause analysis.

 

In this case, AOI equipment becomes more than just inspecting units. It captures features previously unavailable to human eyesight for KBOps to learn and document. With cognitive reasoning, Beyond Limit's hybrid AI is capable of providing optimised solutions and actionable insights for SMT manufacturers, reducing downtime, human labour, and material waste.

 

IMNA: How can manufacturers ensure they have the right level of AI?

 

Lee: The manufacturing industry has widely accepted that an imminent need exists for an industrial, state-of-the-art software solution that brings several steps or processes into a singular, cohesive platform. At the same time, they need to integrate their extremely valuable institutional knowledge to leverage their most valuable asset – historical data records. Through the implementation of next-generation AI software, manufacturers have unlocked process automation and automated scheduling towards quality monitoring and defect management, as well as applications to shorten design time and customise experiences. However, while the sector has largely embraced the adoption of machine learning, it needs to be even more timely to shift towards cognitive AI solutions.

 

Cognitive AI is essentially a glass box, versus conventional AI which is a black box. Conventional AI takes a whole bunch of data, churns it, and then comes up with a recommendation, without our knowing how it arrived at that point. Whereas a glass box, or what we call Explainable AI, has an audit trail, and gives us the ability to figure out and understand how it arrived at that recommendation. With Cognitive AI, there is a human reasoning component which is set in place.

 

For manufacturers, tapping into this insight will allow them to elevate their processes. Through knowledge capture of all existing data, including operators' expertise and skills, the Cognitive AI system is then able to take all this data and provide recommendations for an action depending on the situation. This is especially useful for the multitude of scenarios that could occur within a manufacturing plant, ranging from production schedules and equipment failures to the interdependence of the various machinery, which will then impact the ability to provide output.

 

IMNA: How can small and medium-sized companies in APAC improve their manufacturing?

 

Lee: When considering small and medium-sized companies (SMEs), especially in the manufacturing sector, there is a need to transition from legacy technology to a modern solution that allows SMEs to remain competitive in terms of output and efficiency. According to the DBS Digital Readiness Survey, the region’s SMEs are lagging behind large corporates and middle-market companies in terms of digital readiness. Only four in 10 SMEs (41%) have a digital transformation plan in place, and one in 10 have a clearly defined digital strategy (12%). Hence, for manufacturers to improve their outputs, they first need to upgrade their processes internally, so that they can start their digital transformation journey.

 

Unfortunately, many are facing difficulty in considering where to even begin. The first step, which is also the most crucial step for starters, is always ensuring the availability of data. Manufacturers must look at implementing solutions that arrange and compile data that is scattered in silos and place the existing data in a single repository. This key step would allow for additional technology implementations to run smoothly, such as the adoption of next-generation AI software to churn out recommendations for improving efficiency throughout the company.

 

IMNA: Finally, how do you see the future, with special reference to Beyond Limits?

 

Lee: We believe that the move towards digitalisation will only continue to advance as more organisations embrace technology and improve business outcomes. In the manufacturing sector, driving operational excellence, using techniques like Lean Six Sigma, is no longer sufficient to drive the level of productivity and efficiency needed. Combining the best features of technology and human knowledge, Cognitive AI would allow manufacturers to elevate their efforts on their smart manufacturing journey. Digitalisation is a "must have," and cognitive AI is the key differentiator. There is no doubt we can look forward to the progress of the smart manufacturing industry in Asia Pacific, while we continue our efforts to shape this dynamic region into the next global smart manufacturing hub.


Oct 2022 E-zine: https://edms.industrysourcing.com/ezine/22/10/imna.html?pagenum=16#/

International Metalworking News for Asia- October 2022


If your world is all about industrial manufacturing, you’ve come to the right place.

At this month’s issue of International Metalworking News for Asia, our aim is to provide industrial manufacturing executives with the most up-to-the minute news and information affecting the industry. We are writing extensively on the latest trends in the business, providing features examining the personalities and technology driving the industrial manufacturing world, and offering analysis and opinion pieces, all in an effort to arm you with the knowledge that will separate you from the pack, and make it easier for you to run your business.

