The company has released its OpenCNC grinder for CNC ID, OD and centerless grinders. The grinder consists of hardware, software and documentation and has been engineered to meet the needs of machine builders, integrators, end-users and retrofitters who specialize in CNC grinding machines, the company says.

The grinder maintains the flexibility and power of open architecture, while providing ease of use and built-in features of a standard package, the company says. It is said to allow machine builders and end-users to easily upgrade or interchange machine hardware, software and peripheral components without having to re-engineer their existing machine logic.

The part programming features include: 11 wheel dressing routines, eight grinding sequences, advanced grinding wheel offset tools and an online help system. Each part program can contain as many as 20 grinding sequences.

The hardware/software package comes with wiring diagrams, documentation and pro-written PLC logic that allows machine builders or integrators to complete a control retrofit without having to spend weeks writing and debugging special machine logic, the company says.

For more information from MDSI, call or enter MMS Direct code 947MF at www.mmsonline.com

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Similar in appearance to its predecessor, the RG6, the Coborn RG8 wet grinding machine can control as many as 16 axes simultaneously. Also, its Windows-based software enables more multitasking than the previous model. This brochure provides technical specifications, photographs and a description of the product, which is distributed solely by Precision International Corp. in North America.

For more information from Precision International Corp., call 888-304-1997 or enter MMS Direct code 279WB at www.mmsonline.com

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Hydraulics and pneumatics supplier Hyflo has invested more than R5-million on new machinery, including a Mazak computer numerical control (CNC) machine from Japan, in order to mass-produce hydraulic manifolds for the local hydraulics market.

All the tooling for the CNC machine, a dedicated uninter-rupted power supply system, a tool profile measuring computer, and craneage were also bought.

The new machine enables the company to manufacture repetitive manifolds, in addition to the company’s current capa-bilities, which enable Hyflo to manufacture manifolds of up to 3 t. The largest the company has manufactured to date is a 1,2-t manifold, manufactured at the beginning of 2007 at its Johannesburg branch.

Hyflo branch manager Norman Hall explains that manifolds may comprise of a block of forging metal, cast iron or aluminium with different sized ports and cavities drilled into it. The valves mounted into or onto the manifold allow for multiple functions, such as directional control, pressure control and flow control within a very small space.

Oil from the hydraulic pump enters the manifold through one port, and is transported through the manifold’s distri-bution network through several ports, cavities and valves, carrying out different applications simultaneously, such as driving a hydraulic motor and extending or retracting a hydraulic cylinder.

Hall explains that the benefit of a CNC machine is that it can be programmed to use different tools to drill the cavity, machine the thread and then finish it off to specification.

The new CNC machine does not drill ports and cavities vertically, but rather horizontally, which allows for mass pro-duction. The new machine is able to drill three sides of a manifold block without operator interference.

Hall explains that up to 20 blocks, depending on shape and size, are mounted onto a single tombstone, which is a steel cube with mounting vices on each face, inside the CNC machine. Hyflo has invested in two alternating tombstones, meaning that with the correct program-ming, the CNC machine can drill up to 40 manifolds in one session without having to unbolt or change any settings.

Before the machine can be programmed, the company’s design team designs the manifolds, first in a two-dimensional circuit drawing designed to the customer’s specifications and then as a three-dimen-sional computer graphic. Coordinates from the three-dimensional computer graphic are programmed into the Mazak machine, including the tools that must be used to machine each cavity.

Hall adds that the Mazak CNC machine has a range of 160 different shaped tools, necessary to complete a com-plex manifold.

An additional feature of the Mazak CNC machine is its through-spindle coolant sys-tem. Hall explains that instead of the tools being flooded by external lubrication and cool- ant while the machine is drill-ing, the new CNC machine allows coolant or lubrication to flow through the spindle and the inside of the tool, lubricating and cooling it inter-nally. This allows for faster drilling and quicker removal of the swarf.

Hall says that a challenge with the new CNC machine is sourcing enough business to be able to use it to its full capacity.

He says that Hyflo is also ISO 9001:2000 accredited, which means that everything manufactured on the premises must pass certain checks and procedures to ensure the quality standard.

Hall says Hyflo manufac-tures manifolds using imported cast iron with full material certification. The company also uses local and imported aluminium.

Hyflo has also invested in a tool profile measuring computer. This checks tools by taking photo-graphs of the cutting edges of the tool from every angle while spinning the tool through 360°. It then determines whether a tool is worn or has been chipped. Hall says that the company always ensures that tools are within the prerequisite specifications.

The company also recently built dedicated deburring and cleaning stations specifically to clean the manifolds.

Increased business has necessitated a dedicated employee to examine the quality of every manifold. Some customers buy complete preassembled manifolds with all valves and components attached, which are functionally tested on assembly.

Hall says that a feature of the company that sets it apart from other hydraulics companies is that, besides the manifold manufacturing, it offers project design, manufacturing, testing and installation of complete systems for customers. Large contracts, such as those from mines and heavy industry clients, have particu- lar specifications and require-ments, which Hyflo’s project team caters to. He says that the company also stocks most of the components required from multiple suppliers, resulting in shortened lead times.

In the future, Hall says, Hyflo will concentrate on achieving increased efficiency and producing more manifolds.

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CNC Design has retrofitted a Leifeld PNC350-19/2 metal spinning machine at Murdock Metal Spinning in Melbourne, Australia.

