EuroWire March 2022

Technology News

New tech, new capacity and new capabilities

Flexible tool for fibre cable preparation

than the Sertec machines, which also have some added functionality, so we are just going to swap them out and put the older machines into storage. We picked up some extra coiling machines too, so five new coiling machines will be coming through the door.” An EDM wire eroder has given William Hughes new capabilities. “We’ve never had EDM capabilities before,” said Ms Burgon. “It will allow us to pre-cut blocks prior to CNC milling, meaning a lot less work will need to be done. Our customers don’t normally give us very much time to make weld jigs, but if we can get off tools quicker than anybody else, we will win the project. Speed of design coupled with speed of manufacture of weld jigs is definitely a big plus as far as our customers are concerned.” The new assets have already resulted in new business, with the company gaining welded-assembly work and contracts for six new wire frames for two tier-one automotive suppliers. “It’s all looking very positive,” Ms Burgon said. “We still have a few hoops to jump through before it all stabilises, but our additional capacity and capabilities, not just here in the UK, but also in our Bulgarian and Polish plants, will put us in an amazing position to go into 2022 with some real optimism.”

Advanced assembly, forming and fabr- cation assets from Sertec’s recently closed springs and wire forms division have been given a new lease of life at William Hughes Ltd. When the assets became available, engineering director Emma Burgon spotted an opportunity to not only bolster William Hughes’s existing capabilities, but also introduce new ones. “We’ve been able to increase our welding capacity,” explained Ms Burgon, “growing from eight weld cells to 12, and we will be adding a further four bending machines, taking us up to ten in total. We’re also planning to move some plant to our facility in Bulgaria.” Describing how some of the machines will act as upgrades to existing equipment, Ms Burgon said, “We already have Itaya machines, but they are ten years older

MSAT-X dual-channel fibre access tool

As the pace of fibre cable rollout increases, Ripley Tools has launched the MSAT-X tool to offer engineers flexibility for cable preparation. The MSAT-X, part of the Miller® range, is a mid-span tool that can be used across a range of cable types up to 5mm in diameter, removing the need for multiple tools. The loading ramp enables all cable sizes to be loaded precisely into the same cutting blade, so there is no need to use a sizing gauge. To help engineers work more efficiently, the MSAT-X has been designed for ease of use. Its versatile deep and shallow cutting channels are colour coded for easy identification and its ergonomic shape and lightweight design make it simple to work with. The MSAT-X went through extensive prototyping, testing and development in-house at Ripley’s labs, which included engineer trials. Keith Badger, managing director UK/ director of global marketing at Ripley Tools, commented, ”The MSAT-X really is a breakthrough product for the fibre sector due to its user-friendly design and flexibility. With the fibre optic rollout pro- gressing fast, it’s vital that time-pressured engineers have the best quality tools for the job – and to have one tool, which has multiple uses, is a real game-changer. Fol- lowing our extensive testing at our lab, we’re confident not only of the reliability and performance of this tool, but how it performs on the job for engineers today and the engineers of tomorrow.” The MSAT-X was designed and built by Ripley in the USA, and is available now from Ripley’s partners around the world. Ripley Tools LLC www.ripley-tools.com

The expanded production area at William Hughes

William Hughes Ltd www.wmhughes.co.uk

Non-halogenated flame- retardant grade for wire and cable applications

UV-stabilised Estane ZHF 90AM9 NAT 01 TPU is VDE 282 – a new option that has UL 94 V-0 and UL 105°C temperature ratings. It is a differentiated solution with very high mechanicals, flame-retardant properties and good surface aesthetics. The new offering also passes Cable Flame Test (according to UL-1581, Sec 1061) on small diameter cables with a proven use case down to 8mm diameter. Lubrizol Engineered Polymers www.lubrizol.com

Lubrizol has launched a non-halogenated, flame- retardant grade that combines perfor- mance and a regulatory-compliant solu- tion for wire and cable applications. The new Estane ZHF 90AM9 NAT 01 TPU, made without the use of halogens, has improved key performance attributes compared to standard materials. Lubrizol describes it as “a full, one-stop solution versus other resins available today which offer only a partial solution when meeting customer and certification demands.” Engineered Polymers

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March 2022