Beyond Limits Inc.  APAC President, Leonard Lee, highlights the key aspects of the company’s Cognitive AI technology, and the manufacturing trends they are seeing in the APAC region. According to him, the manufacturing industry is constantly undergoing change, and with rapid digitalisation, the sector is proving themselves as frontrunners when it comes to streamlining processes and optimising entire operations. Adopting next-generation AI software and data analytics have allowed manufacturers to eliminate potential bottlenecks and improve quality management in their manufacturing cycle.

Have you encounter restrictions in accepting orders for larger and heavier components or even difficult to machine materials? The Machine Tools section features seven facts about double column machining centers. Here, it was explained that Difficult to machine parts or materials have become essential and part of today’s many variations and industries, such as aerospace, commercial vehicles, shipbuilding, machinery manufacturing, construction, power generation, windmills, even mould & die and semiconductor.

As a society, we’re all working towards shared sustainability goals. In addition to focusing on global goals, manufacturers should have their own sustainability targets and crucially, these must be led by data.

Anders Dellblad, Manager of Sustainable Supply at Sandvik Coromant, shares his advice for building achievable, impactful sustainability goals in the Software & Control section.

Nowadays, manufacturing business companies are turning to autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for help. AMRs have changed the automation landscape, especially in collaborative environments. They are thriving in numerous industries because they are becoming more reliable, user friendly and affordable. Han Boon Siew, Chief Information Officer Schaeffler Asia/Pacific speaks more about AMR, and it research for improved industrial workplaces.

In an age when an overload of information is often an impediment to doing your job efficiently, International Metalworking News for Asia will focus on the issues most vital to your business. It’s a reality that we’re all pressed for time, so why not use our magazine to eliminate the news clutter you encounter every day and instead focus on the issues that impact your business and your customers? Let us know how what you need. Send us an e-mail at Kathryn@ringiertrade.com.


E-zine: https://edms.industrysourcing.com/ezine/22/10/imna.html#/

Website: https://www.industrysourcing.com/client/magazine/details.html?id=101620

Thursday, August 18, 2022

Redefining the boundaries of 3D metrology and engineering services



By: Kathryn Gerardino-Elagio

Founded in 2002 in Canada, Creaform was born out of the need to change the status quo. What began as a metrology and engineering consulting firm turned into a global leader in portable and automated dimensional metrology solutions. Now, 20 years later—the company continues to redefine the boundaries of 3D metrology and engineering services by constantly pushing back the limits of innovation.

International Metalworking News for Asia’s (IMNA) interview with Mr. George Tan, Sales Manager – RoAPAC, delves into Creaform’s secret to achieving 20 years, 3D measurement and where the technology will go from here in South East Asia (SEA).

IMNA: Congratulations on your 20th anniversary! How are things shaping up for Creaform since its establishment in 2002?

George: Indeed, this year is our 20th anniversary. Creaform first started in 2002 in Lévis, Quebec, Canada, as a metrology and engineering consulting firm, and our first HandySCAN 3D was launched in 2005, which was the first ever handheld self-positioning 3D laser scanner. Since then, Creaform has never stopped innovating. In just 20 years, Creaform had launched over 60 game-changing technologies, both hardware and software. With continuous market adoption, it enabled Creaform to generate substantial and constant double-digit growth almost every year over the past 2 decades!


IMNA: What
is the secret to achieving 20 years? What is your top tip for creating innovations such as 3D measurement?

George: There is no big secret for achieving 20 years. Creaform always believed in investing in our employees through passion and commitment. Providing our employees with real opportunities to achieve work–life balance and fostering a positive and pleasant workplace atmosphere where everyone feels like they are part of the team. There are no limits to how far we can go, and we are looking forward for many more 20 years to come.

