apmen jan-feb 2010

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MEDIcAl INDuSTRy: Machining For MEDTEc

MARkET OuTlOOk 2010

PROfITINg WITh SuSTainablE TEchnologY

January-February 2010

www.equipment-news.comM.I.C.A. (P) No. 233/06/2009

SINO TOOLING SYSTEMBlk 502, Jurong West Ave 1 #03-813 Singapore 640502Tel + 65 6566 7668 Fax + 65 6567 7336 [email protected]

ISCAR THAILAND57, 59, 61, 63 Soi Samanchan-BabosSukhumvit Rd. Phra Khanong, Khlong Toey Bangkok 10110Tel + 66 (2) 7136633Fax + 66 (2) [email protected]

CV MULTI TEKNIKJL. Balikpapan Raya No. 28 Jakarta Pusat 10140 Indonesia Tel + 62 21 6307303Fax + 62 21 [email protected]

ISCAR JAPAN 1-5-3 Shinsenri-HigashimachiToyonaka-shi, Osaka 560-0082Tel + 81 6 835 5471Fax + 81 6 835 [email protected]

MESCO Reliance CornerBrixton St. Pasig CityMetro-Manila Philippines Tel + 63 2631 1775Fax + 63 2635 [email protected]

ISCAR TAIWAN395, Da Duen South Rd. Taichung 408Tel +886 (0)4 247 31573Fax +886 (0)4 247 [email protected]

ISCAR VIETNAM (Representative Office) Room D 2.8, Etown Building, 364 Cong Hoa, Tan Binh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City, Tel + 84 8 8123 519/20 Fax + 84 8 8123 [email protected]

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MMT MalaysiaTel: +60 12 326 6309Fax: +60 3 7980 4744

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ENQUIRY NO 014

ASIA PACIFIC METALWORKING EQUIPMENT NEWS (M.E.N.) is published 8 issues per year by Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd, 1100 Lower Delta Road, EPL Building #04-02 Singapore

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Associations

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INDUSTRYEndorsements

metalworking equipment news Jan-Feb 20106

CoNTENTSJanuary - February 2010

Taiwan Association of Machinery

Industry (TAMI)

FIRST CUT28

5 Axis Technology: Sharpening The BladeEfficient blade manufacturing is made easy with 5-axis technology. By Ralph Schiffler, for DMG

32

Profiting With Competitive Sustainable Machining Technology Sustainability has found its way to machining, increasing productivity and reducing cost at the same time. By Liu Peiling, principal research engineer, SIMTech

34

Sensors: Electro-Sensitive Protection Of Hazardous PointsPress operations have been made safer with the myriad of sensors that keep the ‘worst case scenario’ at bay. By Andreas Sixt, product manager, Sick

SOFTWARE & MEASUREMENT46

Transforming Your Machining Centre Into A CMMThe ability to carry out on-machine measurements has benefits that go beyond financial savings. By Ettore Chiosi, product manager, Marposs SpA

50

Keep On Turning!Turning and milling continue to undergo new transformations to keep up with the winds of change. By Michael E Neumann

TECHNOLOGY UPDATE42Metal Injection Moulding: Metal Malleability An innovative way for manufacturing metallic parts, MIM brings cost reduction and also new ways to approach certain materials. By Liang Chee Hoo, senior manager, technology, Advanced Materials Technologies

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Prices and specifications subject to change without notice. Not responsible for typographical errors. Machines shown with optional equipment. *Base price in US dollars.

Singapore DKSH TechnologyHarbour Front Phone: +65 6471 9248 Malaysia A Division of SPC Machinery Sdn BhdKuala Lumpur: 03-5569-5901Penang: 604 3801581

Thailand A Division of Machine Tech Co., Ltd. Bangkok: 02 726-7191-5Chonburi: 66 3811-2700Philippines A Division of Gaylan Technologies Manila: 63 2 915 8725

Vietnam Diethelm and Co. Ltd. TechnologyHanoi: +84 4 9424 725HCMC: +84 8 5121 334

Haas Factory Outlet

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ENQUIRY NO 012

RefeR to AdveRtising index foR AdveRtiseRs' enquiRy numbeRs

Regulars• 12 Business News• 90 Product Finder• 95 Exhibition Programmes• 96A Product Enquiry Card

Pg 96

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MEDICAL INDUSTRY: MACHINING FOR MEDTEC

MARKET OUTLOOK 2010

PROFITING WITH SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY

January-February 2010

www.equipment-news.comM.I.C.A. (P) No. 233/06/2009

FC Walter003 JanFeb10b.indd 2 1/20/10 2:41 PM

3D Technologies: Adding A New Dimension To Product LifeImproved design, timesavings and the ability to detect design flaws are just a few reasons to integrate 3D printing into product development lifecycle. By Winnie Chu, channel and marketing manager, Objet Geometries Asia Pacific

Market Outlook 2010Leaders in the metalworking industry reveal their thoughts, the valuable lessons learned and share with us the plans they have in store as they embark on hopefully a brighter 2010

Medical Industry: Machining For MEDTECManufacturing parts for medical devices is literally a matter of life and death, placing utmost importance on accuracy. By Gerald Musy, service manager, Tornos Asia and Philippe Charles, market segment manager (MEDTEC), Tornos

FAB & FORM54

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT58

Titanium Machining: Rewarding Those Who Overcome The difficulties of titanium machining are well documented but machinists are just a few steps away from unleashing the full potential of the material. By Joson Ng

MATERIAL FOCUS68

FEATURES70

EVENTS & EXHIBITION82

The Magic TouchCombining the scanning systems with intelligent controllers allow better performance of measuring probes under difficult conditions. By Dietrich Imkamp, head of product management (bridge-type machines) and Karl Schepperle, head of sensor development, Carl Zeiss

52

Z Corp: Building A Solid Model Asia is very much on Z Corp’s sight as the company looks for a greater presence in this region. By Joson Ng

56

Boosting Efficiency In Medical Device ManufacturingUsing Delcam’s PartMaker CAM software has given a medical device maker the ability to manufacture complex, high-quality medical parts efficiently. By Peter Dickin, marketing manager, Delcam

62

Medical Devices: Meeting ExpectationsThe manufacturing fraternity must match the continuous R&D in medical devices in order to equal the dynamic growth in the medical industry. By David Zola, chief technical officer, non-rotating and hole making tools and Yair Selek, medical industry project manager, Iscar

64

Medical Industry: Light Them Up! Laser assisted applications have emerged as an alternative for manufacturing parts for the medical sector. Contributed by CK Chan, marketing department, IDI Laser Services

66

Special Report: Metalex Thailand 2009The metalworking industry is looking forward to 2010, where previous lessons learned and experiences gained can be put to good use. By Joson Ng

74

Steel Recycling: Radio TelepathyTo ensure the continuity and quality of steel production, automation technology and industrial wireless LAN are used to ensure fast and safe data transmission. By Luca Piller, I IA&DT AS, Siemens Zurich

80

Makino: Committed To R&DEvent Review: Manufacturing IndonesiaEvent Review: Wire & Tube South-east AsiaEvent Review: JEC Asia 2009Event Preview: INAPA 2010

Contents

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editor’snote

EastErn tradE MEdia PtE LtdPublished by:

(a fully owned subsidiary of Eastern Holdings Ltd)

Reg No: 199908196C

Head Office & Mailing address:1100 Lower Delta Road,EPL Building #04-02, Singapore 169206 Tel: (65) 6379-2888 Fax: (65) 6379-2806

thailand Office:Thai Trade and Industry Media Co., Ltd16/F Italthai Tower, 2034/73 New Petchburi Road,Bangkapi, Huaykwang, Bangkok 10310, ThailandTel: 66(0) 2716 1722 Fax: 66 (0) 2716 1723

etm EasternTrade Media Pte Ltd

an Eastern Holdings Ltd company

EastErn HOLDInGs LtDExEcutIvE BOarD

managing director Kenneth Tan

assistant editor Joson Ng [email protected]

advertising sales manager Derick Chia [email protected]

assistant sales manager Yessica [email protected]

editorial assistant Sharifah Zainon [email protected]

senior art director / studio manager Lawrence Lee [email protected]

graphic designer Jef Pimentel [email protected]

contributing graphic designers Libby Goh, Katherine Ching

circulation executive Irene Tow [email protected]

contributors Michael E Neumann, Ralph Schiffler Liu Peiling, Andreas Sixt, Ettore Chiosi Winnie Chu, Gerald Musy Philippe Charles, Peter Dickin David Zola, Yair Selek, Luca Piller Liang Chee Hoo, Dietrich Imkamp Karl Schepperle, CK Chan

board of consultants Wäinö a Kaarto AB Sandvik Coromant dr Moshe Goldberg ISCAR

All rights reserved. No portion of this publication covered by the copyright herein may be reproduced in any form or means – graphic, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, taping, etc – without the written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher and editor.

Printed in Singapore by Fabulous Printers Pte Ltd

MICA (P) No. 233/06/2009PPS 840/10/2010 (028278)ISSN 0129/5519

chairman Stephen Tay

group executive director Kenneth Tan

financial controller Robbin Lim

10

When the clock struck twelve on December 31, 2009, the calendar reset and a new year was upon us. Watching the Times Square Ball dropping in New York, the fireworks going off at Marina Bay in Singapore, the temples in Japan ringing their bells 108 times at midnight, it is a timely reminder for everyone to start afresh and look forward to the new year with zeal and renewed optimism.

The start of the year brings new hope like the cool crisp spring air blowing through. Like a bear waking up after a lengthy period of hibernation, the metalworking industry can begin the year in earnest especially after a heartening show of resilience in the stirring fightback shown in the backend of 2009.

In Metalex Thailand 2009, the exhibition floor was an epicentre of activity and the buzz has translated to tangible results for many who decided to participate. Many exhibitors have registered high number of enquiries during the show and have given the economy in Asia a major vote of confidence for 2010. Although some still have misgivings on the

performance of the economy and where it will go in 2010, the general mood is a positive one, one with hope.

Staying in Thailand, the automotive industry is set to drive up exports. With the industry dependent on machine tools and its auxiliary equipment, this is a well-lit route, which should see free flowing traffic.

M o v i n g a w a y f r o m l a n d transportation and taking to the skies, the aerospace industry in Singapore is looking to be on the ascendancy as the skies clear up after the storm of last year. The country is now seen as the most comprehensive maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hub in Asia, according to a report from Channel NewsAsia. More than 100 international firms are operating in the island state, including Rolls Royce, which has set up a manufacturing base at the Seletar Aerospace Park.

As we dust off our fest ive lethargy and put away our Christmas decorations, we can look forward to an exciting year ahead. Echoing the general belief on the exhibition floor at Metalex Thailand, the worse should be over.

Joson NgAssistant Editor


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www.equipment-news.com

12 metalworking equipment news Jan-Feb 2010

Businessnews

China-Based Train Maker Bags US$6.6 Billion ContractChina: The Chinese Ministry of Railways has awarded a US$6.6 billion contract to a China-based train maker affiliated with Japanese firm Kawasaki Heavy Industries, to supply 140 bullet trains.

The trains will be supplied by Nanche Sifang Locomotive, which has a technology licensing agreement with the Japanese firm. The trains will use Kawasaki Heavy’s technology, already used on the Hayate trains in operation on Japan’s Tohoku Shinkansen Line.

The trains will be used on the Beijing-Shanghai and Beijing-Guangzhou rail lines beginning from the first half of 2010 and will operate at a maximum speed of 350 kmph.

Gildemeister, Mori Seiki & Mitsui In Joint Venture

Bielefeld, Germany: Gildemeister and Mori Seiki will offer their customers financing solutions when buying metal cutting machine tools from the beginning of 2010. Both companies together with the Japanese trading enterprise Mitsui signed a contract founding a joint venture.

Registered office of the financing company MG Finance will be in Wernau in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Gildemeister and Mori Seiki each hold 33 percent of the shares and Mitsui holds 34 percent.

This joint venture offers customers individual financing solutions. Customers from Germany and Great Britain will be the first to profit from the financing offers. In the course of the year the offer shall be extended Europe-wide.

Innovative Steelmaking At Sumitomo MetalsTokyo, Japan: Sumitomo Metal Industries, has invested in a steelmaking processes at Sumitomo Metals (Kokura). Total investment amount in the process is 27 billion yen (US$292 million).

The main facilities are for secondary refining, namely, the No. 2 LF refining facility (2LF) and the No. 2 RH degassing facility (2RH), for the No. 4 continuous caster (4CC), and for a phosphorous removal furnace. Among these, construction of the 2LF, 2RH, and 4CC has been completed.

SolidWorks 2010 LaunchSingapore: SolidWorks distributor SeaCAD held their launch of SolidWorks 2010 on November 20, 2009 at Cathay Cineplex Cineleisure Orchard.

Besides the introduction of the new features and enhancements brought by SolidWorks 2010, the afternoon-long agenda included the announcement of the availability of the document security system Curtain E-Locker and 3D printer by Solido.

PDO Awards Gas Compression EPC ContractOman: Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) announces that it has awarded an engineering, construction and procurement contract for the Saih Nihayda gas compression project to South Korea’s GS Engineering and Construction. The award also includes the de-bottlenecking of the Saih Nihayda gas processing plant.

“This is an important project which aims to ensure that the Saih Nihayda field produces gas at an optimum level for a maximum amount of time,” commented deputy MD Abdulla al Lamki. The installation of the compression facilities will enable the company to maintain pressure for several years. De-bottlenecking of the processing plant will increase capacity from the current level of 20 million cubic metres a day (m3/day) to 25 mn m3/day.

Front-end Engineering and Design (FEED) for the Saih Nihayda compression and debottlenecking project was undertaken by PDO’s FEED Office.

ENQUIRY NO 022



Magma Asia Appoints Group MD

Singapore: Christian Kleeberg has rejoined Magma Asia as the Group MD of Magma Asia, comprising the supervision of the company’s offices in Singapore, Suzhou (PRC), Hyderabad (India) and Seoul (South Korea).

Mr Kleeberg spent the last six years with multinational corporations in Asia.

Supervisory Board Change At Gildemeister

B i e l e f e l d , G e r m a n y : D r. -Ing Masahiko Mori has been appointed a member of the Gildemeister Aktiengesellschaft Supervisory Board. He succeeds Dr Klaus Kessler, who retired from the board.

Dr Mori is the VP of the Japan Machine Tool Builders Association (JMTBA), a member of the Japan Society for Precision Engineering (JSPE) and the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME).

Dr Rüdiger Kapitza, chairman of the executive board at Gildemeister Aktiengesellschaft, was appointed to the Mori Seiki organ as senior executive operating director.

APPOINTMENTS

Dr.-Ing Masahiko Mori

Christian Kleeberg

Mori Seiki Achieves Milestone For The NL SeriesNagoya, Japan: Mori Seiki’s NL series of CNC lathes has passed a total of 10,000 units ordered. The number of orders received for the series, which made its debut in June 2004 and reached 5,000 units in November 2006, topped 10,000 units in September 2009.

This milestone was reached in five years and three months. The company will continue to develop and release new N series machines that can contribute to customers’ production innovations.

Singapore: Magma Asia has established its wholly owned subsidiary Magma Engineering (Suzhou), in China. It is expected that this entity will be fully operational early 2010 with further expansion plans within China in the future.

In parallel, the company has taken the additional initiative to change its liaison office in India – located in Hyderabad – into a full branch office, hence being able to offer the company’s products and services locally in an optimised way.

Magma Engineering AsiaPacific To Expand

Linde Wins Engineering & Gas Supply Contracts In RussiaMunich, Germany: The Linde Group has won several contracts for plant engineering and gas supply projects in Russia. The combined value of these contracts is estimated in excess of €530 million (US$758 million).

Under the terms of these unrelated deals, the company is building two olefin plants for two chemical customers in Western Siberia. In addition, the company will be building an Air Separation Unit (ASU) to ensure the long-term on-site supply of industrial gases to a steel company in the Moscow region.

Linde-KCA-Dresden, member of the group, will construct a polypropylene plant with an annual capacity of 500,000 tonnes in Tobolsk, Western Siberia, for the plastics manufacturer Tobolsk-Polymer.

The group will also be planning and overseeing construction of a gas separation and ethylene plant in West-Siberian Novy Urengoy for the chemicals company Novy Urengoy Gas and Chemical Complex. This project is worth around €47 million for the group. The ethane cracker will have an annual capacity of around 420,000 tonnes of ethylene a year.

In addition, the group has closed a long-term agreement with the steel company ZAO ‘Kaluga Research and Production Electrometallurgical Plant’, to supply the company with industrial gases at its production site in Vorsino (80 km south-west of Moscow).

The group will construct an on-site air separation unit with an investment volume of €37 million for this project. The ASU will have a production capacity of 9,000 Nm3/h of gaseous oxygen and additional capacities for the production of liquefied gases to supply the merchant market, particularly in central Russia.

Businessnews


15Jan-Feb 2010 metalworking equipment news

JFE Steel To Commission Blast FurnaceTokyo, Japan: JFE Steel Corp’s number three blast furnace at the company’s West Japan Works (Kurashiki), will be blown in for a fourth campaign (operating cycle) beginning in mid-February 2010.

The cost of the project is approximately 30 billion yen (US$325 million).

Industries including automotives are expected to continue ordering high-end steel at relatively high levels. By restarting its blast furnace following the revamp, the company expects to capitalise on the growing demand from domestic and international customers, especially in Asia, who require stable supplies of high-end steel.

Going forward, the company intends to further optimise its blast furnace operational structure on a comprehensive, company-wide basis, including production efficiency, costs and other key factors.

Scarborough, UK: Unison has won an order from BAE Systems surface ships for a large tube-bending machine to support ongoing projects, including the construction of the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers. Capable of handling tube and pipe diameters up to 175 mm, the machine is expected to be the largest all-electric tube-bender ever built.

BAE Systems chose the company as its tube bending automation supplier because of the cost savings potential of an all-electric machine architecture.

