Laser cut parts given high quality finish
A laser cutting subcontractor is also offering high quality vibratory surface finishing to give a high quality cosmetic finish on components after cutting, prior to packaging and delivery.
Laser Process, one of the UK’s leading laser cutting companies, is ‘polishing up its act’ by offering high quality vibratory finishing, thanks to Wheelabrator Group. It will use a new Walther Trowal CD 200 machine from the market leading surface preparation specialists to create a high quality cosmetic finish on components following laser cutting, prior to packaging and delivery to customers. Based in Cannock, Staffordshire, Laser Process offers sub-contract precision profile cutting services, mainly for steel, whereby components are cut to shape using laser beams controlled by computers.
Its customers include manufacturers across a wide variety of sectors, including the automotive, architectural and mobility industries.
Neil Lindsey, general manager with Laser Process, which employs 31 staff, said: ‘While the cutting itself creates a high quality profile, putting the components through the CD 200, mixing abrasive media with liquid and vibrating the parts, produces a flawless cosmetic finish.’ He added: ‘The machine fits easily into our factory layout, is simple to use and does not require constant attention from an operator.
We load the components into it, switch it on and leave it to process the parts, while we return to other jobs.’ Prior to the installation, Laser Process only offered vibratory finishing to customers requiring it as part of the component specification.
The new machine will allow this service, previously only available via a subcontractor, to be provided, offering a higher quality of product to customers.
Lindsey said: ‘The fact we had to subcontract this service was the reason we first became aware of Wheelabrator Group.
Whilst undertaking the work, its team introduced us to the Walther Trowal product range and, on exploring the options open to us, we quickly realised the potential of bringing this in-house and offering it across all our contracts.’ He said: ‘We have already got off to a ‘flying start’ since the machine was recently installed and processed 10,000 hinge parts during a weekend and 2,000 lock components in less than a day.’ Manufacturers are attracted to Laser Process as its continual investment in new technology allows it to accurately produce precision parts to highly technical specifications at competitive prices, using the most appropriate method from its range of systems.
There is no minimum production quantity and design changes can be made quickly and easily.
As well as design, the company’s service encompasses project management and delivery.
Mike Bird, area sales manager at Wheelabrator Group, said: ‘We are delighted to have secured this order and helped Laser Process enhance its service to customers.
Vibratory finishing machines offer a range of benefits to different sectors, such as deburring and descaling, as well as creating a high quality cosmetic finish, which can really add to the value of the product.’ Wheelabrator Group owns, designs, manufactures and provides wheelblast, airblast and mass finishing equipment for surface preparation and cleaning, and serves a variety of sectors, including the aerospace and automotive industries.
Lines polish round, flat and tubular parts
Semi and fully automated metal polishing lines produced by the Italian company, Bossi, are available for the first time in the UK through new agent, Rivers Machinery, Southampton.
Semi and fully automated metal polishing lines produced by the Italian company, Bossi, are available for the first time in the UK through new agent, Rivers Machinery, Southampton. The Bossi product portfolio is comprehensive and includes equipment for belt grinding, mop grinding, and polishing of flat or round components including both round and square tubular sections. In addition, automated load / unload and tube wrapping systems are available.
The Bossi range is developed on the basis of modular system assemblies which can be configured to meet any customer requirement.
The principal system for metal flat surface finishing is the RSP range.
A customer system can be built up using a variety of units utilising wet or dry abrasive belt grinding and solid or liquid abrasive polishing mops.
Close control of the grinding and polishing process ensures constant pressure and speed to guarantee high productivity and consistent quality.
The RSP range is available in working widths of 150mm, 200mm, 300mm and 500mm.
Components are handled by a continuous roller system and the entire process is administered using programmable logic controllers, allowing the line to be supervised by one operator.
A tube wrapping machine is available to protect the polished surface of either square or rectangular section tubing.
As well as the RSP Series, transfer machines are available for polishing of irregular components such as door furniture or wall plates.
In addition, a Multipla bridge format polishing system may be supplied for superfinishing of large flat surfaces.
