May 2008 Edition

product spotlight

Smart controls for hydraulic press brakes

Engineered for high-throughput Lean manufacturing, the Maxform hydraulic press brake from Cincinnati Inc., combines state-of-the-art forming speeds and part processing productivity with “smart” controls that speed and simplify programming, setup and part-handling. Maxform’s industrial PC-based touchscreen control and Windows software eliminate two-thirds of the programming steps with conventional CNC controls, while advanced hydraulics and control technologies deliver cycle-eating ram speeds — up to 700 ipm — for more strokes per hour and parts per shift.

Simulation software enables easy offline part programming, while advanced “see and do” 3D graphics and automatic processing intelligence compensate for varied operator experience levels.

Cincinnati Inc.

Video measuring

L.S. Starrett’s Galileo AV1824 video measurement system offers increased versatility through its multi-sensor measuring capabilities including vision, touch probe, and laser scanning. The Galileo AV1824 provides an intermediate travel multi-sensor metrology solution ideally suited for QC labs, research, engineering and manufacturing environments.

The AV1824’s color optical system provides zoom magnification of 12:1 with a programmable magnification range from 15x to 550x with auxiliary lenses. A dual output LED illuminator, ring light, and coaxial illumination provides lighting.

Other options include a Renishaw PH 6 contact probe with TP20 module, Optimet Mark III Laser Probe, and a CNC rotary positioning device.

Starrett Kinemetric Engineering, Inc.

Rotary indexing

Abtex Corporation’s custom-designed rotary indexing systems are designed for high volume, multiple surface finishing in flexible machining system applications. These deburring and finishing cells combine an indexing turntable with motor stations, fixturing options, and on-board tooling options. Each system is designed for a customer’s unique parts and application requirements.

The rotary indexing system’s cells are programmable, right down to feeds, speeds, automatic brush-wear compensation, and tooling change alarm signals. These functions are controlled by a user-friendly touch-screen interface.

Abtex Corp.

Pallet rack

The first-ever, all-in-one Pallet Rack mobilization device for partially loaded pallet racking, the Rhino Series pallet rack-lifting device moved four, 20' x 48' pallet racks in two hours at a recent demonstration for a major golf club manufacturer in southern California.

The Rhino Series is a compact racklifting device, in which each leg of the pallet rack is lifted only one-half inch off the floor to minimize any possible failure. Each device uses a six-ton hydraulic jack for ease of operation. The Rhino Series can move the heaviest loads with ease and stability and has the ability to lift racks with only six inches of flue space.

Cozza Inc.

Concentric clamping

The constant challenge in metalworking is clamping thin-walled workpieces that can easily deform. Schunk Inc. has introduced a new six-jaw power chuck, ROTA NCR, developed specifically to avoid distorting delicate material. With six-point contact on the workpiece, even pre-machined parts can be clamped without any deformation.

The ROTA NCR consists of a central chuck piston that has master jaws oscillating in pairs for concentric clamping. A pendulum is connected to each set of two base jaws. The result is that the workpiece is centered between six points of contact in which the members of each pair lie opposite one another.

Schunk Inc.

Turning center a compact application

The YV-800ATC+C by You Ji is a flexible, heavy-duty vertical turning center that is suitable for the aerospace, oil field, and other industries turning medium-sized workpieces.

Absolute Machine Tools Inc. offers this compact system, which is designed for stand-alone applications or easy integration into production lines. It comes in mirror-image right-hand and left-hand versions, allowing operations to place machines side-by-side in a work cell. Such an arrangement boosts productivity by giving shops two spindles in essentially the same space as one horizontal turning center. One operator can run both machines.

The You Ji YV-600A can deliver even the tightest tolerances. Its ways are enclosed, and a forced lubrication system ensures high precision. The high-speed way system enables rapid traverse rates of 787ipm.

Absolute Machine Tools Inc.