Together, these technical advantages will allow BAE Systems to improve capability, capacity and efficiency. Energy saving was a further factor in securing the order. The machines consume some amount of energy when they are actually performing a bend - whereas a conventional hydraulically powered bender typically consumes energy continuously, in order to maintain the system’s hydraulic fluid at high pressure.

Unison Wins ‘Largest-Ever All-Electric Machine’ Order

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Businessnews



GE & E.ON Sign O&M Deal For US Wind Turbines

New York, USA: GE and E.ON Climate & Renewables (EC&R) North America have signed a seven-year Operation and Maintenance (O&M) agreement covering EC&R’s complete fleet of 529 GE wind turbines installed in the United States. The O&M deal is one of the largest wind services deals ever signed by GE.

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The agreement is designed to maximise turbine availability and energy production across EC&R’s US installed base of GE wind turbines. In addition, the agreement reflects the companies’ shared goal of maintaining peak performance and reliability and building the world’s best running fleet.

“By teaming with GE on this agreement, we will have greater capability to control our O&M costs over the long term, which will help us cut our total operating costs,” said Steve Trenholm, CEO of E.ON Climate & Renewables North America. “In addition, the agreement ensures that our wind turbines will continue to operate at high availability and overall energy production.”

A single point of availability across E.ON’s fleet of 529 GE wind turbines can equate to more than 25,000 MW-hours of additional energy produced annually. That is enough electricity to power more than 2,600 average American homes for an entire year.

“We look forward to working with EC&R in continuing their commitment to the ongoing development of renewable energy,” said Victor Abate, VP - renewables for GE Power & Water. “This landmark agreement is the start of a long-term services relationship. With one of the industry’s largest fleets of installed wind turbines, we have accumulated the technology expertise and experience to help customers keep their fleets operating at optimum levels.”

GE’s 1.5-MW wind turbine is the world’s most widely deployed wind turbine, with more than 12,000 units now installed. According to the American Wind Energy Association, the wind turbines accounted for 43 percent of all new wind power capacity in the United States in 2008.

Klöckner & Co SE Acquires Becker Stahl-Service GroupDuisburg, Germany: Klöckner & Co SE has signed a preliminary agreement to acquire Germany’s Becker Stahl-Service Group.

The group is one of the largest steel service centre companies in Europe and operates one of the world’s largest modern steel service centres at its headquarters in Bönen.

The company is specialised in processing and distributing flat steel products (coils), with a maximum processing capacity of more than one million tonnes per year. Its main customers are the automotive industry, other steel distributors and a number of other industries such as domestic appliance manufacturers.

Posco To Invest US$5.9 Billion In Green GrowthSeoul, South Korea: Posco has implemented the green growth vision of ‘Global Green Growth Leader’ and concretised the strategy to invest seven trillion KRW (US$5.9 billion) in green growth by 2018 to achieve 10 trillion KRW in relative revenue.

The green growth sectors include synthetic natural gas, SMART nuclear reactors, wind power, fuel cell for power generation, and smart grid. To carry out the master plan in detail, the Posco family green growth committee has organised four sub-committees of low-carbon steel technology, response to climate changes, renewable energy, and new green growth initiatives, and is monitoring strategies and progress of each task on a quarterly basis.

Businessnews



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Lenox Wins Technology Innovation Award In China

Shanghai, China: Lenox Q performance solution bimetal band saw blades (QXP/QGT) won the 4th Annual Technology Innovation Award for the metalworking industry during the China International Industrial Fair.

The award is the company’s first honour for the Q products in Asia since entering the Chinese market in 2007. This year, following a stringent selection by professional specialists in China, the award was given in seven categories to 32 companies that developed the latest technologies and contributed toward the industry’s development.

BP & CNPC To Expand Production From Iraq Oilfield

London, UK: BP and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) have signed a technical service contract with Iraq’s state-owned South Oil Company (SOC) to expand production from the Rumaila oilfield, near Basra in southern Iraq.

The signing follows BP’s successful bid for the contract with CNPC. The consortium led by BP (38 percent) with partners CNPC (37 percent) and the Iraq government’s representative State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO 25 percent), has agreed to nearly triple the Rumaila field’s output to almost 3 million barrels of oil a day (b/d), which would make it the world’s second largest producing oilfield.

The Rumaila Field Operating Organisation (ROO) will manage the rehabilitation and expansion project. BP and its partners intend to use their reservoir management expertise to boost recovery and increase production from the Rumaila field, focussing initially on waterflood and gas reinjection optimisation.

Businessnews



Tumor TreaTmenT

Using the off-the-shelf CompactRIO platform, Sanarus was able to quickly develop a working prototype

AdvertoriAl

Using graphical system Design for

LabVIEW FPGA was used to develop the control system and GUI for the Visica2 Treatment System.

The Challenge: Designing, protot yping, and deploying the user inter face and control system for an FDA–approved, Class II medical device used to treat breast tumors in a less invasive and nearly painless procedure, while maintaining the design process within strict regulatory guidelines.

The Solution: Using the NI CompactRIO platform, NI LabVIEW Real-Time, and the LabVIEW FPGA Module to develop a flexible and reliable GUI and control system

under extreme time-to-market pressure to deliver a device

that would dramatically reduce the emotional and

physical discomfort of patients undergoing tumor treatment.

At Sanarus, a m e d ica l de v ice start-up company, we developed plans for a potent ial ly

revolutionary product that could change

the way doctors treat benign tumors. With

this device, doctors can eliminate tumors by freezing

and killing them in an almost painless outpatient procedure, a

dramatic change from the in-patient surgical solution or the “wait-and-

see” approach used previously. With a well-executed design and development plan, we hoped to market a device that would have a huge impact on breast cancer treatment.

The end resul t , the V isica2 Treatment System™ (V2), is an instrument intended for use in a doctor’s office or clinic. The procedure involves local anesthesia and a real-time, ultrasound-guided approach that is virtually painless. The treatment, which lasts 10 to 20 minutes, freezes and destroys targeted tissue through

an incision so small that it does not require stitches. Time to Market PressureWe were tasked with developing a working prototype of the V2 system within four months to satisfy the product release schedule. In addition to ful f i l l ing our commitment to our investors, we needed to meet marketplace demand and produce the V2 as soon as possible.

Writing firmware and designing a custom circuit board for the device would have been time-consuming, and any error at the firmware or software level could have created delays that would have threatened the entire project. Because V2 is a medical device, it must not have any software or firmware errors that could compromise system performance. If the device had failed the exhaustive testing required for our 510(k) submission, our entire project would have failed and the V2 would not have made it to market. Based on these requirements, we needed an extremely reliable development option for V2.

Speeding Development with Off-The-Shelf HardwareSanarus invited a National Instruments field engineer to discuss possible solutions with us. We quickly realized that the CompactRIO was a viable solution for our needs because of its mix of programmability and integrated I/O development. We designed the prototype using CompactRIO to prove that the V2 would be developed reliably in a short period of time. A trade-off table illustrated the differences between using CompactRIO and our own custom hardware. The payoff from using CompactRIO was apparent; while a custom solution would have taken months to develop, the NI solution took only weeks.

In addition, with custom firmware, “late game” changes would have required new and difficult revisions, but with the CompactRIO platform, we could revise our code if needed with

minimal effort. When we decided that the UI needed to be a touch panel PC instead of buttons and LEDs, we used the LabVIEW for Windows graphical programming environment to develop a UI for a PanelPC. We were able to simply manage communications between the GUI and the CompactRIO Real-Time controller using LabVIEW shared variables. We also met the new feature requests without causing delays in the development schedule because of the system flexibility.

We knew CompactRIO would pass EMC certification, because NI precertified the modules. This guaranteed that our prototype would not have to be redesigned if it failed EMC certification.

The final V2 system consists of a PanelPC that runs LabVIEW for Windows. This operates the user interface and sends commands to a CompactRIO system using LabVIEW Shared Variables. LabVIEW Real-Time was used to implement a state machine on the CompactRIO Real-Time controller, and on the PID, LabVIEW Real-Time regulated loops to control the temperature of the tip of the probe. This is done by providing control algorithms to a liquid nitrogen pump for cooling as well as a simple resistive heating element. The LabVIEW FPGA was used to manage the interfacing to the I/O signals necessary to control these devices.

In long-term studies, our technique is highly effective in destroying common tumors, and the V2 is now available at selected centers throughout the U.S. Thanks to NI, we quickly and efficiently developed an embedded control system with a user-friendly GUI for the V2 while maintaining the highest quality, and ultimately, ensuring the safety of our customers’ patients.

NI played a fundamental part in achieving our goals. Our product design, prototype, and eventual deployment t imelines were met because of the graphical system design platform from NI.

With LabVIEW, we designed and coded our controller in house, then prototyped and deployed machines much quicker than we ever thought possible. In fact , our CEO called CompactRIO a key factor in the success of the Visica2 Treatment System™ project.

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ENQUIRY NO 013



Suzuki In Thailand’s Eco-Car Project

Japan: Suzuki Motor Corp is moving forward with its plans to take part in Thailand’s eco-car project. The company plans to invest 20 billion yen (US$217 million) in construction of an 650,000 sq m automobile plant that will have facilities for pressing, welding, painting, assembly, and engine production. It plans to start producing eco-cars at the plant in March 2012. The planned production volume is 10,000 units by end of December of first year

The company is also set to reorganise its Thai automobile sales operations. It currently markets automobiles in Thailand through its local sales subsidiary, Suzuki Automobile (Thailand), but plans to gradually shift sales operations to its local production company, Suzuki Automobile Manufacturing (Thailand).

Tan Chong & Mitsubishi Fuso To Produce & Distribute TrucksSingapore: Tan Chong International and Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp (MFTBC) have agreed on truck production and distribution in Thailand. Under the terms of agreements, Tan Chong will acquire the production operations of MFTBC’s subsidiary Mitsubishi Fuso Truck Thailand (MFTT) at Lardkrabang.

The deal includes MFTT’s 1,000,000 sq ft (92,903 sq m) truck production plant, tools and equipment, as well as part of its inventories. The company will then assemble Fuso trucks for Thailand at the same site, which is located 40 km east of Bangkok.

At the same time, MFTBC will grant the company local distribution rights for Fuso trucks in Thailand. The agreements are intended to enhance growth, customer support and value chain efficiency in the Thailand market for both companies.

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Green Light For Bombardier Trams With Energy Storage

Berlin, Germany: Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr (RNV) is set to commission the first six Variobahn type Bombardier trams at its Heidelberg site in Germany. These trams are the first to feature the commercial application of the Bombardier MITRAC energy saver, the energy storage system. With this system, vehicles require up to 30 percent less energy and are capable of catenary-free operation.

“We will save about 93,000 kWh of electrical energy per vehicle each year. That also benefits our region due to lower emissions when generating electricity at the power station”, said Martin in der Beek, Chief Technical Officer of RNV.

The energy storage system is part of the ECO4 portfolio of Bombardier Transportation, enabling rail vehicles to be operated in a particularly economical and energy-saving way.

It saves up to 30 percent energy and utilises an energy recovery system: three roof-mounted energy storage units use their capacitors to store the energy generated during braking, ready to release it again when accelerating or during operation.

The double-layer capacitors of the system store up to 3 kWh per vehicle. When starting up and accelerating, vehicles require a particularly large amount of electricity and put a significant burden on the power supply network. This is reduced by about 40 percent with the system, allowing the network to be utilised more cost effectively.

Thirteen more vehicles will be supplied in 2010 for Line 5 and sections in Mannheim. RNV has ordered a total of 19 light rail vehicles with the energy storage system. They will enter service by the end of 2010.

Businessnews

Precision Measurement made easy with FARO Portable 3D Solutions

FARO Technologies develops and globally

distributes 3D measurement systems, including

3D laser measurement technology. The FaroArm,

the FARO Laser Tracker, the FARO Photon Laser

Scanner or the FARO Gage models have become

indispensable in almost all fields of industrial

application, due to their astonishing accuracy,

user friendliness and portability.

The FARO family of premium, portable measurement

and imaging solutions encompasses point-to-point

contact instruments, non-contact imaging scanners,

and computer-aided measurement software. All are

designed to provide easy workflow for your

inspection, alignment, surface modeling, asset

management, and documentation needs.

www.faro.com/sea

Asia Pacific Headquarters

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FARO Singapore Pte Ltd, 3 Changi South Street 2 #01-01, Xilin Districentre Building B, Singapore 486548Tel: +65 6511 1350 | Fax: +65 6543 0111 | Email: [email protected] | www.faro.com/sea

FARO Thailand Tel :662 744 1275 Fax:662 744 3178 | FARO Vietnam Tel:+84 3 845 8108 Fax:+84 3 845 8018 |FARO Malaysia Tel:+603 8064 4224 Fax:+603 8064 4334

Call us at +65 65111350 today for a FREE on site demonstration

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Businessnews

Dreamliner Completes First Flight

Seattle, USA: The Boeing 787 Dreamliner took to the sky for the first time, ushering a new era in air travel as it departed before an estimated crowd of more than 12,000 employees and guests from Paine Field in Everett, Washington. The flight marks the beginning of a flight test program that will see six airplanes flying nearly around the clock and around the globe, with the airplane’s first delivery scheduled for fourth quarter 2010.

Powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines, the first Boeing 787 will be joined in the flight test program in the coming weeks and months by five other 787s, including two that will be powered by General Electric GEnx engines.

Sikorsky & Tata To Manufacture Aerospace ComponentsMumbai, India: Sikorsky Aircraft Corp and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) have signed an agreement creating a joint venture that will manufacture aerospace components for Sikorsky in India, including components for S-92 helicopter cabins.

The joint venture agreement builds upon a long-term contract signed in June 2009 for TASL to assemble Sikorsky S-92 helicopter cabins.

The cabin assembly contract signed in June 2009 has led to ongoing construction in Hyderabad, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, where TASL will assemble S-92 helicopter cabins starting in 2010. The joint venture will be positioned to manufacture components for other aerospace OEMs as well as detailed parts for the Sikorsky S-92 helicopter cabin.

It is expected that the joint venture operations will be housed in a second greenfield facility that will be constructed in Hyderabad, next to the cabin assembly building. Construction for the joint venture company’s facility is targeted for completion by 2011, with production beginning in late 2012.

The aircraft will offer passengers a better flying experience and provide airline operators greater efficiency to better serve the point-to-point routes and additional frequencies passengers prefer.

It will use 20 percent less fuel than today’s airplanes of comparable size, provide airlines with up to 45 percent more cargo revenue capacity and present passengers with innovations that include a new interior environment with cleaner air, larger windows, more stowage space, improved lighting and other passenger-preferred conveniences.

Fifty-five customers around the world have ordered 840 787s, making it the fastest-selling new commercial jetliner in history.

AEROSPACE

Airbus Final Assembly Line China Achieves 2009 Target

Toulouse, France: The Airbus A320 Family Final Assembly Line China (FALC) has achieved its 2009 target as the 11th A320 Family aircraft assembled by the FALC was delivered to Deer Air, an airline part of the HNA Group.

The first A320 assembled by the FALC was delivered to Sichuan Airlines via Dragon Aviation Leasing in June 2009. Since then, a total of five A320 and five A319 assembled by the FALC have been delivered and are now in operation with Sichuan Airlines, Deer Air, Shenzhen Airlines and China Eastern Airlines.

“We are very proud to have achieved our target in the first year of operation, on schedule and on quality. When we started operations in August 2008, we had two challenges: deliver Airbus quality from Tianjin and ensure a smooth ramp up of production. Both objectives were reached. The success achieved in FALC is definitely a way forward for the continuous industrial cooperation between Airbus and China,” said Laurence Barron, Airbus China President.

Carl Zeiss S.E.AsiaIndustrial Metrology Group

Singapore HQTel: (65)67419600

MalaysiaTel: (60)378775058

ThailandTel: (66)22740643

Vietnam - Ho Chi MinhTel: (84)839118670

Vietnam - HanoiTel: (84)47737340

[email protected]/imt






















ENQUIRY NO 020



All Nippon Airways Signs Agreement With Pratt & Whitney

AEROSPACE

ST Aerospace Renews Contract With US Airways

Singapore: ST Aerospace has renewed a maintenance contract with US Airways worth US$60m over three years. Commencing in January 2010, the renewed contract will primarily cover heavy maintenance visits for US Airways’ fleet of Airbus A330 as well as Boeing 737, 757 and 767 aircraft. Maintenance work for the aircraft will be performed at ST Aerospace’s mobile

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Hong Kong: All Nippon Airways (ANA) has signed a 10-year Engine Management Program agreement with Pratt & Whitney. This agreement covers 80 engines including spares.

The agreement includes on-wing engine performance monitoring services utilising Pratt & Whitney’s ADEM (Advanced Diagnostics & Engine Management) tools, for ANA’s fleet of 30 Boeing 777s powered by PW4000 engines. Engine management enhances the ability to forecast engine health and maintenance resulting in greater reliability, operational performance and lower costs.

Pratt & Whitney’s Engine Management Programs (EMPs) provide analysis of engine operational data to monitor and forecast engine health and maintenance. Through detailed analysis of engine data, EMPs help operators achieve superior reliability and lower maintenance costs throughout the lives of their engines.

Cincinnati, USA: CFM International, the 50/50 venture between GE and Safran Group, has been selected to power China’s newest commercial aircraft in development, the C919.

Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC), the developer and manufacturer of the C919, selected the company as the sole Western jet engine to launch China’s new single-aisle aircraft. COMAC forecasts a potential market of more than 2,000 aircraft over 20 years once the C919 enters airline service.

“We expect that China will become the largest commercial aviation market in the world over the next two decades and it’s exciting for GE to be part of that growth,” said Jeff Immelt, chairman and CEO of General Electric Company. “This historic decision by COMAC will result in decades of collaboration.”

