TPT September 2016

T E CHNOLOG Y

Quick-change technology for mills and roll forming

machinery. Its business includes the retrofit and replacement of common tube mill components, including driven roll stands, idle side roll stands, weld squeeze boxes, weld upset bead removal equipment (OD bead trimmers) and turkshead type straighteners. Rafter Equipment Corp – USA Email: sales@rafterequipment.com Website: www.rafterequipment.com

no overhead cranes or special raft handling equipment. It features the ability to quickly break into a production run and quickly go back to the previous product, as well as built-in redundancy for increased line up-time, and no infringement on the operator’s side of the mill during changeovers. The company also manufactures tube mills, pipe mills, roll forming machines, flying cut-offs and other related mill

RAFTER Equipment Corporation has introduced a new patented Mill-Flip ® quick-change technology for tube mill and roll forming machines that promises part-to-part changeovers in 15 minutes or less. The new system requires no special mill stands or roll tooling, no complicated mill drive connections or electrical controls systems, no special operator or maintenance training, and

Machining centre halves company’s lead times A NEW Mecal MC 309 Nike CNC machining centre from Addison Saws is enabling Stayfix Architectural Aluminium Systems to halve production lead times. With business growing significantly, Stayfix had begun outsourcing the machining of components for several of its window and curtain walling systems. “This approach was fine as an interim measure,” commented company direc- tor Kiran Bhudia. “However, with growing sales and an ongoing drive to provide even higher levels of quality and service, we took the decision to invest in a manufacturing solution that would enable us to bring all our machining back in-house. “Addison’s were particularly helpful and informative throughout the entire buying process. By providing a full demonstration of the machining centre’s capabilities, including extensive cutting trials, they ensured we understood fully how investing in the Mecal would benefit our business and satisfy our ongoing production requirements. With the machine now in place, we have been able to reduce our lead times by 50 per cent.” The Mecal MC 309 Nike machining centre is equipped to automatically machine, drill, mill, slot and prep both aluminium and steel extrusion bars. It is also suited to new product development, while its high levels of accuracy and repeatability ensure minimal waste. The MU-DPM version has an automatic magazine and clamps positioned by head. Features include pneumatic profile rotation ±90° to work three sides; mechanical stops for intermediate angles; the main spindle does all work with full use of the automatic magazine; full CAM- 3D software; integration with external software; 3,490mm working length; open ends to allow machining of longer pieces; zero stops at each end to work multiple profiles; and an automatic centralised lubrication system. The Mecal MC 309 Nike CNC machining centre

With an intuitive operator interface, the Mecal MC 309 Nike has streamlined Stayfix’s manufacturing processes. Able to machine components of up to 6,540mm in length, it can easily accommodate even the larger extrusions used by the aluminium systems business. The Nike’s 3+1- axis configuration allows full use of the automatic tool change capability when working at any angle to 180°, enabling drilling, milling and tapping processes to be carried out in one operation, and accelerating the production of drainage slots and apertures for locks and handles. In addition to the Mecal MC 309 Nike machining centre, Stayfix purchased a Mecal SW 453 Plug double mitre saw (selected for its ability to provide a fully automatic sawing solution for extrusion, prior to CNC machining), and two Tronzadoras semi-automatic upstroke aluminium sawing machines from Addison Saws.

Addison Saws offers an extensive range of full CNC machine tools from premier industrial machine manufacturers. The product range includes simple, manually operated machines to highly sophisticated, fully automated sawing lines, and has recently been increased with the addition of heavy duty 3, 3+1, 4 and 5-axis long-bed multi-piece machining centres. The company is part of the Addison Group, which also includes saw blade re-manufacturing firm Dynashape, and tube-bending technology specialist Tubefab.

Addison Saws Ltd – UK Fax: +44 1384 264955

Email: sales@addisonsaws.co.uk Website: www.addisonsaws.co.uk

44

www.read-tpt.com

S eptember 2016