TPT November 2017

T E CHNOLOG Y

Updated automated tube-cutting software CAD/CAM software company SigmaTek Systems has released the latest version of its automated tube-cutting software, SigmaTube X1. The latest release offers new features and improvements. Fixed to use a single length stock, or Best Stick Mixed to allow mixing and matching. offers a Single Pierce Open Section Toolpath for channel and angle profiles. This option interpolates cuts on sharp corners, allowing a single toolpath to be used for the end cuts. This provides a single cut rather than multiple passes, decreasing cut times.

SigmaTube X1 has also expanded the functionality of the new Best Stick Nesting feature into the Nest Calculator tool. The new Nest Calculator is a material optimisation tool that calculates the ideal stock length for a task. Using the minimum and maximum length and allowed increment, the calculator displays a complete stock comparison, showing the lengths that yield the highest utilisation percentage. This is also a tool that fabricators can use for quoting, to determine how much stock is needed to complete a job prior to programming. SigmaTube X1 also

SigmaTube helps tube fabricators complete mission-critical work. The complete tube cutting solution for four-, five- and six-axis cutting machines automatically processes and programs entire assemblies. SigmaTube is fully integrated inside SolidWorks and is capable of programming all tube shapes and sizes. The new Best Stick Nesting feature is a 1D nesting option that gives the best overall yield based on stock selection. Users can either select Best Stick

SigmaTube product manager Dakota Baird commented, “Our SigmaTube customers drive the direction of our product and we are committed to providing users with the best possible solution for their needs.” SigmaTek Systems, LLC – USA Fax: +1 513 674 0009 Email: info@sigmanest.com Website: www.sigmanest.com

Zn spray coating on ERW tube seam A ROLL forming machine draws hot or cold rolled steel through successive stations and shapes the material into a tube. Electric resistance welding closes the seam left by the butted edges. Although no filler metal is added that would change the chemical compositions, the welding process applies temperatures high enough to sacrifice some corrosion-resistant properties of the base metal. previously applied to the rolled steel. The thermal spray process applies a coating of zinc to reinstate the corrosion- resistance properties of the tubing. Applying the spray while the weld seam is hot ensures a metallurgical bond of the sprayed material with the substrate, improves both the deposit efficiency and density of the sprayed material, and allows the coating to blend, helping to hide the weld seam.

and coalesce into a metal coating. The distance from the arc to the tube seam is an important measurement on tube mill installations. Standard arc spray air caps provide conical spray patterns. Straight exten- sions provide elliptical patterns. A small spray width minimises over-spray and precisely controls material usage. Installing the arc spray gun in an enclosed box ventilated to a dust collector ensures environmental and personnel safety. Dust, fumes and overspray must be removed from the spray zone quickly. Over-spray can contain particles of less than 2µm in size, and can constitute four to 15 per cent of the over-spray by weight. If not properly ventilated this could cause a hazardous breathing zone or impede mill operations down-line, so an efficient dust collection system is necessary. Metallizing Equipment Co (MEC) has supplied complete automatic Zn spray coating on tube and Zn spray on welded tube seam systems to several well-known tube mills in India and other countries. The company’s arc spray system is easy to use and maintain, for repeatable-quality work. M/s Metallizing Equipment Co Pvt Ltd – India

Arc spray is the most user-friendly and, in terms of operating cost, the

The process may also vaporise aluminium or galvanised coatings

least expensive of the thermal or metal spraying processes used for applying metal coatings to base materials. Any electrically conductive material in wire form can be arc sprayed. A wire pulling sys- tem with DC motor, fitted in the gun, en- sures precision wire feed speed. The wires meet at the head of the gun and melt in the electrical arc. The molten mass is atomised and blown onto the substrate with compressed air. The particles cool to ambient temperature

Email: sales@mecpl.com Website: www.mecpl.com

Zn spray system – a typical installation

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NOVEMBER 2017