CFM engines power today’s modern single-aisle aircraft from Boeing and Airbus, and the company will now develop its first engine to incorporate next-generation technologies by launching the LEAP-X1C engine for the C919 single-aisle aircraft.

COMAC selected a complete integrated propulsion system for the C919 from GE and Safran. The joint venture will provide the engines, and, Nexcelle will provide the nacelle and thrust reverser. The company is a 50/50 joint venture between GE’s Middle River Aircraft Systems and Safran Group’s Aircelle.

CFM International To Power China’s Commercial Aircraft

Pablo Barrios, Maryland, United States

facility at Alabama (US).ST Aerospace’s relationship with the airline

began in 2003 with maintenance on Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft. Since then, the airline has extended it to the mentioned aircraft types. The company has redelivered a total of 206 aircraft to US Airways to date.

Businessnews

ENQUIRY NO 002

Yamazaki mazak Singapore pte Ltd21 Joo koon Circle, Jurong, Singapore 629053 teL: +65 6862 1131 FaX: +65 6861 9284 www.mazak.com.sg



Mining & Metals Industry Continues To React To A Challenging Environment

Boston, USA: The growth trend in the mining and metals industry that spurred demand for automation, instrumentation, and operational software came to a halt in the last quarter of 2008. The cause was the now well-known global financial crisis that led to a global recession, the likes of which had not been seen for over 30 years.

Through the first few months of 2008, demand for metals worldwide continued to grow. Emerging market demand was growing fastest as manufacturers in Asia and Eastern Europe increased production of industrial and consumer goods.

Now the situation is quite different. World demand for steel in the first quarter of 2009 has dropped by nearly 25 percent, causing major steel producers to see profits plummet. The reduced demand for iron and steel has led to a dramatic drop in both the demand and price for iron ore.

“With the global economic downturn as a backdrop, it is understandable that mining and metals companies have cut back the aggressive growth plans of pre-2008. However, spending will still be needed in 2009 with stronger spending to begin in 2010 and beyond,” according to Analyst Dick Hill, ARC Advisory Group, the principal author of ‘Automation Expenditures in Mining and Metals Worldwide Outlook’.

Big Investments On Hold, But Growth Will ReturnThe leading global mining and metals companies understand that, though it may seem counterintuitive

in light of the current economic downturn, it is important not to under-invest even now. Certainly, capital outlays are required to maintain production levels at existing mining sites as well as metals processing facilities. The larger investments seen prior to the current downturn have been postponed, but will have to be made to keep up with global demand for minerals and metals.

Over the long term, demand will rise again, particularly in developing regions, and mining and metals prices will rise along with it. Indeed, over the short term, engineering and materials costs may go down as some more complex projects are put on hold, and steep drop in demand for finished goods helps to push down the prices for steel and other commodities. The end result is a more favourable environment for investment than many might expect.

Asia & Latin America To Lead GrowthRegionally, the highest growth rates will occur in Asia and Latin America. Asia’s share of sales will exceed 35 percent, and while Latin America will experience healthy growth over the forecast period, the region will still remain a relatively small portion of the overall market.

Despite the strong growth in developing regions, Europe, Middle East, and Africa will have the largest share of the market. North America’s demand for automation, instrumentation, and software solutions will drop below 22 percent of the world’s sales as its growth is expected to be the lowest of all four world regions.

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MAY 13 - 16, 2010BITEC BANGKOK THAILANDASEAN'S LEADINGINTERNATIONAL MACHINERYAND SUBCONTRACTINGEXHIBITION

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ENQUIRY NO 007



Turning and milling are two examples of subtractive process in metalworking. A l t hou g h t here a re

competition or complementary processes like 3D printing, depending how you look at it, they remain a primary process for many.

Placing a single point cutting tool parallel to the surface of a rotating part is turning in its basic form. This process can be done manually, or by CNC. When turning, the metal is rotated and a cutting tool travels over two axes of motion, resulting in diameters and depths. It can however be travelling on the outside of a work piece, giving birth to tubular components of various geometries.

Milling on the other hand, involves moving a workpiece against a moving cutter. The orientation of the spindle also gives rise to vertical and horizontal milling, the two basic forms. Like turning, this process is operated manually or by CNC.

Turning!Turning and milling continue to undergo new transformations to keep up with the winds of change. By Michael E Neumann

New Requirements Mandate ChangesIn an increasingly competitive manufacturing environment where parts are getting smaller, tighter tolerances are imposed as well to place more emphasis on the accuracy of modern day turning and milling machines.

Three sectors, the aerospace, automotive and medical device manufacturers are arguably chiefly responsible for this push for higher technology. The drive for better fuel economy in aviation especially in long-range flight has certainly upped the ante for many designers or engineers alike as they try to produce the lightest possible part, putting tremendous demand for advance tooling and machine tools. With the Boeing 787 Dreamliner making its maiden flight, it heralded not only a new generation of commercial planes but also throws down a gauntlet to engineers to develop new generation of machine tools.

Like the aerospace industry, the push for fuel efficiency in the automotive industry has driven up the demand for better milling and turning machines

KeepOn

Elsewhere in the healthcare industr y, the dema nd for prostheses has also place the onus firmly on producing 100 percent complying parts. For better or worse, the machine tool and tool manufacturers have to respond to this pressing need.

Meeting Challenges The Mori Seiki NV7000 improves the rigidity by increasing the width of guideways 2.4 times wider than the conventional machine. It offers better damping performance with the use of slideways in all axes. The vertical machining centre also achieves an 18 percent larger work envelope than the conventional machine while reducing the floor space by 15 percent. Equipped with three spindle variations, it can meet a wide range of customers’ needs from high-speed to heavy-duty cutting.

By incorporating a DDRT (Direct Drive Rotary Table), high-efficiency machining and simultaneous 4-axis machining are possible. This has

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Jan-Feb 2010 metalworking equipment news


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Parts of a brake system must be machined to stringent specificationsimportant applications in the automotive, aerospace, die and mould industries.

Elsewhere, Makino’s S56-5XB vertical machining centre blends high-performance, hardmilling with multi-axis capabilities for the combination of accuracy, speed, flexibility and productivity. The VMC is suited for applications requiring high spindle speeds, fine surface finishes and hardmilling.

The machine’s f ive -a x is functionality delivers accuracy in contoured parts, and enables five-face machining that eliminates set-ups, reduces lead times, improves quality, and cuts costs.

“The S56-5XB is designed to assist manufacturers looking to win high-tech, full five axis, contouring jobs in a variety of markets,” says Bill Howard, Makino’s vertical machining ce nt re p ro du c t m a n a g e r. “Whether running simultaneous or ‘2+3’ programming, the machine provides the high speed and accuracy necessary to get the job done in the lowest cycle times possible.”

It is equipped with a 1,000 x 500 mm worktable, with associated travels of 900 x 500 x 450 mm. Its table mounted tilt / trunion provides full, five-axis capability while the remaining table surface can be used for three axis work.

The machine’s X-, Y- and Z-axis linear motion guides support rapid traverse and cutting feed rates of 1,575 ipm (40,000 mm/min). Its 40 taper, 13,000-rpm spindle provides the combination of speed and rigidity to hardmill high quality surface finishes in demanding applications.

Equipped with a standard 20-tool (30-tool optional) magazine and automatic tool changer, they reduce setups and further maximise the machine’s flexibility and utilisation, through unattended machining capabilities. MEN

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Case Study Red Bull Racing Milton Keynes

Leica Absolute Tracker gives Red Bull Racing wings

Chris Charnley, Quality Manager at Red Bull Technology (the design and manufacturing part of Red Bull Racing), comes straight to

the point: “We have no time for mistakes.” The manufacture of Formula 1 cars demands precision and the highest standards in the development and manufacture of vehicle components. “Basically in our business we are continuously developing prototypes,” says Charnley. During the racing season, the general shortage of time felt by Formula 1 racing teams builds up to extreme levels: Major modifications to the design to optimise the aerodynamics of the cars have to be completed in the period between two races – normally two weeks. “That’s what you call high pressure,” says Chris Charnley. “Working nights and weekends then becomes the rule. But we have a lot of fun doing it, especially when we see the success of our efforts in the race.”

Not just measuring – it has to be a “Leica-Check”The range of applications for the Leica Absolute Tracker in the day-to-day development environment is wide and varied. Quality Engineer Mike Hughes is frequently contacted by the designers when they wish to check the dimensional integrity of a new component. “They come to us and ask not just if we could measure

the part – they ask us for a ‘Leica-Check’. The measurement results from our four Leica

Geosystems Laser Trackers are reliable and authoritative – and word has got around.”

Red Bull Technology measures the assembled racing cars as well as the individual components. Formula 1 is

a sport, and sports have rules. The dimensions of the cars are strictly defined. “Legality checks” are

all part of the routine before every grand prix. Compliance with maximum and minimum limits is conf irmed quickly and easily with the Le ica

Absolute Tracker and the Leica T-Probe. Jon Roberts, Metrology Specialist, describes his experience: “There are many critical points on a Formula 1 car. We check the wings on the front and rear, the overall width of the vehicle, even the position of the pedals. Everything must be perfect down to the finest detail. With the Leica T-Probe, the difficult-to-access areas are simply more points to measure.”

Hexagon Metrology: Global technology partnerIf worst comes to worst, Hexagon Metrology has already proved its worth as a Innovation Partner to Red Bull Racing. If the Formula 1 Team’s metrology engineers have to carry out a particularly difficult measurement, Hexagon Metrology technical service staff are there offering moral and practical support – if necessary at a moment’s notice. The Hexagon Metrology Regional Service Centre in Milton Keynes is only a few miles from the Red Bull Racing and Red Bull Technology HQ. Even when the Formula 1 entourage sets off around the world, Red Bull Racing can depend on Hexagon Metrology’s global presence. The Red Bull Racing measuring system usually stays at home. For an event in Spain however, the racing engineers urgently needed an accurate measuring machine. One phone call was enough: Hexagon Metrology in Barcelona quickly made a Leica Absolute Tracker available. Chris Charnley: “That’s partnership. Our contacts at Hexagon Metrology are fully integrated into our team.”

The machinery park at Red Bull Technology includes several product generations of Leica Geosystems Laser Trackers. These systems are in use at the Red Bull Racing wind tunnel at Bedford. During the aerodynamic tests, the Laser Tracker continuously analyses how the model vehicle deforms in the wind. In addition, Red Bull Technology uses DEA coordinate measuring machines and a third-party CMM that has been modified with a Hexagon Metrology retrofit package.

Leica Absolute Tracker: A brilliant all-purpose toolChris Charnley summarises: “The Leica Absolute Tracker is a brilliant all-purpose tool and without doubt one of our best investments. The speed of measurements justifies the investment by the time saved on component measurement. We are always discovering more uses for it. Accuracy, portability and reliability inspire the team. The Leica Absolute Tracker has played an important role in our many successes.”More Info: www.redbullracing.com

Andreas Petrosino

AdvertoriAl

Can you measure dreams?

SingaporeHexagon Metrology Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.6 Clementi Loop (Off Clementi Ave6) Singapore 129814Tel : +65 6463 6242Fax : +65 6463 8030

ThailandHexagon Metrology (Thailand) Ltd.3 Soi, Bangna-Trad 34, Bangna-Trad Rd.Bangna, Bangna, Bangkok 10260Tel : +66 2361 3695 to 9Fax : +66 2746 9607

MalaysiaHexagon Measurement Technologies Sdn.Bhd11 Jalan PJS 7/21 (758921-A) Bandar Sunway 46150 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, MalaysiaTel : +603 5632 8900Fax : +603 5632 8955

VietnamHanoi Representative Office5th Floor, Regus Hanoi Press Club,59A Ly Thai To Street, Hoan KiemDistrict, Hanoi, S.R. of VietnamTel: +84 4 3936 7935Fax: +84 4 3936 8069

www.hexagonmetrology.com

when it has to be right

ENQUIRY NO 023



Blade

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The Nuremberg pla nt (Germany) of Siemens Energ y is a ser v ice centre for industria l

steam turbines. Since as early as 2005 the company has been using 5-axis machines from the monoBlock series, including a dividing attachment developed by DMG, for its production of turbine blades and vanes for industrial steam turbines.

In addition, an automated manufacturing cell was developed in cooperation as a further stage in the optimisation of the process chain.

As a service centre for industrial steam turbines, the portfolio of the Nuremberg plant includes both the servicing, upgrading and repair of industrial steam turbines. In addition, it reproduces the so-called foodprint turbines according to customer specifications making them comfortable in operating in power ranges up to 120 mW.

One Of The Kind“No two turbines are the same, each one is unique, because constructive properties must be taken into consideration on the one side and on the other every turbine was and is built for a specific application,” says Klaus Blödel, the production manager in Nuremberg.

A trouble spot in the process chain is the in-house blade production, where all turbine blades and vanes are produced. Hundreds of them eventually find their way into an industrial steam turbine. The blades generally consist of a root, blade and tip and are made of heat resistant materials that are difficult to machine.

The root and tip parts have a relatively simple design, but they must conform to high accuracy specifications so that both secure fitting and smooth running of the turbine is ensured when they are assembled. However, the blade itself, whose contours are dimensioned for optimum efficiency of the turbine, has complex free-

Efficient blade manufacturing is made easy with 5-axis technology. By Ralph Schiffler, for DMG

5 Axis Technology:

SharpeningTheBlade

formed surfaces that are subject to stringent requirements with regard to accuracy and surface quality.

The Fifth Dimension In MachiningThe experts in Nuremberg have been exploiting the possibilities of five-axis machining for years now, in order to cope with the complexity of the components plus the small batch numbers in their countless different versions.

Equipped with these machines (in combination with a purpose-bu i l t d iv id ing at tachment w it h hydrau l ic - cont rol le d counterbearing), the company can now carry out complete machining on one machine for any blade, no matter how complex its geometry might be, flexibly and with high precision from the solid without re-clamping.

“The possibilities offered by the

monoBlock machines, which enable us to mill under negative angles down to –30 deg, are essential for blade manufacture,” says Holger Meyer, team leader of mechanical production.

“Deckel Maho developed an NC 5-axis dividing attachment for our process, which allows a program-controlled adjustment of the clamping pressure. This dividing attachment plus the length of our workpieces meant that we then needed a relatively large working area in the X-axis. Last but not least the accessibility of the working area, which allows the operator to set-up quickly and easily with no problem at all, is also apparent,” he adds.

It is clear that the stability and performance data of the machines were also convincing d u r i n g m a c h i n i n g o f t h e demanding materials.



33

The robot-automated feeding ensures a high degree of continuity and process reliability and in addition facilitates higher overall efficiency of the milling machine

reliability by using automation, for example, to eliminate the error rate during manual feeding.”

He further explains: “Moreover, we achieve a higher rate of overall efficiency for the milling machine through robot automation, because the standardised processes result in fewer malfunctions. Finally, we were able to improve the process itself even more thanks to the transparency and repeatability, which also brought benefit for the stand-alone machine in retrospect.”

None of the three people we spoke to wanted to reveal specifically how the robot-manufacturing cell compared with the stand-alone machines. However, they all clearly denied in unison any potential doubts as to the profitability of the automation and agreed that future investments were unlikely to include any orders for stand-alone machines. MEN

Enquiry No. 1002

As reliability is proven, the experts mastered the processes decided within the framework of a pending capacity expansion to take steps forward in automation.

Automation In MachiningThe ambit ion to introduce automation might indeed seem surprising at first glance when you consider that the operation times for turbine blades and vanes are mostly over an hour and can even be anything up to four hours in some cases. The proportional wage costs could not have been the driving force in the considerations.

Jürgen Montag, head of blade production says: “As far as the employees were concerned, our primary interest was to relieve them from the tiring setup process and so put the existing know-how within the department to more efficient use. However, the decisive factor for us was to achieve a high degree of continuity and process

Mobile 3D Scan is an extremely fast portable measuring scanning device for Reverse Engineering purpose with a powerful Point Master V5 Software or Geomagic Software.

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ENQ

UIR

Y N

O

02

8

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The comparably large working area and the development of a special dividing attachment with process-oriented controlled clamping allow blades to have complex, free-formed surfaces



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As ia n me t a lwork i n g i ndu st r y i s u n d e r increasing pressure from more stringent environ-

mental legislation, depletion of raw materials, high energy cost, and falling machinist skill levels.

The metal cutting companies have generally been reluctant to implement new sustainable machining technologies – largely due to a common belief that high cost in implementation will reduce their competitiveness. This is not true for machining.

Profiting from sustainable machining technology is not only technologically possible with the pervasive application of low cost computing, but also make business sense in high mix and low volume production, when the machining profit margin is much smaller due to international competition.

The increased profits come from reduced operating costs, reduced material purchase and waste disposal costs, reduced water and energy consumption. Adopting susta inable manufactur ing practices offer metal machining companies of all sizes a cost-effective route to improve their economic, environmental and social performance.

The competitive sustainable machining technology, which is a subset of sustainable machining

With Competitive Sustainable

MachiningTechnology

ProfitingSustainability has found its way to machining, increasing productivity and reducing cost at the same time. By Liu Peiling, principal research engineer, SIMTech.

technologies, focuses on replacing trial cut and manual training by virtual machining simulation, increasing productivity by high efficiency cutting, and reuse material by re-machining of used component.

Getting It Right Many manufactured components involve machining. For components, machining systems play an important role in the product life cycle as the connection between design and the finished components. The time and cost of transition from specification to commercial birth may significantly affect the remaining phases of the product life cycle.

Furthermore, the productivity and the responsiveness of machining systems as well as the machined surface integrity are important factors affecting product quality. All these characteristics are critical outcomes of machining systems used in production.

There has been a continuous improvement in machine tools and machining systems to respond to the needs for better quality products at lower costs. Evolution from manual machine tools to Numerical Control (NC) and Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine tools and introduction of various sensing and control improvements have

enabled machine tools to be more capable, effective, and productive over the last several decades.

Even after these improvements, machining systems still require long periods of trial and error to optimally produce a given new product design or component. They still require cryptic NC language to operate with limited knowledge of what they are producing or how well they are producing.

