EuroWire May 2023

Technology News

Technology investment boosts cleanroom capabilities

industries, where it is used for the cleaning and packing of small-batch, precision-machined and fabricated parts to meticulous standards. William Hughes can also undertake the assembly of units involving more than one component in a cleanroom environment. Shaun Tattershall, special processes manager at William Hughes, said, “The cleanroom has evolved over the years since we acquired ultrasonic cleaning company AC Services, in 2015. To keep up with industry demands and evolving legislation we have invested in new contemporary technology which offers the levels of performance expected by some of the most demanding industrial sectors. The careful handling of every part entrusted to our care is a central philosophy of this service.”

From three European production sites, in Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic, Redies delivers wire dies with mono- and polycrystalline diamond as well as tung sten carbide cores. Repolishing services and a range of materials, auxiliaries and machines for customers’ own die shops are also part of the portfolio. The company says that the proportion of wire dies with polycrystalline diamond (PCD) cores made with Redies’ own brand PCD Mant® has grown over the past 20 years, and almost all PCD die customers now want this product. The Mant product line is a complete system of PCD cylinders up to 30mm for all drawing applications: round wire, tubing, profiles, sliders, bunching and special tools made according to customer specifications. The self-supporting PCD Mant MSD-06 001 can draw fine copper wire, and can substitute monocrystalline diamond dies from diameters of 0.15mm and larger. In the field of steel wire drawing, espe cially copper-plated welding wire, Mant can substitute tungsten carbide dies. The PCD blank Mant MTD-15-001 is suitable for drawing diameters from 0.6 to 2mm. William Hughes, a specialist manufacturer of springs and wire components, has enhanced the capabilities of its 80m 2 Class 7 cleanroom with its investment in a digitally controlled Ultrawave Neon 60 ultrasonic cleaning system. The new Neon machine, which is Class I Medical Devices compliant to MDR (EU) 2017/745, complements existing assets and capabilities in the ISO 14644 1 accredited cleanroom, which include further solvent and aqueous cleaning systems, a UV-inspection dark room and various cleaning verification systems, such as filtration studies, NVR testing and microanalysis. As well as being used internally, the cleanroom is offered as an advanced subcontract facility. Said to be the only one of its kind in the UK, it is being regularly utilised by manufacturers in the aerospace, medical and hydraulics

William Hughes Ltd www.wmhughes.co.uk

Dies for drawing copper-plated welding wire

It is made from fine-grain globular diamond powder that is sintered into a cylindrical cobalt capsule and into a tungsten carbide ring in a high temperature, high-pressure process. Choice of, and control over, the source materials are essential for the resulting quality of a PCD blank. For the MTD-15 001, Mant only uses diamond powder with globular morphology and a very sharp grain size distribution, to achieve a high degree of internal bridging and a longer service life. The choice of 1μm grain size allows the drawing of a shiny surface quality throughout the complete use cycle. The 4 to 5μm copper layer on copper-plated welding wires remains intact. The method of PCD fabrication ensures that the PCD does not wear loose from its TC ring, which in turn avoids wire breaks and subsequent downtimes of production lines. Redies also uses a conductive sintering process when casing its dies. This ensures an optimal bond between the core and sinter metal, with optimal heat transfer during the drawing process. Redies Deutschland GmbH www.redies.com

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May 2023