September 2010 Industry News
Diverse Application Areas Include Medical, Automotive, Electronics, Aircraft, Aerospace, Watch Manufacturing - Even Foodstuffs
Precision machine building company MDC Max Daetwyler AG and specialist water jet company Waterjet AG, in collaboration with NUM, have developed an innovative CNC-based water jet cutting machine capable of cutting materials to within ±1 micron, which is 20 times more accurate than competitive machines. The new WOMAJET/microWATERJET machine is also extremely efficient. It consumes considerably less water and abrasives than traditional systems and opens up entirely new application areas for this form of materials processing technology.
Many of the new product fabrication materials introduced over the past few years react negatively to the effects of heat during machining. However, using a jet of water to perform the cutting operation ensures that the material structure remains unchanged. Furthermore, the technique can be used on virtually any type of material. MDC Max Daetwyler, Waterjet and NUM chose to combine their expertise to jointly develop a water jet cutting machine specifically for precision materials processing.
The new WOMAJET/microWATERJET machine provides a stable, precise and repeatable manufacturing process capable of creating complex contours. It can handle land widths as narrow as 20 microns (0.02 mm). The machine uses a very high precision water jet, with a diameter of less than 300 microns, and can cut materials at a rate of up to 4000 mm per minute. All three of the machine's axes are driven by NUMDrive C servos. These have a very high power density, which helps minimize the size of the control cabinet. Overall control of the machine is handled by a NUM Flexium CNC system, equipped with a NUM FS152i HMI for operator input commands.
The WOMAJET/microWATERJET cutting machine can accommodate an exceptionally diverse range of materials. These include biocompatible materials for medical applications, Kevlar, carbon and glass fiber materials such as those used in the automotive industry, and the type of specialized materials and laminates used in the aircraft and aerospace industries. In each case, all cutting operations are performed with no degradation to the materials' characteristics or properties. One unusual application that is already generating considerable interest is for cutting precision components for the watch-making industry - mechanical watches from prestigious Swiss manufacturers.
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Water Jet
Aggressive Program Kicking Off at FABTECH Highlights Abrasive Product Solutions that Provide “The Muscle Behind The Machine”™
Norton has announced the launch of an aggressive new product expansion program for the metal fabricating industry. In conjunction, Norton will produce a new print and online catalog, including the industry’s most comprehensive new product, application and selection information, to help metal fabricating end-users and distributors optimize their abrasive operations.
“Norton will be rolling out hundreds of new SKUs over the next 12 months that run the gamut from the industry’s highest performance product innovations with lowest total cost to excellent performance products at industry competitive prices, providing a full range of solutions for all levels of metal fabricators,” said Mr. David Long, Director of Marketing, Strategy and Marketing Information at Saint-Gobain Abrasives.
Numerous new Norton and Merit brand products will be showcased at FABTECH, the metal fabricating industry’s main event, on November 2-4, 2010 in Atlanta, GA. At the show, Norton will demonstrate how their full range of products provide the “Muscle Behind the Machine” on right angle grinders, random orbital sanders, pneumatic die grinders and large diameter cut-off machines, in BEST, BETTER and GOOD performance categories.
12-Month Product Introduction
Norton and Merit brand abrasives for right angle grinding applications will be initially introduced, including a full spectrum of innovative products designed to provide maximum performance at all price levels. Products will include an entirely new flap disc and fiber disc offering in Norton SG Blaze Plus in the BEST tier, NorZon BlueFire in the BETTER tier and the all-new Merit Metal GOOD line for end users that are looking for excellent performance at a great price level. Norton / Merit flap discs are engineered for applications ranging from stock removal to blending to finishing all with one wheel. Norton/Merit fiber discs feature a full resin bond system with heavy-duty fiber backing for increased strength, durability and tear resistance.
Norton will also be expanding their product offerings within the depressed center wheels category for right angle grinding and cut-off applications. The Norton line of depressed center grinding, notching and RightCut wheels has products for every right angle grinder application: NorZon Plus provides the industry’s BEST cut rate and wheel life, providing the highest productivity; Charger Plus gives a BETTER performance/price combination and Gemini’s GOOD aluminum oxide performance at a competitive price level. A full range of non-woven depressed center wheels and discs will also be featured, for expanding the applications of the right angle grinder into the cleaning, finishing and polishing categories.
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Norton Abrasives
Mazak Corporation has unveiled its MX Hybrid Roller Guide System, which has been uniquely developed by Mazak for integration with its machines. As Mazak’s Next Generation of Integrated Machine Guide Technology, the MX Hybrid Roller Guide System delivers levels of durability and reliability that result in long-term accuracy. By year end of 2010, all Mazak machine tools will ride on MX Hybrid Roller Guide technology.
The MX Hybrid Roller Guide System incorporates a special “X-Design” that efficiently distributes load in four directions – radial (clockwise and counterclockwise), reverse radial, and lateral. For the best combination of consistent performance, accuracy and rigidity, the X-Design reduces reversal errors for unmatched cornering and provides more surface contact than balls, yet with less friction than slides.
Durability of the MX Hybrid Roller Guide System comes from the fact that it offers an unparalleled level of vibration dampening capability, resulting in extended tool life. The system also handles heavy load capacities because there is less elastic deformation with rollers, consumes minimal amounts of oil for “greener” operation and allows better coolant life. It also extends machine life considerably and is practically maintenance free.
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Mazak
PartMaker Inc., a division of Delcam Plc, has unveiled a new, specialist functionality for the programming and simulation of Bar Fed Mills. This new functionality will be available for use in PartMaker Version 2011, which is slated for release in the fourth quarter of 2010.
The new specialist software from PartMaker provides more realistic simulation of the machining processes carried out on Bar Fed Mills with unique architectures from such leading builders as Willemin-Macodel, Bumotec, Chiron, Mazak, Star, Tornos-Almac, Stama among others. Bar Fed Mills are a unique breed of mill-turn centers that combine the continuous production capability of traditional bar-fed turn-mill center with platform of a vertical machining center.
PartMaker CAM software has a unique ability to automate the programming of Bar Fed Mills as a result of the blend of two unique technologies it employs. For parts with features requiring 2-axis, 2 ½ axis, 3-axis and 3+2 machining, the software employs a patented “Divide and Conquer” programming strategy to automate programming. PartMaker’s Patented Divide and Conquer technique makes programming the multi-axis operations found on a Bar Fed Mill easier by allowing the programmer to break the part down into a series of simpler operations. When a part requires simultaneous 5-axis programming, PartMaker is able to integrate the extraordinarily sophisticated 5-axis machining strategies found in PowerMILL, Delcam’s industry leading CAM system for automating the programming of complex shapes like turbine blades.
PartMaker users of Bar Fed Mills have already been able to take advantage of this unique combination of technology for some time. The new version of PartMaker, will take users to another level of productivity by allowing them to simulate the very unique kinematics of Bar Fed Mills in the PartMaker 3D Simulation environment.
In addition to the improvements made in the simulation of Bar Fed Mills in PartMaker Version 2011, the company is also introducing a new 3D CAD system called the PowerSHAPE Companion for PartMaker. While this new product is not directly related to automating the programming of Bar Fed Mills, it will be especially helpful to users using such machines to program 5-axis simultaneous operations by allowing them to create, manipulate and repair 3D geometry to facilitate more efficient 5-axis machining operations.
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Partmaker
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