NC errors could destroy work pieces and even damage machine tools. One NC error could make the workpiece a waste and take days to rework and eat into profits. In small batch production, there is no time for trial and errors. Especially for High Speed Machining ( HSM ), the fast

Rigor789, Hungary

Competitive Sustainable Machining Technology @ A Glance

• High efficiency cutting• Virtual machining solution• Re-machining



35

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moving and expensive cutter can be easily broken. The dynamic machining load will greatly affect cutter life, geometry accuracy and surface finishing.

Cutting Down Time WastageThe ‘First Part Correct’ idea embodies much of the lean concept that we are attempting to achieve. Tremendous waste in time, cost and resources have historically occurred in the transition from design to successful machining of the first detail part. In the time of high-mix low-volume production, there is no time for trial cut.

Virtual machining is a modelling process that realistically simulates the setting up and running of an actual machining operation. First, the user specifies the raw material shape from which the part will be cut. Then, after selecting the cutter, the NC program automatically simulates the motion of the machine tool.

The programmer can watch the material removal process and see details of how each cut changes the in-process shape of the part. The NC simulation program is smart enough to detect problems such as fast move error and collision that could scrap the part, break the cutter, or crash the machine.

Any error discovered by simulating software allows the NC programmer to immediately identify the offending NC code. The problem can therefore be fixed during the NC programming phase so as to ensure an error-free code when it reaches the shop floor.

High Efficiency Machining Saves EnergyThe ‘energy efficient export initiative’, led by the German Federal Ministry of Economics, underlines the commercial importance for the efficient use of energy. Metal cutting companies have introduced measures to increase their energy efficiency, and energy cost is now a focal point. Significant savings have been gained through the use

Virtual machining is a modelling process that realistically simulates the setting up and running of an actual machining operation

of intelligent controlling toolkits.Improving energy efficiency

can be achieved in two steps, the monitoring of energy flows in factories and the analysis of energy use in individual production processes and systems. The optimisation of energy usage in production must go above the energy management if the goals of doubling total commercial energy productivity by the year 2020 compared with that recorded in the year 1990, are to be reached.

These optimisations include energy management and the controlling of energy coefficients, ie: tailored machining process planning and process implement-ation with consideration for the energy coefficients.

The current generation of tool condition monitors work from pre-set limits on various sensor values, including power levels. But spindle power, for example, can have normal excursions such as when the tool enters a corner cut.

Without any information about the cutting process, these tool condition monitors must act blind, leading to false error reports and/or missing true alarm conditions. The available tool condition monitors focus mainly on catastrophic events such as tool or tooth breakage.

Simulating Machining OperationsThe simulation of chip formation using the Finite-Element-Method (FEM) predicates the cutting force and chip thickness. In real

machining processes however, these parameters are inter-dependent and influence one another heavily. Integrated s i m u l a t i o n , w h e r e b y t h e process-machine interaction is simulated, is therefore a further key technology for sustainable production in the future.

Tool chatter is the barrier for higher material removal rate and can damage machine tool spindle. A certain combination of depth of cut and speed can incur self-excited vibration of tooling system and generate cutter marks on the machined surface. Dynamic machining model and simulation can predicate best cutting speed and depth combination that will cut faster without chattering.

The simulation of machining operations offers the potential to fulfil the ecological, social and economic requirements of sustainability.

For example, the adjustment of the suitable feed rate in the milling of complex geometries from difficult to machine materials may be optimised through simulation and so reduce the machining time by up to 40 percent. The resultant reduction in consumed resources allows savings in both costs and energy.

T he m a c h i n i n g m o d e l , simulation, and verification processes ensure that the NC programs sent to the shop are



M o s t m a t e r i a l a n d e n e r g y a r e w a s t e d i n m a n u f a c t u r i n g processes. These wastes can be saved through re -mach in ing o f the damaged component, where the damage can be repaired by welding or thermal spray.

I n the ae rospace industr y, overhaul of jet engine has been a p r o f i t a b l e b u s i n e s s wor ldwide for a long time. Nowadays even au tomot i ve i ndus t r y starts to re-manufacture m a n y c o m p o n e n t s , e s p e c i a l l y e n g i n e . However, re-machining is a great challenge for CNC machining.

Getting Your BearingsThe programming of most machining operations is based around knowing three geometries: the position of the workpiece

on the machine, the starting shape, and the final shape. Re-machining techniques allow successful machining when some geometry is unknown, by predicative machining model and s imulat ion, us ing in-process measurement to close any information gaps.

They are being applied for an increasing number of applications in the manufacture and repair of large and complex c o m p o n e n t s i n t h e aerospace industry.

The most common case is that where the exact posit ion of the workpiece is unknown. With larger components, s u c h a s a e r o s p a c e structures, achieving the correct position and orientation of the stock on the machine is a major challenge, taking many hours of checking and adjustment. It is often

eas ie r to ad jus t the datum for the toolpaths to match the position of the workpiece, than it is to align the stock in exactly the desired position.

Machining ‘Blind’Examples where the exact starting shape is unknown can result from near net shape manufactur ing processes, like casting and forging, or from imprecise repair techniques, such a s we l d i n g . D u r i n g airframe manufacturing, a casting or forging raw stock is always created with process dependent shapes, such as draft angle and allowance.

The most challenging re-machining operations are those where the exact final shape of the component is unknown. In blade overhaul, the warped fan b lade is re-built by cladding or

welding with metals that have to be milled to the warped geometry.

This can be the case w h e n t h e d a m a g e d components geometry have b e e n cha nge d from their nominal CAD shape during service, for example, turbine blades that have been distorted by the high temperatures in aircraft engines.

Companies wanting to use re -machin ing processes understand that they tend to be much more complex and process-specif ic t h a n c o n v e n t i o n a l N C p r o g r a m m i n g . As a result, most re-m a c h i n i n g p r o j e c t s w i l l requ i re spec i f i c skill and customisation work as par t of their implementation, where the skilled machinist plays a key role.

Enquiry No. 1003

Re-Machining By WeldingWhy discard damaged components when you can re-machine them?

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both accurate and efficient. To create the most efficient machining processes possible, optimisation software can determine the best feed rates to use for each cutting operation. Achieving the best feed rates for each cut in an NC program

Tool chatter is the barrier for higher material removal rate and can damage machine tool spindle

has always been a goal for NC programmers but has traditionally been a very difficult task plagued by a number of problems.

First, trying to imagine the cutter contact and cutting conditions or each cut in a large NC program

is virtually impossible. Manually inserting different feed rates for each changing condition is not practical. An incorrect feed rate estimate can break the cutting tool, damage the fixture, or scrap the part.

Typically either a single conservative feed rate is used for an entire machining sequence, or a higher feed rate is used but with a very conservative machining strategy.

Both methods attempt to ensure that the cutter is not overloaded, but at the expense of very inefficient machining. Both of these strategies result in overly slow cutting speeds or light removal rates that waste time, increase costs, and prematurely wear cutters.

ENQUIRY NO 112

Do you think all measuring systems are identical? That is not true. Look closer at SmartScope® dimensional measuring systems form Optical Gaging Products (OGP®), and you will see the difference. OGP is the world leader in video and multisensory metrology, and our machines can measure a variety of parts with optical, laser, touch probe, and micro-sensor technology. With tens of thousands of OGP systems installed in more than 65 countries, manufacturers everywhere rely in OGP systems and trust us for expert advice and service, for innovation, for productivity, and for reliability. See for yourself how OGP can help you solve your measurement challenges.

ShapeGrabber a fully automated industrial 3D scanners that inspect whole part in minutes. It is ideal for rigorous, full surface 3D quality control and is easy to use even without CAD training.

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21 Tannery Road, Singapore 347733Tel: (65) 6741 8880 Fax: (65) 6741 8998 Email: [email protected]

Singapore . Malaysia . Thailand . Indonesia . Philippines . Vietnam . Hong Kong . Taiwan . South China . India . Australia . New Zealand

Optical Gaging (S) Pte Ltd

The minimum machining stock could be achieved through near net shape forming of the raw material, such as casting, forging, and welding



The industry of machinery components starts with the development of machine tools, and the cluster effect has gradually developed in order to satisfy the de m a n d s o f ve n do r suppliers of machine tools. Located widely along central Taiwan, the industry c luster of machinery

components is distinctive with regard to the industrial supply chain.

Since the group effect can help one to obtain information and talents more swiftly for relevant industries to learn from each other, the quality of components can be mastered quickly and

enhanced. In addition, this effect can effectively reduce cost, which is beneficial to products and semi-furnished products. Therefore, it can help the customers to customise the most competit ive products.

The supply of relevant components and various

kind of processing support are readily available, and the third-party network is interwoven making the region a one-stop shop. Also, it is capable of dealing with the demand for machinery development of sophistication. MEN

Enquiry No. 1005

Machinery Components & Manufacturing: Strength In NumbersIn Taiwan, proximity to auxiliary services, coupled with the ‘cluster effect’ is a winning formula. Submitted by PMC

To address this issue, a knowledge-based machining pack a ge e sse nt ia l ly adds intelligence to the cutter. During the simulation, in-process geometrical model knows the exact depth, width, and angle of each cut because the software also knows the exact shape of the in-process material at every instant of the machining sequence.

It knows exactly how much material is removed by each cut segment, and the exact shape of the cutter contact with the material. With this unique knowledge set, it determines the best feed rate for each cutting condition encountered, taking into account volume of material removed, chip load, and machine acceleration and deceleration requirements.

If desired, the software can also divide cuts into smaller segments and vary the feed rates as needed in order to maintain a consistent chip load or volume removal rate. It then creates a new NC program, with the same trajectory as the original, but with improved feed rates.

Saving MaterialMachining is a subtractive manufacturing process that a cutter removes chips from part surface until it reaches a designed profile. The chips are a major waste of raw

material. Innovative design of raw material block can save a lot of material. For example, a stepped block can save almost one third of raw material.

The machining stock is the volume difference between the designed part geometry and raw material geometry, which may be a bar or block. Reducing the machining stock can save raw material. The minimum machining stock could be achieved through near net shape forming of the raw material, such as casting, forging, and welding.

Generative machining processes have experienced a significant upsurge in recent years. In the field of metallic materials, aluminium, high-speed steel and stainless steel can be first roughly formed into 3D complicated components using a direct laser sintering

process and then machined to a precise profile.

Moulds with novel geometries can, for example, be realised without the need to use conventional machining operations and small batch production can already be undertaken in a commercially viable manner.

In the medium-term, generative machining processes offer an alternative to the time intensive conventional processes with both economical and ecological advantages.

With respect to the protection of resources the generative technologies also offer potential benefits, such as the production of the necessary components on-site, meaning transportation and storage costs can be avoided.

Enquiry No. 1004

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Investment repaid!

MAGMA Engineering Asia-Pacific Pte Ltd. · Singapore Phone +65 65643435 · www.magmasoft.com.sg

93% of our customers say: » The payback period of MAGMASOFT® was less than six months. «

When you take everything into account.

Simulation:MAGMASOFT®

002_magma_asia_2009_06.indd 2 09.07.2009 12:26:48 Uhr

Investment repaid!






Investment repaid!






Investment repaid!






Investment repaid!






Investment repaid!






ENQUIRY NO 008



Dörries Scharmann Technologie GmbH (DST) is one of the few European owned companies playing a leading roll in the worlds premier league of heavy-duty machine tools producers. Precision, cost-effectiveness and reliability are the qualit ies in which the company, headquartered in Mönchengladbach/Germany, is claiming to lead this challenging business. The advantage for customers is that machines can be configured to incorporate practically every type of chip-removal technology, such as drilling, milling, turning and grinding, all from a single source, and, if required, these can even be combined into a single machine.

DST offers a wide range of machine tools for drilling, turning, boring, milling and grinding of medium and large size components. Its product range includes vertical turning lathes, horizontal machining centres, high-speed machining centres, machining centres in portal and gantry design and vertical grinding machines. Today, DST manufactures products for the brands Dörries, Droop + Rein, Scharmann, Berthiez and Mecof. With roots dating back to over a hundred years ago, the company has become internationally renowned for the production of high quality machine tools and is accredited to ISO 9001.

DST is serving major industry sectors, including:- Aerospace- Oil and Gas- Power Generation- Marine Equipment Production- Large Diesel Engines- Mould + Die

Machining Center DBF 630The par t icularly crucial benef it of the Scharmann Horizontal Machining Center DBF 630 is the capability of machining a complete unit in a single clamping. The specif ied concentricity and axial accuracy of between 5 and 6 µm is consistently achieved.The turning, drilling and milling head of the DBF 630 is the special feature that sets this machine apart from others. The spindle head incorporates a CNC controlled U-axis which carries out all the point to point on-centre machining work, as well as the off-centre turning and facing operations. A second clamping may be required only in order to machine the 6th side. But the machining center delivers an unusually high rate of efficiency. The working spindle aligns to the axis of the contour to be made. The U-axis slide with the

DSTMachine tools of a special kind

radially moving turning tool adjusts the turning diameter and the cutting depth. During the cutting process the tool rotates round the axis of the cylinderical surface being machined. Compensation weights integrated into the spindle head automatically compensate for the imbalance which would otherwise occur during the turning process. For the drilling and milling processes, a 35 kW spindle operates at up to 3,500 rpm. The slide fixes the tools at the center setting. In the case of turning, maximum speeds of 1,200 rpm can be reached at a maximum torque of 1,700 Nm.

Vertical Turning Center VC-VThe concept of the VC-C machine line is based on Dörries vertical lathes, because most of the critical cutting operations involve turning. The turning centres are fitted with extremely complex technology to enable efficient machining of the workpieces, many of which could be very large and heavy. The machines can also be configured with a boring and milling unit and a high precision C-axis in the table. In addit ion, they feature a rotary table that can be moved in the Y-axis to allow longitudinal milling. The 37 kW drive allows the users to carry out boring and milling operations. A pickup magazine provides u n ive r s a l a nd a ng le d milling heads. An NC-cont rol led angled d isc grinding head can likewise be fitted for particularly tricky machining tasks.

AdvertoriAl

Dörries Scharmann offers a wide range of machine tools for drilling, turning, boring, milling and grinding of medium and large size components. The product range includes vertical turning lathes, high-speed machining centres, machining centres in portal and gantry design and vertical grinding machines.

DST is facing the future in a strong commer-cial position with a range of high-tech pro ducts, which are fi nding markets with major international manufacturing companies and providing innovative and economic solu tions in the sectors:

- Aerospace- Oil and Gas- Power Generation- Marine Equipment Production- Large Diesel Engines

Dörries Scharmann –now directly represented in South East Asia

www.ds-technologie.de

DST Delegate Offi ce, Singapore:

Telephone: +65-6748-2888Telefax: +65-6748-3719E-Mail: tools@pacifi c.net.sg

Dörries Scharmann offers a wide range of machine tools for drilling, turning, boring, milling and grinding of medium and large size components. The product range includes vertical turning lathes, high-speed machining centres, machining centres in portal and gantry design and vertical grinding machines.

DST is facing the future in a strong commer-cial position with a range of high-tech pro ducts, which are fi nding markets with major international manufacturing companies and providing innovative and economic solu tions in the sectors:

- Aerospace- Oil and Gas- Power Generation- Marine Equipment Production- Large Diesel Engines

Dörries Scharmann –now directly represented in South East Asia

www.ds-technologie.de

DST Delegate Offi ce, Singapore:

Telephone: +65-6748-2888Telefax: +65-6748-3719E-Mail: tools@pacifi c.net.sgENQUIRY NO 030




technologyupdate

In j e c t i o n m o u l d i n g i s a productive and widely used technique for shaping plastic. Until recent times,

injection moulding was only applied to polymers that melt on heating. The technique cannot be applied to shape metals, which have higher strength, stiffness and operating temperature.

Shaping of metals with 2-D geometry was traditionally done by applying powder metallurgy. It is also known as pressed and sinter method.

Dawn Of A New EraMetal Injection Moulding (MIM) uses the shaping advantage of injection moulding but is applicable to metal. This process combines a small quantity of polymer with metal powder to form feedstock that can be moulded.

The moulding process allows the metal-polymer feedstock to

Metal Injection Moulding:

MetalMalleabilityAn innovative way for manufacturing metallic parts, MIM brings cost reduction and also new ways to approach certain materials. By Liang Chee Hoo, senior manager, technology, Advanced Materials Technologies.

take the shape of a mould. After shaping, the polymeric binder is then extracted and the formed shape is sintered to achieve near-theoretical density.

Figure 1 shows a flow chart for the MIM process. It starts by mixing selected metal powders and binders. The metal powder usually has a small particle size between 3 to 20 um to aid sintering. These powders may come with different shape, spherical or irregular.

Gas atomised and water atomised powder are the most common powder used in MIM process. The binder is usually based on a common thermoplastic such as wax or polyethylene, but cellulose, gels, water, and various inorganic substances are also in used. Usually, the binder system consists of two or more components. Typical binder content is approximately 40 volume percent of the mixture.

The mixture of powder and

binder will form the feedstock. Mixing process can be done by using a sigma/planetary mixer or a twin-screw extruder. A twin-screw extruder is always preferred as it provides feedstock with better homogeneity.

Quality of the feedstock is the most crucial determining factor in obtaining quality MIM part. The homogeneity and viscosity of the feedstock are the parameters to be controlled carefully during the mixing process.

MIM 101The moulding process is the same process as per plastic injection moulding. Dependent on several pa ra meters, the moulding pressures are typically 600 bar or more. Pressure is maintained on the feedstock during cooling until the gate freezes to reduce formation of sink marks and shrinkage voids. After cooling in the die/mould, the component is ejected and the cycle repeated.

After the injection process, the shape of the component is formed. The binder had served its purpose and it needs to be removed. The process of removing the binder is termed debinding. A wide array of options exists for binder extraction.