As for the top tip, I would say that at Creaform, we are pioneers. We venture where nobody else has yet dared to tread, boldly designing products and technology for projects that were once beyond the imagination. We redefine the boundaries of the 3D universe by constantly pushing back the limits of technology.

Our motto says it all: “Never Stop Innovating”.

IMNA: Can you brief us about your presence, business model and verticals and sectors you cater to in SEA?

George: Creaform is present in almost all countries in SEA, either through direct offices and/or indirect distributors/agents. We believe that it is important to be present in the countries where our customers reside, in order to provide better support/service.

Regardless whether it is through our direct employees or distributors/agents, there will always be someone representing Creaform to attend to our customers’ enquiries, such as non-destructive testing (NDT), from surface inspection for O&G pipes to maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO), and from reverse engineering applications for prototypes to automated quality control inspection systems for daily production.


IMNA: How do you find out what the customers really want or what is more important, satisfying an existing need or creating new needs?

George:  It is important for every Creaform employees to understand/discover what the customers’ “Needs” and “Wants”. The “Needs” are something that customers must have, in order to proceed with their jobs and the “Wants” are something good to have but not necessarily required to complete their tasks. Creaform employees participate continuously in technical and sales training to obtain these specific skills.

Although, it is always a tough question to answer. For me, satisfying an existing need and creating new needs are both equally important. But if I must choose between them, I prefer creating new needs, as there are still a lot of uncharted areas where 3D scanning applications can help customers in a way they never thought or dreamed of before. And the satisfaction that you get from these customers when they tell me how much money or time, they saved by implementing 3D scanning into their inspection process, that’s priceless.

IMNA: What makes Creaform achievements stand out? And what does the future hold for 3D measurement in SEA market?

George:  As mentioned, Creaform is the pioneer of handheld 3D scanners. We are a technological leader – not a follower. Creaform was founded because other measurement technology defined as “portable” were simply not suitable for shop-floor environments. We aimed to tackle our customers’ most difficult challenges and are eager to push the limits.

I foresee an increasing demand in the coming years, especially considering the rise of new production processes like 3D printing, where parts are no longer machined in a single, straightforward geometrical shape, and then assembled. It will be “printed” in a single completed part with complex geometrical features, where conventional handheld measuring tools will face difficulties in measuring it.

This is where 3D measurement solutions, especially Creaform handheld 3D scanners, are the perfect go-to inspection tools for faster and more accurate inspection of these complex geometrical surfaces, directly in the production environment, with the help of inspection software features like CAD comparison for quick Go/No-Go colour indicator checks.

IMNA: What’s the toughest project or customer request Creaform has been confronted with? Did it influence the company’s approach on creating new technologies?

George: As mentioned before, Creaform started as a metrology and engineering consulting firm, helping local manufacturers solve their product development and inspection issues. During those early years, we worked on several projects, using our competitors’ tools, which were cumbersome and slow 3D scanners mounted on a CMM. We experienced first-hand the difficulties in using such tools. We knew there was an opportunity to greatly improve these tools, because we listened to our team and our customers. We didn’t need to receive a formal request from our customers to understand the pressing necessity for better tools.

In the following years, we created the next generation of 3D scanners, and disrupted the entire market. We were spearheading a real technological revolution, and even if the interest was immediate from all industries, it remains to this day the toughest project we have been confronted with. From a handful of employees in Levis, to more than 650 employees in 15 offices across the world, Creaform proved that it can tackle any challenges, head-on.


IMNA: Finally, what’s next for Creaform in SEA?

George: We are very excited with the growing business opportunities in SEA, especially in the 3D measurement sector. We believe there are a lot of business potential in this sector in SEA and Creaform, being the pioneer in handheld 3D scanners, wants to be there with our customers, share our latest technologies, helping them to reduce turnaround time and most importantly, to increase their profitability.

IMNA August 2022 issue click here!