Round surfaces such as cylindrical tubing are handled by the BOSSI F1 Series and HO Series grinding / polishing system, and by the CPS and CP Series centreless systems.
For components requiring optimum longitudinal finish, BOSSI offers the Multipla Series for round stock applications.
On these machines the workpiece is clamped between tailstocks and polished by traversing the mops lengthways along the component.
A round section tube wrapping machine is also available.
BOSSI can thus supply a grinding / polishing solution for virtually any production situation. R
Bring parts along for sampling finishing technique
Precision part makers seeking the perfect finish for small machined and pressed parts at the UK’s Southern Manufacturing Show are encouraged to bring along samples for processing.
Precision part makers seeking the perfect finish for small machined and pressed parts at the UK’s Southern Manufacturing Show are encouraged to bring along samples for processing to prove to themselves the superior results that can be achieved. Using Otec equipment the cost effective, high quality deburring and polishing of components are possible in diverse industries such as aerospace, automotive, tooling and engineering and even plastics. A typical example is an aluminium part made on a CNC machine that was hand deburred before being gold plated.
The part maker made a 57 per cent saving by switching to processing on Otec deburring machines.
On stand will be Otec CF disc and DF drag finishing equipment.
These compact units can be located in the CNC manufacturing cell for just in time production.
Being up to 10 times faster than vibro machines and 20 times faster than conventional barrel finishing, means the CF and DF keep pace with CNC production and so eliminates the need for batching.
As parts leave the CNC machine they can be deburred immediately.
The Otec equipment is quiet too, eliminating one of the health and safety aspects of using large vibro machines.
For lower volume use the company will be showing the Otec ECO range.
These bench top units are easy to site anywhere, simple to use and still give both deburring and polishing options.
Finishing Techniques also provide a subcontract service.
Their special finishing lab delivers a fast, cost effective and quality service to manufacturers who need a solution to finishing problems caused by short run requirements due to machine breakdown, a sudden order surge or prototyping and testing.
Blazing a trail - Firescan, an all in one laser engraving system, is blazing a trail to this year’s Southern Manufacturing show.
Finishing Techniques, a specialist supplier of finishing equipment and subcontract services, is the sole UK distributor of Firescan and will be showing the equipment on stand D38.
The easy to use compact unit sits on your desktop and is ideal for perfect identification, quality control and data matrix codes.
Whether marking products and components with reference/part numbers, logos and safety information or as a design feature, Firescan reproduces them all flawlessly every time at resolutions up to 1000dpi.
The ultra-precise 0.2mm laser beam is controlled from a standard PC.
Perfect engraving and markings can be made on single items or batch production.
Standard metals, precious metals and even plastics are easy to etch using Firescan.
Deep engraving and intricate designs can be performed on flat or curved surfaces without the need for extensive training.
Furthermore, all markings are permanent, chemical proof and abrasion proof.
Unlike many other systems, Firescan is completely air cooled so there is no need for a water connection.
This contributes to low running costs and makes the unit more compact and convenient to locate wherever there is a standard power point.
It is safe to use on a desktop or place directly in the manufacturing cell
Grit blaster meets exacting criteria for implants
Two very exacting criteria come to the fore of the technical specification when using a grit blaster to impart a keyed surface to prosthetic implants; zero contamination and precise surface finish.
Two very exacting criteria come to the fore of the technical specification each and every time Guyson installs a Euroblast system for imparting a keyed surface of prosthetic implants; zero contamination and precise surface finish. The first part is taken care of with polyurethane coating of critical metal parts in the blast chamber and rubber lining of the cabinet walls to stop the abrasive nature of the blast media causing contamination. The latter requirement for a precise surface finish is now achieved using the latest design sieve classifier fitted to a Guyson Euroblast 6.
Process control limits on surface finish are required because too fine a finish is as equally undesirable as a too coarse finish to the keyed surface prior to ceramic coating.
Maintaining a uniform size and shape of the blast media enables the achievement of a consistent component surface finish, this achieved by passing the used media over an electro-mechanical sieve classifier.