Thermal debinding is the easiest

Figure 1: Flow chart of MIM process

Powder + BinderMixing

Tooling + EquipmentMoulding

Solvents + Heatingdebinding

Heating + GasSintering

Feedstock

Green Parts

Brown Parts

Finish Parts















ENQUIRY NO 021

A magnetic valve body (Figure 3) is a good

illustration of MIM’s capability to integrate

different components into a single joint body.

Prior to the use of MIM to fabricate this magnetic

valve body, the body is actually made up of four

single pieces; two powder metallurgy parts, a

turned part, and a machined part.

These four parts are then welded together

to form the magnetic valve body. Functional,

by using MIM, the magnetic flux leakage had

been reduced and therefore the performance of the valve is enhanced. Besides the

improvement in function, the cost of manufacturing the body had been reduced as

well. The saving is estimated in the range of 30 to 50 percent.

Case Study 2Bi-Materials Injection Moulding

Case Study 1Reducing Cost

Case Study 3Undercut

Another application of the MIM is bi-materials injection moulding.

The component is made up of two materials, a

non-magnetic ring and a magnetic disc. As

these two materials have different property

in nature, it cannot be process together

through the conventional technique.

Without using the MIM process, the

outer ring needs to be made through powder

metallurgy, and the inner disc can be machined or made through powder metallurgy.

The two pieces are then welded together to form the integrated component.

However, by using the bi-materials MIM process, the two materials can be

integrated during the injection process. All subsequent process, debinding and

sintering, can be carried out together. Through this, the cost saving is achieved as it

reduced the cost of fabricating two components and the welding process.

MIM is sometimes selected to create

the ‘impossible feature’, ie: undercut,

in injection moulding process. These

undercut features cannot be moulded

through injection moulding process because

the insert or the slider cannot be retracted after the formation process.

With the used of In-coring technology, these features are made possible. Figure

5 depicts a component with intricate under channels. By applying the technology, the

internal channels are formed by using removable polymer, followed by MIM process.

Once the green body of the part is formed, the polymer will be removed

through chemical and thermal method. The difficulties in this technology are

the forming of the undercut features without distortion, and the removing of the

polymers without cracking and disfiguring the internal surface.

Enquiry No. 1101



technologyupdate

Figure 2: If the set of hinge components used in mobile phone application were to be machined, the cost may go up by more than 20 times

Figure 3: A magnetic valve body is a good illustration of MIM’s capability to integrate different components into a single joint body

Figure 4: Another application of the MIM is bi-materials injection moulding

Figure 5: A complex undercut feature made possible with the application of In-coring

to envision. The component is slowly heated to decompose the binder. Many variations exist, and the most popular alternative is to immerse the component in a solvent that dissolves some binder, leaving some polymer behind to hold the component in place.

The remaining polymer is then thermally extracted during the second stage thermal debinding process or part of sintering cycle. Another popular option involves catalytic phase erosion of the binder. The debound part is highly porous and brittle in nature.

The next step is sintering, which can be incorporated directly into a thermal debinding cycle. Sintering process involves firing the debound component to a temperature close to the melting point of the metal. Sintering bonds the particles together, leading to densification and therefore causing the shrinkage of the components. The shrinkage is within the range of 12 to 18 percent.

Often, sintering serves the dual role of densification and chemical homogenisation. In the latter role, mixed powders (mechanically blended) are moulded and sintering causes them to form homogeneous alloys by long-range atomic motion.

Usually sintering shrinkage is uniform and isotropic, so the moulded component is oversized to deliver the desired final dimensions. The process is always performed



45

technologyupdate

in a protective atmosphere or vacuum at a peak temperature that causes rapid elimination of pores previously filled with binder. For steels and stainless steel, the sintering temperatures are in the range of 1,100 to 1,400 deg.

Injecting Value MIM has some benef its as compa red to convent iona l metal forming methods. The key benefits are materials flexibility, low cost production, shape complexity, superior properties, and tight tolerances.

It is able to process a large pool of materials. Most common material used in MIM is stainless steel, such as 316L, 17-4PH, 440C. Other materials that can be processed by MIM include, soft magnetic materials, low expansion alloys, corrosion resistance alloys, hard metals, high electrical conductive metal, such as

copper and tungsten copper. Get In ShapeCertain shapes required by the components are almost impossible to produce without using MIM. Figure 2 depicts a set of hinges components used in mobile phone. If the same components were to be machined, the cost may be ballooned by >20 times.

All the complexity of the parts produced by MIM can be trapped within the mould design. As long as the complex shape is feasible in the tooling, MIM will be able to produce the components. The component produced by this method has good properties.

Firstly, the powder used by MIM is very fine (as compared to powder metallurgy). The resulting grain size is much finer and therefore giving rise to superior strength and ductility.

Secondly, the density of the MIM

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components is generally more than 98 percent of the theoretical density. Metal components with this level of densification will have materials properties closed to the bar stock.

MIM components have good surface finish. A roughness of less than 1.0 um Ra can be achieved. The components produced by MIM have a general tolerance of 0.3 to 0.5 percent. At this tolerance level, the repeatability of the process is guaranteed.

The utilisation of MIM process opens up design freedom in manufacturing and engineering. This freedom may seem to violate lots of design rules given in the textbook or from the design school; however, technology should progress with non-stop exploring and challenging of the ‘impossible’.

Enquiry No. 1102



software&measurement

With its high signal reserve, the safety l ig ht cu r ta in i s reliable under harsh

industrial conditions. Functions and status information integrated in the device allow rapid commissioning and prevent unnecessary machine downtimes.

The modular concept achieves maximum machine security while taking into account economic considerations by coordinating the characteristics of the device to the requirements. Interfaces and service concepts complete the product range to provide a solution for the sector.

Sensors:

Hazardous Points

Electro-Sensitive Protection Of

Safety In PressesSta nda rds (eg : EU: EN692 mechanical press, EN693 hydraulic press) define the performance level sensors must fulfil for press applications. In Europe and the US, we traditionally see type 4 safety light curtains in press applications. Generally, there is a global trend to safety standards accompanied by official controls.

Safety standards for safety light curtains (EU: EN61496) for example define the safety concept (type 4 or type 2), the optical characteristic and their reliability under environmental conditions. Unlike safety sensors, non-safe

sensors follow the technical standards without failure detection (Figure 1).

One failure caused by either cross or short circuit will never be detected by the sensor itself. In a worst-case scenario, this malfunction would not be detected before a real situation of a hazardous movement in the machine area takes place. The probability of accidents can be reduced tremendously by self controlled safety products of type 4 and 2.

Types Of SensorsType 2 products of the first generation followed a single structure combined with a controller for an external test to detect a failure during each test cycle (Figure 2). But today’s type 2 safety light curtain comes with the capability of a self check. The benefit for the customer is that he need not worry about the safety relevant definition of the controller’s test rate.

The basis for this product concept is a watchdog mechanism that checks regularly the correct optical function and the processor. The integration of 2 Output Signal Switching Devices (OSSD) is identical to a type 4 safety light curtain.

Advantage of the redundant integration of 2 OSSD’s in the controller is: should one output fail there is still one line to stop the machine. External Device Monitoring (EDM), a safety function, makes sure that a defect output signal will be detected immediately. The principle of this monitor is based on an inverse signal switch of the two outputs and the EDM signal line within a defined time frame (eg: 300ms).

The difference of a type 2 sensor with a type 4 sensor is based on the safety concept which one internal failure from the device will not lead to a situation where it affects the operational safety of the process. Reason is the principle of redundancy for the

Press operations have been made safer with the myriad of sensors that keep the ‘worst case scenario’ at bay. By Andreas Sixt, product manager, Sick.

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Figure 1: Non-safe sensors follow the technical standards without failure detection

Figure 2: Type 2 products combine with a controller for an external test to detect a failure during each test cycle

Figure 3: The difference between a type 2 and 4 sensor is one internal failure from the device will not affect the operational safety of the process

electronic structure (Figure 3). The other difference is the optical characteristic. It has narrower aperture angle (2.5 deg) compared to a type 2 (5 deg) version. That value has the advantage that the distance to beam reflecting surfaces (‘mirrors’) can be decreased to a minimum. Especially for small machines this feature is important for a compact machine design.

Non safe sensors do not have these limitations of the aperture angle. In a press application, the probability of such a curtain will not switch off the process in case of an interrupted beam is high because of the reflecting surface of the press.

Environmental ConditionsT h e s t a n d a r d s f o r t h e environmental conditions like EMC (eg: EU: EN61496-1) and vibration/shock define the minimum values for safety light curtains. To keep the EMC values it is recommended to use a separated +24V power supply unit for the control cabinet and the power section should be physically separated from the control section.

Vibration/shock tests show that press applications are different. Depending on the machine type (mechanic press, hydraulic press), the ground floor and the row material measurements show that strains vary tremendously.

On site measurements on mechanical C-frame presses eg: show frequencies over 120 Hz and accelerations with typical values of 20 g with peaks up to 120 g. Dampers are a standard solution to reduce these extreme values that electronic devices show. Additional activities are the weak point analysis to optimise a product to this application.

A lab orator y v ibrat ion (Figure 4) and shock test simulates the conditions on site. After de-assembling the curtain the sensitive parts will be analysed. Adequate changes of the product concept eliminate these sources for failure step by step. This process

Figure 4: Conditions on site are simulated at the laboratory

of evolution is the base to get a reliable product under tough environmental conditions.

Protecting The SensorThe final design for such a heavy-duty sensor is the housing. To reduce the impact of heavy mechanical strokes on the housing, nothing is better than a full body rubber protection. Damaged houses and scratches are history.

A typical machine in Asian markets is the C frame press (see main graphic). The position of the safety light curtain is not protected

by the machine frame. The rubber bumper is here the right accessory for that application.

The construction of the rotary L-shaped mounting brackets with light curtains is more sensitive to vibration than the closed construction of a machine frame. A combination of adequate dampers with an application proved safety light curtains are the right decision for high machine availability and also to avoid unnecessary after service costs. MEN

Enquiry No. 1201

I = InputO = OutputTE = External TestOTE = Output For External Test


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ENQUIRY NO 015



The ability to carry out on-machine measurements has benefits that go beyond financial savings. By Ettore Chiosi, product manager, Marposs SpA

CMM

studied for any type of product.The mathematical model is

transferred to the CAM to formulate the machining strategies. Then the post-processed program is loaded in machine and machining is started.

Range Of Parts MeasuredThese accessories such as sprocket cases, clutch cases, adjustable rear set kits and number plate holders, have sculptured surfaces and are fitted on the motorcycle where there are very precise housings and drilling planes. It is necessary to quickly check whether the dimensional requirements are met before proceeding with the finishing stage.

“The need for on-machine measurement was essential for a quick check of sculptured surfaces. Moreover, as these components are quite structured, measurements on the CMM involved very difficult

fixturing and long times for re-alignment when returned to the machining centre. With Marposs’ 3DSI, we shortened the reworking times, since we can check the consistency between the CAD model and the machined part instantaneously,” says Mr Chiosi.

Software SolutionActually, the problem was solved by the company with the acquisition at the end of 2006, of the measurement software. It was combined with a Hermle C 800 U machining centre equipped with optical spindle probe OP32 for 3D measurements that has optimum spatial isotropy and unidirectional repeatability of 1μ (2Sigma).

“Now we are working with a higher degree of safety than before. Since the calibration is automatically entrusted to the software, each operator is free from errors and his responsibilities

Difficulty: Measuring on-machine parts

Solution: Insta l l ing measurement sof tware, turning machining or milling machines into a virtual CMM

concluSion: Savings in machining cycle times

C+C Mecca n ica wa s established in Tuscany ( Italy) as a shop of precision mechanical

engineering. With their core business in manufacturing of moulds for thermoplastics, they rely on the available machine tool capacity consisting of machining centres with 3, 4 and 5 axes, NC lathes, grinders, CMM and CAD/CAM software.

In 2005 the owners, driven by their passion for motorcycles, decided to diversify the production, starting projecting and making aftermarket accessories for Ducati and Aprilia motorcycles, made of ergal, titanium and obtained from a solid body.

A Typical Production WorkflowValerio Chiosi, owner of the company, explains how a new product is generated. The workflow starts with a scanning of the original part using a CMM. This supplies all the dimensions necessary for the CAD modelling stage in which technical aesthetical solutions are

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Comparison made between the CMM and measuring software revealed a perfect overlapping of data

“We are enthusiastic about this software,” comments Mr Chiosi. “Since we had already been using part-probing successfully for many years, and with the last machining centre bought, a Mazak Mould Maker 2500, we implemented the 3D measurement software combined with radio

spindle probe WRS,” he adds.The introduction of the software

in the product cycle, despite the high degree of complexity of these items, reduced the time to market, allowing substantial savings in time and money.

Enquiry No. 1202

M a r p o s s 3 D S h a p e I n s p e c to r ( 3 D S I ) i s a measurement sof tware for PCs wi th Windows ope ra t i ng sys te ms . I t allows both mould makers a n d m a s s p ro du c t i o n machine shops, to turn their own machining centre or milling/boring machine into a virtual CMM.

T h i s e n a b l e s i n -process measurement and

verification of accuracy of machined shape without removing it from the machine.

The latest release of 3DSI brought functions like anti-collision feature to check the measurement path during simulation and tool offset feedback for tool length and/or radius compensation. MEN

Enquiry No. 1203

lightened. Measurements to be performed are already set by the 3DSI station user, who programs and safely simulates the measurement path just by clicking the mouse. The percentage of scrap was reduced as the finish machining begins only after evaluating the reports generated by the software following the rough finish or semi-finish stage,” he says.

“The introduction of the Tool Offset Feedback function in the software enables us to set, for each tool, a stock thickness in length and radius and protects us from errors in the interpretation of the measurement results,” he adds.

The initial skepticism at the purchase of the software program was conquered as soon as the company realised the versatility of the software.

This solution allowed the Italian company to avoid buying a new CMM as Mr Chiosi discloses before deciding to buy the 3D software.

A comparison was made between the measurement output generated by the CMM and the output generated by 3DSI. The result was a perfect overlapping of data, with correlation in the order of 3 - 5μ, and 2μ repeatability.

Saving Time & MoneyIn short, the owner quantifies a 20 percent saving in the machining cycle time of an individual item.

On-machine measurement is possible with the installation of measuring software

Marposs: Measurement Software

Measuring Force

Measuring Force

Linearity range of the mechanical springs

Deflection Deflection

Passive SystemMeasuring force proportional to the deflection

Active SystemMeasuring force can be selected depending on the deflection and almost constant

Figure 1: Passive and active scanning



The DIN EN ISO 10360 -1 standard describes p r o b e s a s t o u c h probe systems. The

standard differentiates between ‘touchtrigger’ and ‘scanning’ systems depending on the type of measuring point acquisition.

Touch-trigger systems record the measuring point at the moment of contact through a mechanical switch or through an electrical pulse transformer element, eg: a piezo sensor or wire strain gages.

A scanning system on the other hand, captures the deflection of the probe system when contact is made with a workpiece surface utilising the integrated measuring system, and determines the deflection. It is used to correct the measuring point coordinates delivered by the measuring system of the axes of motion (Figure 1).

A Probe For Difficult EnvironmentsThe Variable Accurate Scanning Technology (VAST) scanning systems use the ‘sliding determination of mean values’ procedure in conjunction with the Zeiss intelligent scanning controller during measuring point acquisition. During this process, the measuring machine is stopped after it registers a probe pulse due to the deflection of the probe.

The system then checks whether the sum signal from probe

Combining the scanning systems with intelligent controllers allow better performance of measuring probes under difficult conditions. By Dietrich Imkamp, head of product management (bridge-type machines) and Karl Schepperle, head of sensor development, Carl Zeiss

deflection and positional data of measuring machine axes remain constant. A probing point is only accepted if the signal remains constant within a short interval.

Mean value from the deflection signals recorded during this period is used to correct the probe deflection. Sliding determination of mean values automatically dampens noise pulses caused by vibrations, for example.

As a result, the probes of the VAST line are less affected by electromagnetic interferences than a touch-trigger probe, which have an effect the moment contact is made with the workpiece. This technology permits the reliable use of probes under difficult environmental conditions and reduces sensitivity to outliers.

Passive & Active Scanning SystemsScanning systems are distinguished

by the type of measuring force generation. With a passive system, the measuring force is generated by a mechanical spring. An active system consists of a linear drive that generates the probing force electrically. This is also known as an ‘electrical spring’. The use of electrical springs enables the operator to set measuring force over a large force range, largely independent of the deflection. This permits a larger measuring range, which is required for a high scanning speed.

Measuring range of a passive system is limited by the linearity range of the mechanical springs in which the deflection and the force are proportional. It is two to four times smaller on a passive system than an active system.

It is important not to confuse the measuring range with the deflection range, which represents the mechanical range of motion of

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the probe and is usually larger than the measuring range. As such, it is necessary to ensure that the probe does not move directly against its mechanical stop and trigger an emergency stop following a slight collision, for example.

Active Scanning & Self-Centring ProbingAs already shown, active systems allow higher scanning speeds. Scanning speeds of up to 300 mm/s with the VAST gold probe are possible together with procedures to correct the dynamic bending of the device structure and the compensation for centrifugal force. This technology, called the Navigator, achieves the parameters for scanning performance in accordance with DIN EN ISO 10360-4 in less than 30 seconds.

Scanning performance of this technology can be utilised for all stylus configurations used in everyday measuring operations (see ma in picture). Other manufacturers specify scanning speeds higher than 300 mm/s, but these are only available for certain applications and only for one stylus in the axis direction of the sensor. The actual existing flexibility of a CMM is not always available (see main picture).

Large measuring range and the better probe force regulation of active systems have also proven to be advantageous with self-centring probing. Self-centring probing is a procedure in which the stylus is placed in a largely spherical or cylindrical bore which is smaller than the diameter of the stylus tip.