This model of Leifeld spinning machine is now self-programming and can learn from the operator The machine was originally built in 1985, but the machine has aged, electronic components have become unreliable and expensive to replace, support has become remote and the operator interface has been outdated The retrofit involved the installation of the Siemens Sinumerik 840D CNC Control and Simodrive HLA card.

The hydraulic axes controlled by Moog servo valves were retained and interfaced to the CNC system.

The critical teach panel controls were connected to fast analog I/O via the digital bus to ensure the system is responsive during the teaching process.

A new operator panel was installed with a 10in colour screen and machine control panel.

A dedicated operational system was integrated into the standard Sinumerik HMI Advanced software.

A feature of the machine is its ability to learn from the operator manually spinning the part and then generating a program, meaning no CAD/CAM or programming skills are required.

Before manual spinning, the roller is taught the working area for collision prevention with the tool and other devices.

Software was developed to ensure the roller maintained minimum pressure requested by the operator when teaching the tool contour.

During teaching the position of the X axis controlled, as is the applied pressure, with the latter parameter critical to the spinning process.

During commissioning, together with the operator, the manual spinning was finely tuned to allow the operator to ‘feel’ the spinning of the part.

Strong engineering at CNC Design was needed to develop the software for real time data acquisition and program generation during teaching.

Customised screens were developed to save programs, change system variables and view and edit programs.

After program generation, programs can be viewed graphically with the ability to navigate through passes and delete unnecessary movements, optimising the cycle time.

All development and design of the system was completed offline while the machine was in production.

The commissioning phase involved cabinet and machine wiring, servo valve servicing, tuning of axes, testing of all software, fine tuning of the machine and trials.

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A BLM Adige LT 712D CNC tube laser has eliminated inaccuracies and work-in-progress, while work accuracy has also eliminated welding jigs as tubular parts can now be tagged ready for welding.

The decision by Hydram Sheet Metalwork to purchase a LT 712D tube laser was based in part on the performance and reliability of its BLM Dynamo CNC tube bender, BLM Group’s acknowledged expertise in tube processing, and the new machine’s 8.5m tube length processing capacity Hydram Sheet Metalwork was also impressed by the build quality of the machine, its off-line programming capability, the service and support provided by BLM Group UK, and the experiences of other end-users Operations director at Hydram.

David Greatorex, said: “Where we would previously have used several machines to process tubular components, we now use the tube laser and have eliminated inaccuracies and work-in-progress.

It has also impacted on operations downstream, for example, by eliminating the need for welding jigs as parts can now be tagged”.

He explained: “All of this has enabled us to take cost out of the job because it is not just about cutting faster, it is about revisiting the entire production process from design to delivery of the completed component”.

The BLM Adige LT 712D with a 2500W laser is equipped with a Siemens Sinumerik 840D CNC and can process round, square, rectangular and flat-sided oval section tube up to 152mm diameter.

Off-line programming software specifically developed for the machining of tubes produces new programs quickly and easily, typically less than 10 min from drawing to finished part.

The Siemens control allows the operator to manage all the main functions, including program downloads.

Fast set-up and change-over times - around 3 min - mean that short batches can be managed as cost-effectively as longer production runs.

In addition to sheet metal processes such as CNC punching, presswork, folding and rolling, and its expertise in laser tube cutting and profiling, Hydram also offers MIG/TIG welding of mild, stainless steel and aluminium.

Precision CNC machining is also available.

Parts can be powder coated prior to final assembly and delivery.

“We consider Hydram to be one of the top sheet metalworking companies in the UK, with more than 150 customers spread across virtually every industry sector,” said Greatorex.

“However, the objective is to be confirmed as world class when assessed against the criteria typically used by ‘blue chip’ manufacturing companies such as Nissan.

It is, of course, difficult to compare our performance with businesses operating outside of the sheet metal sector and especially those serving high-volume production markets.

However, we have concentrated on key aspects such as cost, quality and delivery, and have arrived at target figures that we believe represent a truly world class standard - for example, 99.9% of orders delivered on time and in full”.

He added: “Training, too, is a big thing for Hydram.

Last year training averaged four days per person and 90 per cent of our workforce is educated to a minimum NVQ Level 2 standard”.

Greatorex said that Hydram’s customers are benefiting from a single-source supplier pursuing a policy of continuous improvement and committed to high quality products, competitive pricing and prompt delivery.

Managing director at Hydram, John Young, commented: “The marketplace is becoming increasingly competitive, with UK companies looking to offshore manufacture or dual source as a way of combating increases in energy, material and labour costs.

To counter this trend we are investing in more efficient and productive equipment while, at the same time, looking further afield for customers within the UK and continental Europe”.

Young continued: “Tube bending is one of our core competencies and we needed to upgrade our capability in terms of automated operation.

The tube laser, on the other hand, is in addition to our flat sheet laser machining capability and has opened up new market opportunities while differentiating Hydram from its competitors”.

* About Hydram - Hydram Sheet Metalwork has invested more than GBP 2 million in capital equipment during the last two years and plans to expand its factory by a further 30,000ft2 in 2009.

With over 30 years’ experience in subcontract manufacturing and more than 150 customers spread across virtually every industry sector, Hydram has built a reputation for high quality sheet metal components, assemblies and light fabrications produced at its 70,000ft2 factory.

The company is ISO 9001:2000-accredited subcontractor.

A decade ago this 130-employee company’s customer base did not extend much beyond a 40 min drive from its location on the Chilton Industrial Estate, near Ferryhill, County Durham.

Today, the company has a much wider customer base.

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