The sieve separates out smaller broken down media that if allowed to impact the component repeatedly would produce the undesirable fine finish
One blast cleaning system replaces three manuals
A major French manufacturer of carbide and polycrystal inserts has dramatically improved its productivity by installing one blast system, that has replaced three manual blast cabinets.
A major French manufacturer of carbide and polycrystal inserts has dramatically improved its productivity by installing a Guyson Euroblast 8SF Plus blast system, that comes complete with driven turntable and linear horizontal traverse gun arm. This one machine replaces three manual blast cabinets with three separate operators and produces 150 pieces in about five minutes. The carbide inserts are mounted in a frame and blasted by two type 900 guns equipped with boron carbide nozzles.
The process is to obtain a uniform surface roughness prior to brazing of a diamond or a crystalline boron nitride (CBN) insert on to the carbide insert and after brazing to remove the excess brazing material with aluminium oxide blast media.
A uniform surface finish desired for the components is made possible with the inclusion of a linear transducer that adjusts the table rotation speed as the horizontally traversing guns nears the table centre ensuring an even, repeatable blast coverage.
Excellent access to the rubber-lined cabinet is available via complete front opening doors and an additional side door, for safety these come complete with interlocks to prevent blasting when the doors are open.
The blast system is completed with an efficient C400 dust collector that aids operator visibility by filtering the dust-laden air using a pleated micronic paper cartridge filter that is cleaned automatically with a pulse of air.
On-line consultancy polishes up surface treatment
24 hours online-consultancy, based on a modular approach, helps to save costs in the mechanical surface treatment business.
24 hours online-consultancy, based on a modular approach, helps to save costs in the mechanical surface treatment business. Our company was founded in the year 2001. We are a management consulting company for medium sized companies and are specialized in polishing consultancy.
Our customers are mostly international companies often working in the mechanical surface treatment business.
In order to get the medium-sized economy back to a stable basis, we made it to our objective to stand up for our medium-sized customers and to provide professional management consulting by offering practical and favorable concepts by means of modules.
In order to serve our customers individually and at an optimum, we offer our consulting and services either as package ( also at your location), or as do-it-yourself concept.
Our 24 hours online-consulting helps you to save costs and you can focus on your special needs, by means of the modules, which we offer individually.
Our online-consulting has shown success, especially in countries abroad.
We gladly will render our consultant services at all times and submit you a free of charge offer after a preliminary discussion.
Specifically in the polishing business we have a long experience all over the world and offer the following services: 1.
evaluate and compare polishing/abrasive components.
2.
submit proposals for improved performance.
3.
provide basic formulations depending on the applications.
4.
solve specific polishing problems.
Buffing of large flat parts made easier
Designed for polishing large parts, which are too difficult to polish manually, a buffing machine works typically stainless steel fabrications, sheet and plate, hollow sections and enclosures.
Surtech’s Model FAB buffing machine was designed for polishing large parts which are too difficult to polish manually, typically stainless steel fabrications, sheet and plate, hollow sections, enclosures, etc Model FAB buffing machine consists of a frame with guide rails, a table with horizontal and vertical travel and a buffing head which can be moved along the length of the machine. The machine is available in working lengths from 1500mm to 3000mm. In standard form parts up to approx.
600mm high can be accommodated.
Optional working lengths up to 6000mm and 1200mm height are available.
The buffing head with a single speed 2.2kW motor has clockwise and anti clockwise rotation and accepts buffs, brushes and wheels up to 250mm diameter and up to 150mm wide.
To improve polishing efficiency and to cover all recommended cutting speeds the buffing head is available with an inverter as optional extra.
There are also dedicated special versions of the FAB buffing machine which will polish tube longitudinally or which have swivelling buffing heads.
For grinding operations like weld seam removal, scale removal and surface graining and blending Surtech have developed a vertical abrasive belt head which can be fitted instead of the buffing head or together with the buffing head.
If both heads are fitted the working length reduces by approx.
500mm.
Model FAB buffing machine can be viewed and tested with your own parts at Surtech’s Abrasive Test Centre in Birmingham.