Probing occurs in the direction of the axis and perpendicular to this direction at the same time. In doing so, the stylus centres itself in a way that the position of this bore can be determined. To begin the centring process, the stylus must be positioned so exactly that it is located within its measuring range during probing.

Therefore, active systems can use their larger measuring range to compensate for deviations during positioning of the stylus in front of the bore. During the centring process, the better probe force regulation of the active system leads to exact centring of the stylus at the lowest point.

With passive systems, the centring process can be halted as a result of friction before the lowest point is reached. In such cases, this point is not reached and the measuring result is inaccurate. The effect also applies to self-centring scanning.

Articulating Probe HolderThere are applications in which many features must be measured at very different angles (eg: metal parts). In such cases, it is advantageous to mount the probe to an articulating probe holder, allowing you to avoid a variety of stylus configurations.

The overall size of an active probe that is required to generate the probe force prevents the use of an articulating probe holder. A passive probe system that utilises only one mechanical spring, however, can be so small and lightweight that it can be mounted to an articulating probe holder.

Characteristic of a small passive probe system intended for attachment to an articulating probe holder is the lacking stylus counterweight.

As a result, these systems are only suitable for very light and, compared to active systems, short styli. The mounted stylus deflects the measuring force spring with its own weight, further reducing the small measuring range of a passive sensor. This effect can be somewhat minimised with modules of varying spring stiffness for different stylus lengths.

Limitations Of The Probe HolderEven if the use of an articulating probe holder enables you to avoid the many different stylus configurations, it should not be overestimated. There are several features that cannot be reached by an articulating probe holder.

Suitable stylus configurations on an active probe enable the operator to reach almost any feature as illustrated in the ‘all sides’ measuring task (see main picture). This also illustrates how the use of an active fixed probe and a probe on an articulating probe holder affects the available measuring range (Figure 2).

As it is possible to approach the workpiece directly with a properly designed stylus, the active fixed probe requires a considerably smaller measuring range.

Furthermore, you must consider that the precise determination of positional deviation with the use of an articulating probe holder often requires a rotating or swiveling motion as the workpiece must be measured from different sides.

This motion generates additional measuring uncertainty as a result of the limited reproducibility of the articulating probe holder. This effect does not exist with an active probe with a T stylus configuration.

Enquiry No. 1204

Figure 2: Utilisation of measuring range with active fixed probe compared to articulating probe holder

Effective measuring range with fixed probe

Effective measuring range with articulating probe holder



3D Technologies:

Adding A

To Product LifeDIMENSION

Improved design, timesavings and the ability to detect design flaws are just a few reasons to integrate 3D printing into product development lifecycle. By Winnie Chu, channel and marketing manager, Objet Geometries Asia PacificRapid prototyping was

a g a m e - c h a n g i n g innovation for industrial designers when it was

introduced two decades ago. Previously, prototypes would be constructed from wood or metal in woodwork or machine shops. The process took weeks or months and the cost was often so prohibitive that designers skipped prototypes entirely and went directly from CAD to tooling. Often this meant that design flaws were not identified until manufacturing began, leading to expensive re-work and lost time.

Rapid prototyping technology has progressed significantly over the years improving on both the cost and quality fronts. Circa 2000, Objet Geometries introduced a jetting process of photopolymer resin in ultra-thin individual layers that builds models. The resin is simultaneously cured with a UV light during the layering process. It is an approach that allows for printing of several materials including flexible, rubber-like material and composite Digital Materials.

So why should you consider using 3D printing technology as part of your product development

house. We had heard about rapid prototyping and were very excited about seeing how it could help us,” says Andre A DiMino, vice chairman of the board, executive VP and chief technical officer, Ivivi Technologies. The integration of the Eden350 into the product development and production cycle at the company has been a success, yielding a positive return on investment in less than one year.

“We’ve cut an average of five to six weeks off the clinical trial device production process,” he adds.

Improved Design & ManufacturabilityThe ability to quickly produce real working prototypes that teams can see and touch helps bridge the gap between the virtual CAD design and the final product. Design and manufacturing engineers can use these prototypes as a tool to better communicate how a design looks, feels, and operates allowing for the product design



process? Objet surveyed its base of users from various markets including consumer goods, consumer electronics, medical device, education, research, entertainment and others, why they made the investment, and based on their responses crafted the top five reasons to integrate 3D printing into product development lifecycle.

Fast Prototyping3D printing – particularly when done in-house – enables design teams to quickly produce a high-quality, realistic prototype with moving parts, at relatively low cost when compared to other methods such as machining or outsourcing. This means teams can use prototyping on projects where it was not feasible in the past due to time or cost considerations.

“We needed a faster, more streamlined system: one that would let us do the engineering, development and production of clinical trial-ready devices in-

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to integrate with manufacturing at an earl ier stage in the development lifecycle.

Brian McLaughlin from Orchid Design, a division of Orchid Orthopedic Solutions says: “Often, something the designer sees on a rapid prototype – such as an undercut, or some other area of difficulty – will cause them to tweak the design before it goes to the customer or to machining. Or, a customer will say: ‘You created it just as I described, but now that I see it, I think we need to change X, Y or Z.’ 3D printing has definitely had a major impact on the quality and manufacturability of our designs.”

Field TestingMore prototyping means more opportunity to evaluate whether or not a part will function as intended. Prototypes allow designers to catch potential flaws before incurring the exponentially higher costs of re-tooling and rework, reducing some of the risk of introducing new products.

Shawn Greene from Fender Musical Instruments describes a recent project to develop a light-up front panel for an amplifier. Using 3D printing, Mr Greene produced prototypes of the panel using a clear material, tested it with different types of lights and discovered that light did not deflect the way they thought it would.

“We had to adjust the design to make it work,” says Mr Greene. “In the past, we would not have done a prototype for that kind of part because it would have taken too long and cost too much money. So by the time we noticed that problem we would have already paid for tooling, and then we would have had to pay for amendments for the tool. The ability to rapid prototype in house saved us a fortune on that project,” he adds.

Improve Customer Satisfaction3D printing can help improve

3D printing into the product development process. But for some organisations, other factors influence the need for in-house technology.

The ability to drive revenue – pertaining primarily to service bureaus – by offering 3D printing services or use the services as a way to lure customers into giving them ancillary business such as manufacturing.

Organisations oftentimes weigh the need for in-house technology against the efficiencies of outsourcing. A typical maturity curve is to start off with outsourcing, and then bring it ‘in house’ as the volume of projects grows.

Many have realised that an in-house solution has significant additional benefits like the ability to protect the confidentiality of their designs. Customers have also found that the 3D printing system can be useful for many different applications some of which were originally unexpected. Having this technology at their fingertips gives them the freedom they need to be more creative and efficient with their designs.

Enquiry No. 1301

satisfaction for both internal and external customers. Designers using 3D printing have the ability to quickly produce realistic prototypes for internal decision makers, as well as external clients. Having the ability to touch a real world concept, combined with testing functionality allows all constituents of the design and manufacturing process to make better product decisions. The bottom line, 3D printing helps organisations get better products to market faster than ever before.

“Frequently during a project, clients request design changes or wonder how particular changes may impact the overall aesthetic,” say s P ie t Me i js , R ie t ve ld Architects. “Our Objet system lets us create a whole new model right away,” he adds.

Seeing Is BelievingDesign is both an art and a science that starts with imagination. 3D printing helps quickly transform something imagined into something that can be seen and touched. Prototypes are often used to help sell new concepts, so the more realistic the prototype, the better.

Cost and time savings are the primary drivers for incorporating

Objet Geometries have developed the Connex350, the company’s second rapid prototyping system that allows product developers and manufacturers to simultaneously print multiple materials with different mechanical and physical properties.

The system features the same technology as its predecessor, the Connex500, with a smaller build tray size (350x350x200mm). It also utilises the company’s PolyJet Matrix technology, which yields high-quality multi-material models with levels of detail and accuracy that closely emulate the look, feel and function of end products. MEN

Enquiry No. 1302

Simultaneous Multiple Materials Printer

Objet Geometries:

fab&form



Exhibiting in the recently concluded Asiamold in Guangzhou, China is Z Corp. As the company

looks to tap the massive market of Asia, Asia Pacific Metalworking Equipment News caught up with Katherine Scarpellini, marketing manager, who sheds light on the company’s strategies in 2010.

W h a t i s yo u r m a r ke t i n g strategy for the Asia Pacific region for 2010?

KS: We will continue to focus on our main market, which is design and manufacturing. Elsewhere, the company is also quite strong in the educational and architectural market.

These main segments will be our focus and we will continue our work with solution partners as we have the same type of customer. They are all related to design manufacturing. That is where we will be setting our sights on in 2010.

How Important is Asia to your company?

KS: Very important as Asia Pacific contributes to some 20 to 25 percent of our worldwide sales figures. In

Building A

SolidModel

Z Corp:

Asia is very much on Z Corp’s sight as the company looks for a greater presence in this region. By Joson Ng

“Asia Pacific contributes to some 20 to 25 percent of our worldwide sales figures. In addition, we are also seeing a lot of growth in this area. As such, the company will invest heavily in marketing and services.”

fab&form

Handheld scanners are more portable and easier to use than traditional 3D scanners



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Z C o r p h a s d eve l o p e d a n affordable portable 3D laser scanner, providing high-resolution 3D data capture to a broad base of users at an economical price.

T h e ZS c a n n e r 6 0 0 extends the company’s growing line of handheld, self-positioning scanners, which are more portable and easier to use than traditional 3D scanners. The product streamline data capture for reverse engineering, product design, cultural preservation and other applications.

Combining resolution down to 0.1 mm and XY accuracy up to 80 microns, it is the balanced solution for value-conscious users.

The handheld 3D scanners eliminate the need for fixed-position tripods, bulky mechanical arms or external positioning devices, all of which make hard-to-reach surfaces like auto interiors nearly impossible to scan. MEN

Enquiry No. 1304

Z Corp: Portable 3D Laser Scanner

addition, we are also seeing a lot of growth in this area. As such, the company will invest heavily in marketing and services.

Worldwide we are seeing the effects of the down turn, but all three geographies are as important. We will give all locations equal importance.

How does Z Corp separate itself from its competitors?

KS: With Z Corp, I would say there are a few main advantages that we have with regard to the printers. One of them is the speed in producing a 3D model. Being fast enables us to produce about 25 – 50 mm of print per hour giving us an unique advantage.

Another would be the colour. Our machine can produce multi-coloured 3D models. The technique is based on 3D printing technology. We utilise HP print heads and the colours are displayed through a colour binder, which is sprayed onto layers of powder where there is cross sectional data to give the part colour.

On the scanner side, we offer portability, which makes it much easier for customer to scan data, particularly on site. They can take it anywhere they want and scan objects of various sizes. In addition, a lot of post processing is eliminated as the data is in STL rather than point cloud.

What k ind of a f ter sa les services does Z Corp provides?

that allows you to scan, capture and digitise an object for reverse engineering, inspection and product design applications.

Please give us a brief introduction to your latest product.

KS: We just introduced the ZScanner 600. It is our entry level, most affordable scanner for the market. From the operating point of view, it is similar to the other scanners in our product range.

Enquiry No. 1303

KS: We only sell products through channel partners. Because of that, we usually do not support the users directly but our dealers are certified by us to carry out after sales services.

Tell us about the products on show in Asiamold?

KS: What we have here is the ZPrinter 450 3D printer. It is a colour-automated machine.

Also in Asiamold, we have the ZScanner 800 that is a hand held portable 3D laser scanner

fab&form



Medical Industry:

The medical devices market is in full expansion. It sailed through the worldwide economic crisis

without much scare, showing its ‘recession proof’ characteristics and at the same time attracting t he pa r t s ma nu fac tu rer ’s attention. An increasing number of subcontractors are having a closer look at equipment and processes that could allow them to grab a share of this lucrative market.

The reasons for this healthy growth are mainly demographic. An aging population combined with a more affordable choice of medical treatments are fuelling it. Patients get implants younger thanks to early disease detection, resurfacing technology for hip implants and preventive surgery. Medical tourism in Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and India provide more reasonably priced treatments and health insurances are becoming more popular.

The medical devices industry,

For

MEDTECMachining

Manufacturing parts for medical devices is literally a matter of life and death, placing utmost importance on accuracy. By Gerald Musy, service manager, Tornos Asia and Philippe Charles, market segment manager (MEDTEC), Tornos.

commonly called MEDTEC, is a challenging field. High quality machining, 100 percent good parts, respect of lead time, best price, trust and long term relationship are just some of the demands. Certifications such as FDA, CE, GMP, ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 are requested and can only be obtained if machining with high quality equipment and skilled personnel.

The MEDTEC MarketThe medical devices market worldwide achieved more than US$328 billions of sales in 2008 (vs Pharmaceutical US$734 billions). Europe represented 33 percent of this market with the USA 45 percent, Japan 10 percent and China 2 percent.

There are 20,000 MEDTEC companies Worldwide (about 50 percent within Europe with a total of 435,000 employees). They manufacture more than 500,000 different devices in 1,700 generic groups spread into 12 specialities. (Cardio, anaesthesia, radiology, orthopaedics, dental, general hospital and more.) With emerging countries such as China and India, one can expect an

enormous growth for the coming 5 to 10 years.

A Bony IssueThe orthopaedic market is one of the fast growing members of MEDTEC, worth US$36.7 billion in 2008 (including dental implants) with a market growth of 11 percent per year between 2000 and 2008.

It is traditionally divided into three segments, orthopaedic, spinal and dental. In 2008, Orthopaedic represented 74 percent of this market, where spinal and dental represented 18 and 8 percent respectively. Interesting though is the fact that the compounded average annual growth rate was 9.24 percent for orthopaedic, 12.45 percent for spinal and 12.98 percent for dental.

Machining Medical Devices Besides the demands for quality and precision, the main challenges faced by parts manufacturers can be summarised by three characteristics: shape, material and size.

Shape: Bone screws, orthopaedic and dental implants are designed with complex forms of threads to match

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perfectly with the different bone structure and locations. They are shaped to fit in the body as seamlessly as possible. Machining those unusual shapes demand very flexible machinery and adapted tools.

In dentistry, prosthesis are digitised and transferred onto CAM system before machining, necessitating sophisticated equipment and software.

Material:The materials used for MEDTEC devices include stainless steel, titanium, cobalt chrome, PEEK and other alloys with carbon fibres. These varieties of materials require machines and tools manufacturers to constantly look for new processes and tools.

Stainless steels and titanium are the materials most used for medical devices. Stainless steels typically

are used for devices that will not stay in the body permanently. Titanium typically is preferred for medical implants because of its lightweight, high strength and biocompatibility. Also, titanium implants are compatible with magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography imaging procedures.

Machining titanium alloys requires cutting forces only

Bone screws, orthopaedic and dental implants are designed with complex forms of threads to match perfectly with the different bone structure and locations

slightly higher than those needed to machine steels. However, titanium alloys have metallurgical characteristics that make them more difficult to machine than steels of equivalent hardness.

Heat generated by cutting titanium does not dissipate quickly because of its poor conductivity. Therefore, most of the heat is concentrated on the cutting edge and the tool face. The metal

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industryspotlight

PEEK polymer tends to replace titanium for some applications



generates oxygen when it burns, so the fire can become self-sustaining. Machines used to machine titanium must be equipped with fire-suppression systems.

A Sneak PEEKPEEK polymer tends to replace titanium for some applications. It is a strong thermoplastic that retains its mechanical properties even at elevated temperatures. This flame retardant material is abrasion resistant, has high impact strength and a low coefficient of friction.

Medical-grade PEEK possesses those same physical properties in addition to biocompatibility, high chemical resistance and compatibility with several different sterilisation methods.

It is also naturally radio translucent when viewed using X-ray, MRI or computer tomography. This provides doctors with an unobstructed view of tissue and bone growth around the PEEK implant during the healing process. A carbon-fibre-reinforced PEEK is also available, which offers high wear resistance for components such as articulating joints.

Shops typically receive PEEK in the form of rods that can range from 6 to 150 mm in diameter. Before machining, the material must be stress-relieved through an annealing process. This decreases the likelihood that heat generated during the cuts will form surface cracks and internal stresses.

However, medical-grade PEEK reinforced with carbon fibre must be approached differently. For instance, carbon-fibre-reinforced PEEK should be heated just prior to machining in order to soften the material and reduce tool wear. The chips produced from machining most medical-grade PEEK polymers can be collected and recycled for industrial applications.

As with all medical components, precautions must be taken to prevent surface contamination of PEEK work pieces. One precautionary measure

is to dedicate the machine, fixtures and tools to machining only that material. Some shops also insist their employees use gloves when handling PEEK to keep oils off the part surface.

New materials are surfacing such as alloys of Titanium mixed with Zirconium. They are 50 percent stronger than pure Titanium. These materials enhance Osseo integration (a direct structural and functional connection between living bone and the surface of a load-bearing artificial implant, typically made of titanium) process for dental implants, reducing the size of implants in the future.

Another newcomer is the shape memory metal Nitinol. It is finding its way into an increasing number of medical devices. Medical professionals are gaining a better understanding of both human physiology and the properties of this material. It is used for dental burrs and root treatments. More applications are found daily.

As times goes, more materials will appear on the market, producing more challenges but also more opportunities.

Size: Although bone screws and some implants did not change much in size for some years there is a push for less invasive surgery. This trend gives birth to a range

of new devices getting smaller as time goes. Minimally invasive surgery with navigation systems allows reducing incision sizes, reducing trauma and hospital stay and providing patients with a shorter rehabilitation time.

Hopping On The BandwagonMany parts manufacturers have already joined this field, contributing to enhancing human health through medical devices. Many more will join, attracted by the challenges and rewards as the MEDTEC market will continue to grow as expected.

Every new technology added or material change to the existing implants and medical devices needs to go through a long acceptance process being technically and clinically tested before getting FDA/CE market clearance.

This long process is a chance for the machine tool industry to understand the changes and develop machine adaptations or new machine kinematics.