International Metalworking News for Asia- August 2022


As the technology becomes more intelligent, controllable and varied, automation and robotics are expected to play a bigger role in producing and creating value. When it comes to the trend of using automation and robotics, Thailand is no exception. The Thai government has implemented numerous measures to promote the growth of these key industries. The use of industrial robots in the country is thus anticipated to continue rising. Mr. Chanin Khaochan Thailand Board of Investment (BOI)’s Deputy Secretary General talked about Thailand’s Smart Factory Investment Promotion Policy in this issue’s Association Focus.

The Enterprise Close-Up section features Mr. George Tan, Sales Manager – RoAPAC as he delves into Creaform’s secret to achieving 20 years. Founded in 2002 in Canada, Creaform was born out of the need to change the status quo. What began as a metrology and engineering consulting firm turned into a global leader in portable and automated dimensional metrology solutions. Now, 20 years later—the company continues to redefine the boundaries of 3D metrology and engineering services by constantly pushing back the limits of innovation.

The German Machine Tool Builders’ Association (VDW) notes that trade fairs have a special significance for start-ups. For instance, they help them meet new customers and build a strong, reliable brand. In line with this, VDW hopes to make it easier for young companies to enter the market. Mr. Marvin Kaes, head of the RWTH Innovation Entrepreneurship Centre, answers three questions regarding hurdles experienced during the pandemic. Find this in the Spin-off Strategy section.

After two cancelled editions, Manufacturing Expo returned on June 22 – 25 amidst strict health and security protocols at BITEC, Bangkok. Read Show Update and learn how despite the adverse impact of the coronavirus pandemic to the region's industrial sector, Manufacturing Expo opened with renewed optimism from exhibitors who anticipate increased market opportunities fuelled by the recovery in many sectors, a reflection of its “Power Up” theme.

The turbulent times that the whole world is experiencing are posing major challenges for almost all companies. Thus, many companies are beginning to invest in future-proofing their businesses. On page 20 you will find Markus Heseding, Managing Director of VDMA Measuring and Testing Technology, answers questions pertaining to the challenges companies are experiencing, including metrology solutions towards digitalisation in factories.

And we need your help. Tell us about any metalworking technology or success story you want to read. Keep us informed about what’s important to you. Let us know how we’re doing. Send us an e-mail at Kathryn@ringiertrade.com.

E-zine: http://edms.industrysourcing.com/ezine/22/08/imna.html?#/

Website: https://www.industrysourcing.com/client/magazine/details.html?id=101605

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

CNC single-spindle screw machines from LICO Machinery

 

LICO Machinery Co. specializes in CNC single-spindle screw machines that blend the speed of screw machines with the precision and versatility of CNC lathes.  With 38 years in cam-type automatics and 25 years in CNC Multi-Slides Turn-Mill Centers, LICO has teamed up with many experienced machinery dealers throughout the world to ensure good services.

The LICO LNT series of CNC screw machines feature various levels of technology enabling you to match the right machine to the right part.  Built on a rugged base, these machines employ up to four 2-axis cross slides arrayed around the spindle.  All 4 slides and the turret are capable of overlapping with each other [Parallel Machining] or [Multi-tasking].  The slides are dovetail and gib design, giving you the rigidity to make use of form tools to maximize material removal rates without chatter.  The machines include a 2-axis eight position turret with live-tooling on every position.  These machines are fixed headstock machines, so no special material or learning sliding-headstock technology is required.  Spindle bores range from 36mm through 65mm.  On most parts, the LNT machines will outperform any Swiss type machines up to 7-axis.  Our 3-turret version, LNTS-T3, even outperforms competitions in Germany to win orders.

The latest machine model is the LNDD machines, which adds 2-3 cross slides to a traditional Twin-spindle Single-turret machine.  The turret has a True-Y axis (+/-55mm) that allows for multiple tools at each turret position for working on both spindles.  This machine also comes in larger spindle bores, 80mm and 100 mm.

Showroom link: https://www.industrysourcing.com/client/supplier/product.html?id=102056