Portable polishing machine cuts operator fatigue
Portable polishing machine now has am improved ergonomic design to reduce operator fatigue and has sufficient torque for buffs up to 125mm dia. x 50mm wide.
Surtech’s portable Roto-Buffer polishing machine for the industrial market now has am improved ergonomic design to reduce operator fatigue. The new features include a rear handle which fits snugly into the palm of the hand and a generous front grip area which allows max. contact pressure to be applied without strain.
The Roto-Buffer is available with powerful 1.3kW, 230V or 110V electric motors with sufficient torque for buffs up to 125mm dia.
x 50mm wide.
The no load speed is 6500 rev/min, giving a cutting speed of 42m/sec for 125mm dia mops which is the max.
safe operating speed.
The drive shaft has a M14 thread on to which a tapered spindle can be screwed for use of traditional polishing mops in sisal or cotton, abrasive impregnated nylon wheels and abrasive flap wheels with tapered bores.
Optional parallel spindles are available to fit wheels and buffs with parallel bores.
High intensity polish cleans up tool surfaces
A high intensity polish has been introduced in response to demand for a high finish polish that would quickly and cost effectively remove tarnish, dirt and stains from fine tooling surfaces.
In response to demand from finishing specialists looking for a high finish polish which would safely, quickly and cost effectively remove tarnish, dirt and stains from fine tooling surfaces, Engis is now offering the new Hyprez DiaMold High Intensity Polish in the UK. The High Intensity Polish is ideal for use on all types of moulds, dies and fixtures and restores surface finish while providing a high-lustre sheen. Easier to remove than other polishes, it wipes on and off without leaving a residue.
Non hazardous and non-corrosive, it cleans and removes haze from diamond finished moulds safely, without causing ‘mop marks’ or other fine surface scratches.
The product can be used on brass, bronze, chrome, aluminium and other metals and leaves a protective film which retards subsequent oxidation and rust.
Paul Harrison, Director of Epworth-based, Harrison Tool Polishing Services, was one of the first to use the product and has been delighted with the results, as he explains; ‘We specialise in very high gloss work, which we supply to prestige marques in the automotive sector as well as medical, cosmetic and telecommunications applications.
We have built our reputation and our business on providing the very best quality finishing at competitive rates - and we are continuing to grow, recently investing over GBP 50,000 in a specially designed state-of-the-art polishing shop.
Robot eliminates hand polishing of wing panels
Eliminating the need for hand polishing, a robot is being used to polish aircraft wing access panels, to remove machining marks, in batches of up to 48 access panels of 12 different sizes.
Eliminating the need for hand polishing, a robot is being used to polish aircraft wing access panels, in batches of up to 48 access panels of 12 different sizes. A KUKA robot is being used to polish aircraft wing access panels at Airbus UKs wing design and manufacturing facility at Filton, near Bristol.  KUKA Automation + Robotics, based in Halesowen, was chosen ahead of seven other companies to supply the robot, which is the first to be introduced within this production facility.
The Robo Finish KR60 loads and polishes batches of up to 48 access panels of 12 different sizes, eliminating the need for hand polishing.
The panels are polished to remove patterns left by cutting tools.
The versatile robot, part of a self-contained finishing cell within the Filton integrated machining facility, is equipped with an automatic tool change capability, allowing it to process the different panel types.
After the operator loads a trolley of unprocessed access panels, the robot selects a new pad for the polishing spindle, picks up a panel from the trolley, polishes the component and then transfers it to an outgoing trolley.
Project leader Steve Corbett said the KUKA robot had successfully demonstrated the feasibility of this robotic technology at Filton and achieved productivity savings within the machining facility.
‘Even more importantly, from a health and safety perspective, this system eliminates any exposure to vibration white finger’, he added.
Other work packages are now being considered for robotic polishing including the deburring of the fixed shroud on Airbus wings.
‘This project demonstrates how an off-the-shelf robot can easily be adapted to perform a wide variety of applications in virtually any industry, helping to improve not only productivity but also health and safety considerations’, explained Brett Green, general sales manager of KUKA Automation + Robotics.