It allows them to offer the best machining solutions and technical support for the next generations of components. It is therefore extremely important for part manufacturers willing to move into this field to select the highest quality machinery.

Enquiry No. 1401

industryspotlight

Yamazaki mazak Singapore pte Ltd21 Joo koon Circle, Jurong, Singapore 629053 teL: +65 6862 1131 FaX: +65 6861 9284 www.mazak.com.sg

ENQUIRY NO 001



C-Axis, a medical device manufacturer uses a range of six multi-axis CNC mills and Swiss-type

lathes, the most complex of which is a twelve-axis Star ECAS-20T. When programming such sophisticated parts on such complex machines, being able to quote, program and set jobs up efficiently is paramount.

Jeff Haley, the founder and CEO of C-Axis, recognised the opp or t u n i t y for cont rac t manufacturing of medical devices in Puerto Rico. Since then, the company’s Puerto Rican operation has grown to over 50 employees to serve a number of medical device companies on the island, including Medtronic, Stryker, Johnson & Johnson and US Surgical among others.

“Our biggest challenges include designing a machining process that meets our quality standards, proving out the processes before interrupting the machine’s production, and reducing our set-up times,” says Mr Haley.

Optimising Processes“Our PartMaker CAM software allows us to design and troubleshoot our processes off-line, on an inexpensive computer instead of on a very expensive machine tool.

written to support the machines’ numerous axes.

Maximising Cycle TimeThe software program lets the user synchronise the machine’s programmable axes to achieve the optimum cycle time.

Once the synchronisation strategy has been set, the software displays a visual time study, showing the amount of time being spent on the main spindle, the amount of cycle time on the sub-spindle, and the overall cycle time incorporating any overlapping machining time.

The results are shown in the form of a histogram that indicates where additional opportunities for time savings exist. The software also produces cycle times for use in quotations.

Once the process of developing tool paths and performing process synchronisation is complete, the part can be simulated on screen in a 3D simulation. This detects any tool collisions or machine crashes. With parts getting smaller and more complex, this visualisation capability is critical to the continued success at the company. MEN

Enquiry No. 1402

Using Delcam’s PartMaker CAM software has given a medical device

maker the ability to manufacture complex, high-quality medical parts

efficiently. By Peter Dickin, marketing manager, Delcam

Boosting EfficiEncy

In Medical Device Manufacturing

We can examine and optimise the process prior to even starting the set-up. When we load the programs and set up the machine, we are virtually ready to start production,” Mr Haley explains.

“Without the software, we would not be able to do as much complex milling as we do,” says Jeff Geronsin, the plant’s CNC programmer. “Even basic programming can be done with PartMaker in half the time that it used to take writing it manually. For example, if we are milling out pockets and decide to change an end-mill size, the software program can do calculations in seconds which could take hours when programming manually.”

“Medical parts require a level of perfection that is not seen on other types of device,” claimed Mr Geronsin. “The cosmetic look of the part is very important to customers. As a result, we’ve had to do surface machining on our Swiss machines. Without the software program, we’d have had to turn down those components.”

The geometric complexity of the medical parts is compounded by the complexity of the company’s multi-axis Swiss-type lathes. Two of their Swiss machines require three simultaneous CNC programs to be

Boosting industryspotlight

M YC K

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ENQUIRY NO 089



Medical Devices:

ExpectationsMeeting

The manufacturing fraternity must match the continuous R&D in medical devices in order to equal the dynamic growth in the medical industry. By David Zola, chief technical officer, non-rotating and hole making tools and Yair Selek, medical industry project manager, Iscar.

The medica l industr y continues its dynamic growth to be an important and valuable channel for

the consumption of cutting tools. This growth is a result of extensive R&D as well as the increased lifespan of people in the Western and Asian regions of the world.

One specia lty area that contributes to the industry’s growth is the orthopedic implant market. As a result, manufacturers are constantly searching for new and improved turning centres and cutting tools to ensure a competitive edge.

Complex MachiningManufacturing medical devices entail machining small, complex parts made from dif f icult-to-machine materials, such as titanium or stainless steels, at a high level of accuracy.

The machining process of these intricate-shaped orthopedic devices designed to replace bones and joints, is equally complex. Devices machined from bar stock require a lot of material to be removed, causing the process

to be expensive due to the low machinability rating of many of the materials involved.

As a result, some parts are cast to near net shape, and that often requires complex and expensive fixturing. Another factor that adds to the complexity of machining is the tight tolerances required.

These considerations have led to the development of new machining technologies and solutions aimed at assisting SME shops to manufacture medical parts in the most competitive and productive way. Advanced turning tools, coupled with grades, innovative geometries and chipbreaker designs are capable to manufacture complex shapes while maintaining tight tolerances.

Enter TitaniumThe main differentiating feature in medical part manufacturing is that 90 percent of the implant components are made of titanium alloy Ti6Al4V, an unfamiliar metal in this industry.

It is the most popular material for medical implants, due to its lightweight, high strength

and biocompatibility. Titanium implants are compatible with magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography imaging procedures, and do not cause any interference with those procedures, should they be required after the implant is made.

It is commonly used for hip joints, bone screws, knee joints, bone plates, dental implants, and surgical devices, though recently cobalt and chromium alloys have been gaining popularity.

Coming Into Terms With TitaniumMachining titanium alloys require cutting forces comparably higher than those required for machining steels. In contrast, titanium alloys present metallurgical cha racter ist ics that ma ke machining more difficult than steels of equivalent hardness.

Think of it as stainless steel but with a tougher, stringier chip, plus a strong tendency for break-out at tool entry and exit points. Also, titanium is known for having the characteristic to generate work-hardening. That condition leads to a high shear angle during machining which causes a thin chip to contact a relatively small area on the cutting-tool face.

With its relatively low modulus of elasticity, titanium has more

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Advanced turning tools produce the capability to manufacture complex shapes while maintaining tight tolerances

‘springiness’ than steel, so work tends to move away from cutting tools unless heavy cuts are maintained or proper backup is employed.

In addition, the high bearing forces produced by machining, combined with the friction developed by the chip as it travels, result in a great increase of heat on a localised portion of the cutting tool.

Heat generated by cutting titanium does not dissipate quickly, due to poor conductivity. Therefore, a substantial amount of heat gets locked between the cutting edge and the tool face. This combination of high bearing forces and heat, produce crater wear adjacent to the cutting edge, resulting in rapid tool breakdown.

Lastly, titanium alloys have a strong tendency to alloy with or to react chemically with materials in cutting tools at tool-operating temperatures, and they have a tendency to gall as chips weld to the cutting edges of tools.

Solutions & FutureIscar has conducted an analysis of the orthopedic implant market to determine the most effective types of tools to improve the manufacture of these very critical devices. As a result, specific lines of tools, inserts and chipbreakers for machining Ti6Al4V were designed in order to achieve the precise tolerances required by the industry.

Milling: The company has developed solid carbide endmills with sharp cutting edges for bowl-shaped parts as well as deburring. These endmills can provide a 0.01 maximum honing for semi-finishing and finish operations. Tools for machining both titanium and stainless steel, using a submicron base with a PVD coating were also developed. This allows the machines to run at high speeds and feeds.

Drilling: Solid carbide drills for diameters as small as 0.8 mm with sharp cutting edges and a P geometry are available.

Reaming: Sol id carbide reamers, from 1 mm diameter, are produced with sharp cutting edges and utilise an S geometry.

Turning: Our research shows that for turning applications, the industry has a definite need for improvements, both in insert grades and chipbreakers.

Iscar: Inserts For Boring, Profiling & Threading

These inserts are provided with polished chipbreakers and a wiper, thereby providing the user with good surface quality in both semi-finishing and finishing applications.

Miniature parts manufacturers supplying the medical industry no doubt have challenges that lie ahead, but when equipped with proper tools, they can actually make the jump over their competitors and move ahead.

Enquiry No. 1403

Picco 050 is a family of inserts with a ground chipformer for profiling and turning. Designed by Iscar, it is used for materials that have a tendency to produce chunks of uncontrolled chips that entangle around the insert and the workpiece.

The inserts enable short controlled chips, resulting in continuous non-stop machining. Tool life is extended when the chipformer reduces the cutting force, resulting in lower plastic deformation on the cutting edge.

Equipped with a CBN tipped cutting edge for profiling and turning of hardened steel, the inserts enable machining at higher cutting speeds, and provide longer tool life when compared with standard carbide Picco inserts. They are available with 4.0 to 7.0 mm shanks for minimum bore diameter of 4.0 mm. MEN

Enquiry No. 1404

industryspotlight



Them

The manufacturing of medical instruments and implants is characterised by nano-structures as well

as the demand for highest precision in terms of surface quality, absence of burr, and materials residues.

While established fabrication technologies increasingly face their limits, laser micromachining provides optimum preconditions for the required quality and precision since machining is accomplished in a contactless fashion and the extent of the heat-affected zone is very small. Important applications stem from the ranges of ablation, surface processing, cutting and micro drilling.

Laser Micro-Ablation Excimer laser ablation is used in conjunction with mask projection techniques to produce complex microstructures. Special multiple-mask techniques have been developed which, together with synchronised workpiece motion and laser firing, are used for the manufacture of features such as micro-channels, ramps and contoured surfaces with channels.

These techniques allow planar microstructures to be combined and superimposed onto curved or multifaceted shapes, thereby

Medical Industry:

ThemUp!

enabling hitherto unobtainable structures to be produced.

Lasers are capable of precisely and even selectively ablate materials from metals, ceramics, polymers or multilayer stacks. Machining in this range is preferably done with short-pulsed or ultrashort pulsed lasers. The latter tools allow for the generation of smallest possible microstructures (<15 µm), the fabrication of 3D objects, and layer-by-layer ablation of coatings.

These technologies are utilised for the removal of plastic coating from surgical instruments or for the manufacturing of catheters. Using this technology, superficial structures in the micron range can also be realised, for example for the optimisation of the ingrowing behaviour of implants or in microfluidics.

Cutting With A BeamLaser micro cutting is a technology u se d i n t he ma nu fac t u re of such medical devices like flexible intravascular tubes, endoscopic tools, guide wire holes, biopsy instruments and micro connectors.

For laser micro cutting of su rg ic a l in st r u me nt s a nd implants, foils and wires can be cut on 10 µm scale. Moreover, foils and tubes can be machined with cutting widths well below 20 µm, microstructures and 3D objects possessing a resolution of just a few microns can be generated.

The Finer Aspect Of DrillingDue to their focusability, lasers are suited for the drilling of very fine holes. For the drilling of plastics, excimer lasers are utilised while the machining of metals and semiconductors is accomplished with DPSS (diode-pumped solid state) laser sources or picosecond lasers. Blind holes as well as clearance holes can be obtained.

A particularly large development potential is attached to the usage of helical drilling heads for generating of micro holes (diameter >50 µm) with precisely controllable taper in up to 2 mm thick metal sheets. With the advent of the laser technology, entirely new perspectives for design and functionalisation of cannulas, nozzles, implants, and micro filters are opened. MEN

Enquiry No. 1405

Due to their focusability, lasers are suited for the drilling of very fine holes

Light

Laser assisted applications have emerged as an alternative for manufacturing parts for the medical sector. Contributed by CK Chan, marketing department, IDI Laser Services

industryspotlight


Overhead view:

Three tooth, set style pattern

for Difficult to Cut Metals


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ENQUIRY NO 016



Did You Know?

MaterialFocus

Machining titanium is by no means an easy process but with the attractive strength

to weight ratio ever so enticing to engineers and designers alike, many are prepared to bite the bullet and machine the material the best way they know how.

Does it have to be a painstaking process? Some machine shops may choose to avoid the material altogether but with the metal taking the aerospace and medical industries by storm, not many shops have the financial clout to turn away from titanium. With some alteration to existing machines, tools and mindset, machining titanium need not be fronted with difficulties.

Difficulties In Machining Dubbed the ‘miracle metal’ or ‘space-age metal’, pure titanium has tensile strength of about 63,000 psi and certain titanium alloys achieve tensile strengths of over 200,000 psi. These numbers make it roughly as strong as steel but weighing about half of steel, titanium certainly lives up to the billing of ‘miracle metal’.

Of course, there is no such thing as a perfect material, the down side of titanium is the difficulties in machining. Supra Alloys, a titanium supplier to the aerospace and medical industries headquartered in Camarillo, USA, documents the difficulties from the physical, chemical and mechanical point of view.

RewardingOvercome

The difficulties of titanium machining are well documented but machinists are just a few steps away from unleashing the full potential of the material. By Joson Ng

Titanium has found applications in the medical field thanks to its compatibility with the human body

Those Who

Titanium Machining:

?Titanium is a standard material for medical devices such as hip joints, bone screws, knee joints, bone plates, dental implants, surgical devices, pacemaker cases and centrifuges due to its total resistance to attack by body fluids, high strength and low modulus.

The body readily accepts t i tan ium s ince i t i s more biocompatible than stainless steel or cobalt chrome. It also has a higher fatigue strength than many other metals. The unique qualities of titanium makes it MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and CT (Computed Tomography ) compatible.

According to the supplier, cutting occurs at high temperature where chemical reactivity is arguably at its peak. Coupling that with the strong alloying tendency of titanium, problems like galling, welding and smearing present machinists with a real challenge.

Problems Due To Mechanical PropertiesThe main challenges in machining are posed by the mechanical and material properties of the metal. They are classified under heat conductivity, modulus of elasticity, fatigue and work hardening characteristics.

As a metal of poor heat conductivity, heat generated by the cutting action does not dissipate quickly. Therefore, most of the heat

is concentrated on the cutting edge and the tool face.

In addition to the problems posed by heat, the low modulus of elasticity the material possesses, gives it more ‘springiness’ than steel. Holding workpiece becomes a problem. Moreover, slender parts tend to be damaged under pressure. Other problems include loss of accuracy and tool rubbing.

Another noteworthy point to consider in the machining of titanium is its work-hardening characteristics. They are as such that the metal demonstrate a complete absence of ‘built-up edge’ during machining. The lack of material ahead of the cutting tool causes a high shearing angle to form. This causes a thin chip to

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Materialfocus

job. The use of a water-base coolant is recommended.

When it comes to grinding, three factors determine the success or failure of the process. A combination of abrasive wheel, wheel speed and grinding fluid often set machinists on the right track.

In terms of speed, it should be in the lower range compared to the speed used in the conventional

grinding of steels. With grinding fluids, water-sodium nitrite coolant mixture should be paired with aluminium oxide wheels. A silicon carbide wheel operates best with sulfo-chlorinated oils but it is important to flood the work when using these oil-base coolants as they can present a fire hazard. MEN

Enquiry No. 1501

contact a relatively small area on the cutting tool face and results in high bearing loads per unit area.

The high bearing force, in addition to the friction developed by the chip as it rushes over the bearing area, results in localised heating of the cutting tool. Coupling that with cratering action near to the cutting edge, results in rapid tool breakdown.

Machine Titanium Well According to RTI International Metals, producers of titanium, good tool life and successful machining of titanium alloys can be assured if some guidelines are observed. The poor heat conductivity of titanium can be countered on two fronts.

One way is to reduce heat buildup and the other is to remove heat altogether. Heat can be removed by introducing high quantity of cutting fluids. Sharp tools should be used to reduce heat buildup and galling.

Other tips to achieve good machining performance are the utilisation of lower cutting speed, maintaining high feed rates and regularly removing turning from machines.

Milling & GrindingIn milling of titanium, the cutter mills only part of each revolution. There is a chance that the chips will adhere to the teeth during that portion of the revolution that each tooth does not cut. Subsequently, the tooth may be damaged when the chip is removed on the next contact.

Chipping is usually the chief cause when the cutting edge fails. As a result, though with the increased cutting speed of 20 to 30 percent, it is not enough to compensate for the additional tool grinding costs making carbide tools less satisfactory compared to high speed steel.

Consequently, it is advisable to try both high speed steel and carbide tools to determine the better of the two for each milling EN

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Looking back on 2009, what are the lessons that can be drawn from the experience?

Jacob HarpazCEO Iscar, PresidentIMC Group

Continue to invest in R&D during the crisis, customers look for innovative solutions to allow them to get through the slow down and stay competitive.

Peter DickinMarketing ManagerDelcam

The main lesson would be to avoid complacency. It is very easy for companies to take business for granted when times are good. In fact, it is during those times that investment in new technology is most important so that firms are more competitive when the market hits any downturn.

Louis MussaPresident Asia PacificHexagon Metrology

Those of us who have been through the previous crises know they all come to an end sooner or later. You need to hold the line, remain positive and stay close to your customers and partners, who sometimes face problems bigger than our own.

Chip DreierMarketing Director,Asia Pacific Kennametal

Kennametal did a good job anticipating the economic downturn in 2009. We used this as an opportunity to make our business more market and customer focussed. Moving forward, we will be one enterprise working together for the benefit of our customers and aligned to their needs.

Dr Hans-Peter LaubscherMDTrumpf

We implemented the right measures very quickly. In 2008, we began a group-wide performance improvement program in all divisions and departments. The measures implemented from this program kicked in during the second half of the fiscal year and led to savings of US$82 million.

Lastly, through flexible production, we have been able to prevent the stockpiling of warehouse inventory. We are adapting our production plan to orders.

MarketOutlOOk2010



features

In your opinion, has the market turned around? What can we expect in 2010?

In certain segments and geography the market has rebounded to pre-2008 level, in others it still lags. We expect to see continued recovery into 2010 and are acting accordingly by maintaining and strengthening our presence within the different markets and investing in new capacity and technology.

It seems safe to say that things have stopped getting worse but there are mixed messages about when the general economic situation will start to recover. Even when recovery does start, it will be some while before the overall level of activity gets back to where it was. The rate of recovery will vary by country and by industry sector.

There are grounds for cautious optimism. Certain projects in certain sectors have restarted, enquiries are increasing, attitudes toward investments seem to be improving, so even nobody knows exactly when the crisis will be over there is now a sun shining at the end of the tunnel.

