EuroWire July 2023

Focus on UK

Continuous extrusion technology

BWE Ltd is a British engineering company specialising in continuous extrusion machines and cold pressure welders. Its Conform™ and Conklad™ continuous extrusion technologies are established in the non-ferrous, cable and tube industries. Typical applications for Conform include copper and aluminium rectangular wire (magnet wire for transformers), solid aluminium conductor (SAC for cables), copper busbar, trolley wire and other shaped conductors, round refrigeration tube, and multiport or PFC tubes in different alloys. Conklad technology is available for applications such as AS wire, OPGW, CATV, sheathed composite cores, reinforced aluminium wire and other products requiring an aluminium sheath or non-ferrous cladding. BWE’s SheathEx™ technology was first developed in 2005. The process is used for ‘seamless’ aluminium sheathing of high voltage cables. Until now, all machines supplied globally have been for a corrugated aluminium sheath – a reliable process from 2 x 12mm diameter aluminium rods.

BWE specialises in continuous extrusion machines

BWE continues to develop new products and applications, including wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), 3D printing, electric vehicles and precious metals. Proving trials and demonstrations are available at BWE’s headquarters in Ashford, Kent, UK. The company’s research and develop- ment department will consider and prove any new application prior to investment. BWE also manufactures and supplies a complete range of cold welders and dies for a fast and reliable solution to welding non-ferrous materials from fine wire to round rod. BWE Ltd www.bwe.co.uk

BWE now offers a SheathEx line for both corrugated and smooth aluminium sheaths. One of the first SheathEx customers worked with BWE to develop and convert its line for both corrugated and smooth. Extensive tests in tandem with the plastic extruder allowed the cable to bend and wind on a drum without kinking or damaging the sheath. Existing customers are able to retrofit their corrugated line with this new technology. The SheathEx process provides a continuous and seamless aluminium sheath with no weld. The aluminium sheath has good conductivity and environmental properties and is light in weight. The use of standard CCR aluminium rod keeps material costs low.

Cable drum pushers Nu-Star is a specialist original equipment manufacturer based in the UK, and has been designing and engineering load- moving solutions for different industries worldwide for more than 60 years. The company’s Cable Drum Pushers are used to replace unsafe working practices such as ‘flicking’ drums with forklift tines or manually pushing cable drums, and are an alternative to expensive solutions such as overhead cranes.

Nu-Star Power Pushers are battery-powered electric tugs with a roller attachment that can be easily adjusted to suit different diameters of wooden or steel flanged drums. They can be operated by a single pedestrian user, and the high starting torque of the pusher helps overcome the initial rolling resistance of the stationary drum, providing power to push the cable drum along the production line. The Power Pushers are not subject to Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) as they are not lifting devices, so any member of the workforce can be trained to operate the tugs. The compact pushers are environmentally friendly with zero emissions, and are suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Five models are available, based on drum weight: the Power Pusher (up to 10,000kg), the Super Power Pusher (up to 25,000kg), the High Torque Super Power Pusher (up to 40,000kg), the Dual Motor Super Power Pusher (up to 50,000kg) and the High Torque Dual Motor Super Power Pusher (up to 60,000kg). The tugs can also be operated in tandem on each flange of the cable drum, allowing a maximum load of 120,000kg to be mobilised.

Nu-Star’s Power Pushers are used to move cable drums safely

Nu-Star Material Handling Ltd https://nu-starmhl.com

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July 2023