As we enter a new year, we are beginning to see increased optimism and a general recovery led by economies of China and India. This is great news. In 2010, we expect the emerging markets to take a leading role in the global recovery and be a key focal point for most businesses.

Leading economic indicators are signalling that we have bottomed out and that markets are recovering. However, it would be premature to begin talking about an upswing. First of all, this recovery is starting at a very low level; secondly, it is only very faintly reflected in the order books. But we are noticing that the mood is brightening slightly in the individual markets.

We share the expectations of the major industry associations that the situation will improve starting in 2010. What is open, however, is how fast the recovery will set in and how strong it will be.

Navigating the economic storm of 2009 requires dexterity, leadership and also certain amount of courage. The captains of the industry in this special feature have come through the test with great aplomb.

In the next few pages, leaders in the metalworking industry reveal their thoughts, the valuable lessons learned and share with us the plans they have in store as they embark on hopefully a brighter 2010.



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What are the upcoming trends for your industry from the business and technological point of view?

Jacob HarpazCEO Iscar, PresidentIMC Group

Iscar invests large sums of money to protect the ideas it brings to the world of metal cutting. Our metallurgical processes are being developed to provide increased advantages through breakthrough technologies for our customers.

The company policy, which I have set over the years, is to compete against ourselves. Iscar employees constantly strive to improve in what we do.

Peter DickinMarketing ManagerDelcam

The main change in Delcam’s business will be an increased emphasis on the medical, dental and related industries. From a technical point of view, the priority will be to take advantage of the latest developments in computing, including multi-processor PCs, 64 bit operating systems and Windows 7.

Louis MussaPresident Asia PacificHexagon Metrology

Many clever companies take the opportunity of a crisis to regroup, consolidate and look forward. At Hexagon we have done exactly that with a particular eye for R&D, where we have prioritised our projects. Many interesting product launches will take place in 2010.

Chip DreierMarketing Director,Asia Pacific Kennametal

We see tremendous growth in China especially in manufacturing. Clean energy and the growth in automotive and aircraft sectors are especially interesting. We, as a supplier to these industries, are in a great position to work with our customers to help them meet their goals of higher technology and improved quality.

Flexible, efficient processes and innovative products. Innovations make new applications possible, increase independence and expand capacity. Growth potential improves the competitive advantage and a higher workload cuts part costs significantly.

We have to look at the broad picture of products over the whole service life of the machine. Customers receive the latest technology with income potential and favourable operating costs from us. Energy efficiency per part must also be taken into account in the cost analysis.

Dr Hans-Peter LaubscherMDTrumpf



features

What are your marketing/general strategies for your company in 2010?

Our goal is to increase our customer’s profitability by introducing advance tool concepts and in turn being recognised by our customers that we are providing a value that is beyond the application support and tools we provide. It is the performance, productivity and profitability we ensure through our innovations.

As mentioned before, Delcam will be focussing more on the healthcare industries in 2010. There will also be more emphasis on internet marketing, for example through our Delcam online TV channel.

To continue to support our customers and partners with products and services. Lead them into the future with a range of solutions to help them improve the quality of their products and processes. We will continue to develop and improve our presence in Asia through capillary distribution with particular attention to the professional development of our human resources.

In 2010, we will employ the same strategy, continuing on geographically balancing the company sales among equal thirds in North America, Western Europe and rest of the world. We will also grow our AMSG business to represent 50 percent of our sales. We will focus on fulfilling our long-range vision of the company’s future.

We are approaching the markets with a simple slogan ‘Innovations that pay off’. Healthy, well-placed companies can turn the crisis to their advantage by optimising processes and work on projects that, in the past, were set aside because of the high pressure to produce and deliver.

Increased capacity resulting from increased productivity can mean that one new machine can take the place of two or three older ones. This leads to improved company efficiency, rules out additional undesirable guarantee and service costs, permits more flexible work models and may provide a savings in personnel costs.

Enquiry No. 1601



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features

The metalworking industry is looking forward to 2010, where previous lessons learned and experiences gained can be put to good use. By Joson Ng

Metalex

In ma ny ways, a t rade exhibition is a good indicator to test market sentiments. For the metalworking fraternity in

South-east Asia, Metalex Thailand offers an opportunity for those who may still be ‘sitting on the fence’. The organisers of the event recently came to Singapore to promote the show and Asia Pacific Metalworking Equipment News caught up with Nichapa Yoswee, MD, Reed Tradex to talk about the economic situation in Thailand, the possible economic recovery and also Metalex Thailand 2009.

“I think signs of a recovery are already here,” Ms Yoswee says confidently. By no means a conjecture, she went on at length to back up her claims. “I have quite a few discussions with my friends who are factory owners and also people

who are tool suppliers. To quote you an example, a tool supplier received two orders recently (last quarter of 2009) and those orders generated revenue that covered the whole year (tooling),” she says.

In her line of work as event organiser, Ms Yoswee has to be in touch with the industry in order to stay relevant and even take a leading role in identifying new market trends.

B a s e d o n h e r e x p e r t observation, the stimulus packages initiated by various governments have taken effect and tangible results can be seen especially in Thailand. Says Ms Yoswee: “In terms of production, majority of the factories I visited or researched upon are operating up to 70 percent of their capacity. A big improvement from last year , that is why I believe the rebound is here.”

Automotive Industry In ThailandAccording to Ms Yoswee, the resurgence does not limit itself to the metalworking industry. The automotive industry of Thailand, arguably one of the cornerstones of Thailand’s economy, remains stable and competitive, even as China emerges as one of the largest automotive producers in the world.

Analysing the situation calmly, she says: “I think China has their own competitive edge and so do we. I think the difference between China and Thailand is that they have a domestic market to serve as well as the export market. For Thailand, auto parts are basically exported to our partner countries in Europe and also Japan.”

Believing the land of smiles is a firm and secure supplier for automotive companies based in Europe and Japan after proving their quality against stringent ISO requirements, she feels China will have to go through the same process before they can be direct competitors.

Another bright spark for the automotive industry in the kingdom is the rise of eco cars. “Now that the eco car is confirmed, there are going to be a lot of new plants opening up. That would require new set of skill and machineries. As the plants and parts have to be remodelled, that offers a huge opportunity for Thailand and also event organisers,” she predicts.

Enquiry No. 1602

Special Report:

Thailand 2009

Creating A Much Needed Buzz

Reed Tradex:



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Metalex Thailand 2009

This year, the buyers at the show are largely c lass i f ied under two groups – according to Ms Yoswee. “I think the first group consists of those who have to sustain the local and export order. Since their capacity is still running at roughly 70 percent, they need new technology but not a

huge investment. Those involved in the eco car project however, need new technology because the project is something n e w a n d s o h e a v y investment is inevitable,” she notes.

“The second group would be those who want newer technologies to upgrade their production.

The buzz at the exhibition floor can be attributed to the diverse sales pattern.”

Features & FutureIn Asia alone, there are many shows that are dedicated to machine tools and technologies. In order to survive or carve a good reputation for oneself, it is imperative to

have a unique feature. “For Metalex, one

difference between us and other machine tools shows particularly in East Asia is we are consumers o f t e c h n o l o g y o r importers. Those shows emphasise technology as the manufacturers are based in the host country itself,” she offers.

In conclusion, she says: “In a real sense of the word, trade is very much the focus in Metalex, it is where all the buyers are, making it a powerful trade forum in South-east Asia.”

Enquiry No. 1603

Eye On Metalex Thailand

Hexagon Metrology:

Extra EffortD espite posting good

financial figures in uncertain times, no one is taking anything for

granted, a testament to the work ethics instilled from top down.

Vastly experienced in the field of metrology, Taveesak Srisuntisuk, MD of Hexagon Metrology Thailand has some 28 years worth of knowledge. Every ounce of this knowledge was called into action earlier in 2009 as the economy took a plunge for the worse. Fast-forward a few months on, Mr Taveesak is exhibiting at Metalex Thailand and sharing with Asia Pacific Metalworking Equipment News the lessons learned as he looks back on 2009.

Believing that the worst is over, he says: “From our visits to existing and potential customers, we can tell they are more optimistic now.”

In addition, he notes: “There have been many enquiries recently

and people are beginning to explore the possibility of equipment purchase. They are waiting for the right time to buy.”

According to Mr Taveesak, there are more indications that the arrows are pointing up. “Hexagon Thailand concentrates a lot on the local automotive industry. More often than not, the number of cars sold in the last two months is a telling indicator. Moreover, there are projects pending. In Thailand in 2009, they initially forecasted to produce a total of 700,000 units of cars. Now the forecast has been revised upwards by 10 percent. As such 2010 cannot be worse,” he says.

Lessons LearnedThough 2009 was a difficult year for most, Mr Taveesak reveals the Thai branch under his charge made a profit. Owing partly to



features

Measuring Up MetalexInvolved with Metalex Thailand as an exhibitor since the first instalment, Mr Taveesak has seen the event grow larger and more influential over the years.

“For 2009, the number of visitors is very good. The number of enquiries look good as well. It is above my expectation,” he says.

The improvements though encouraging can only materialise into real results through hard work that is absolutely critical for 2010 as he concludes: “Even in a crisis, there are always newcomers, that is something we can focus on and something we need to guard against. With new competitors emerging from the horizon and established names finding their feet again, it will be tough to keep sales. We need to work even harder in 2010.”

Enquiry No. 1604

T a k ing the pract ica l approach and staying result oriented is the route to take into 2010.

Hurco was one of the exhibitors in the recent ly concluded Metalex Thailand and Asia Pacific Metalworking Equipment News caught up with Andrew Foo, regional sales manager, Hurco SEA for his thoughts on the show, the economy and the up coming trends.

“As far as turnout goes, I would say it is a case of ‘so far so good’. It is roughly the same as last year. Sales leads are definitely there but unfortunately, we have yet to locate a quality customer,” he says.

Though he has yet to see any genuine results, he conceded that the show is attractive to his company as Thailand is a market they cannot go without.

“We are exhibiting here today because Metalex is the biggest

the backlogs from 2008, the good performance can also be attributed by the adjustments made by the company as a whole.

“In some countries, we had to reduce headcount although we kept all the engineers and administrative staff. We as the head of branch also volunteered to reduce our salary for one quarter, in a show of unity,” he says.

Taking To The SkiesHexagon Metrology as a whole has many interests across the world and as Mr Taveesak discloses is strong in the aerospace and medical industries in Europe especially. With Singapore emerging as a regional aerospace hub, he feels this is the chance for the Asian branches to get more involved in this industry.

However, he also reminded us that there are big challenges in the aerospace industry.

“They have small parts with very stringent demands on accuracy and they also have very big parts that are no less easier to manufacture or measure. The difference for big parts is you cannot use regular CMM so laser tracker is used instead,” he adds.

Services RenderedMr Taveesak has represented Hexagon in Thailand for some 15 years. During his tenure, he instilled a service-oriented attitude to his employees towards users.

Quoting an example, he says: “In customer service, our reaction time is a day in any part of Thailand. If someone were to call us today, we will send our engineer down latest by the next day.”

To add on, engineers have their own account to take care of in order to forge a closer relationship with the customers.

Hurco:

Staying Groundedmachine tool show in the whole of South-east Asia and everyone involved in this field in this region has heard about it,” he notes.

Reality CheckWhen queried, Mr Foo prefers to take a more philosophical approach when he expresses his views on the economic outlook in 2010.

“Are we on a recovery run? Yes and no but one thing is for sure, the war is not over. Yes and no because the market is up in some months as we received good enquiries. Other months can be quiet. There is a upward trend but I am not sure if it is a recovery,” he says.

“Realistically speaking, I feel the first half of 2010 should be the same, it may pick up from third quarter onwards,” he adds.

Lessons & TrendsIn a difficult year where some


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companies have suffered more than others, many lessons were learned. Though it may be painful, encouraging new trends have also emerged from these difficult times.

Speaking candidly: “The year 2009 has been a difficult year for everyone. For us, we have to be very careful in terms of formulating

Wenzel Asia Pacific:

Maintain Focus

W ith the spot-light firmly on what is truly important, Wenzel Asia Pacific

is well on its way to break new grounds.

The year 2009 has been a real acid test for many and even for a seasoned veteran like Tan Boon Sun, MD, there were lessons learned as well.

“As we are quite specialised in our industry, we have to stay focussed and maintain a strong foundation. The reason being our industry does not function like a consumer product market where some merchandise can be bypassed at an alarming rate,” says Mr Tan.

Looking at his field of metrology, he shares with Asia Pacific Metalworking Equipment News that it has not changed too much. He explains: “If you look at the CMM, although it has been around for some 50 years, the basic shape of the machine remains similar whether you like it or not. In terms of drive system, it is still running with air bearings and the accuracy

still remains or there are only little improvements (still not able to break a micron). About 90 percent will remain and what you can change is probably only the cover, shape and size.”

Eye On The EconomyWith the financial outlook for 2010 looking more positive on a whole, we got Mr Tan to comment on his field, ie: metrology.

“Although all the indicators seem to be displaying an upward trend, they are unfortunately not reflective of our industry,” he says.

Going deeper into the issue, he offers: “In our sector, people are still adopting a ‘wait and see’ attitude. Potential customers are more meticulous these days when picking out a machine. They also exercise more caution over every penny they spend.”

In geographical terms, he feels that the worst is over for North Asia. He says the aerospace industry, wind industry and the automotive industry, the three big sectors the company looks at are still posting

features


contractual terms when making a sale as some suppliers cannot sustain their back payment. These are good lessons.”

As buying trends go, Mr Foo feels even though there are some customers with genuine enquiries, they will not get immediate decision on investment at this instant. He

hopes the orders will materialise in early 2010.

As for technological trends in his field, he feels multi axis machines will take centre stage particularly in the aviation industry.

Enquiry No. 1605

good results in China.

Metalworking IndustryWhen it comes to metalworking machineries, the buying pattern has every chance of improving as far as he is concerned. Predicting a better year for his machine tools counterparts at Metalex Thailand 2009, he says: “It is almost inevitable that the machinery segment will experience an upward buying trend in 2010 as people have been putting off buying machines. However, should there be another downturn for them, it will be twice the impact we had before but I think it is not likely.”

Turning the attention back to metrology, it is important to spot potential in new areas as the arena according to Mr Tan is saturated.

Adopting a practical view, Mr Tan admits that though a breakthrough is difficult to achieve, but by applying new technologies and a new approach to measurement, that may not be a distant dream.

Enquiry No. 1606

ENQ

UIR

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79

JETRO:

Tread With Caution

S tay ing v ig i lant and alert in order to react to changing economic climate is a prudent way

to approach a supposed recovery.

features


world namely economic super powers like the US, China and Japan. If the packages wear off, the economic recovery may also lose momentum,” he adds.

Lending A Helping HandHelping Japanese SMEs find their way in the global market place is one of the primary missions of JETRO according to Mr Hata and this intent can clearly be seen at the show.

“We utilised our supplementary budget this year to organise this pavilion for our SMEs. As such, they pay a very special rate for their booth,” he explains.

Assistance does not stop there. The organisation has nine offices in Bangkok and they are made available for any interested Japanese company for a nominal rental fee for up to three months. MEN

Enquiry No. 1607

Occupying a sizeable floor area at Metalex Thailand 2009 with 12 participating Japanese SMEs is the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) pavilion.

After witnessing a tumultuous few months in 2009, the early sign of recovery is beginning to show, as far as people in the positive camp are concerned. As for Shigenori Hata, VP, JETRO Bangkok, he approaches positivity with caution.

“Yes I believe the worst is over when I speak to the executives of machinery industry. The recovery however will be a gradual affair,” he says.

Though things appear to be on the up for now, he also sounded a possible hiccup along the way. “The recovery is also dependent on the various economic stimulus packages put together by countries all over the



features

Swiss Steel in Switzerland turns 600,000 tonnes of scrap iron per year into high-quality steel. In the

continuous casting plant, the molten metal is cast into 10.8 m long billets. They are the basic material from which the rolling steel, in rod or wire form, is produced in the rolling mill.

To ensure product quality in the steel plant, data such as metal composition, weight, and the location of the conveying devices are sent wirelessly via radio to the control system, which further distributes them.

The data are recorded at the location where they are created and are transmitted via network components access points. Despite the harsh industrial environment, the radio signals that reach the control system receiver are of required quality that there is no need for further protection of the radio data.

Melting PotAt the beginning of the melting process, the tonnes of scrap are initially heated up to 1,650 deg C in melting furnaces with light arcs from electrodes. The experts at the steel plant know the ingredients of

Steel Recycling:

RadioTelepathyTo ensure the continuity and quality of steel production, automation technology and industrial wireless LAN are used to ensure fast and safe data transmission. By Luca Piller, I IA&DT AS, Siemens Zurich.



81

features

With modern automation, the raw metal is melted, cast into billets in the continuous casting plant, and then processed as high-quality steel

most of the scrap deliveries. When loading the basket for the melting furnace, weights and recipes are passed on to the production control system by radio.

A ra il -bound scrap cart transports the basket with its heavy load into the melting furnace hall. There it is lifted by the hall crane and emptied into the furnace. The transport and loading of the three scrap carts are also monitored via radio connections to precisely determine the consumption levels and storage locations of more than 10 types of scrap.

During the melting process, the furnace supervisor takes regular metal samples and sends them to the laboratory for an analysis. Melt composition, quality of the raw material and the process duration are analysed. When the melted metal has reached the right composition and temperature, the

rollers. The rollers are equipped with converters and gear motors, which ensure smooth motion – from the rotation of the foundry ladle to the emptying into the chills. All the electronic controllers and components used feature reliability even under difficult conditions, because a failure could have serious consequences for productivity and safety.

In order to implement this solution, Swiss Steel first had to extend the radio network of the scrap carts because the old network had radio black spots. The company chose a network with Scalance WIWLAN components. Setting up this radio network made great demands on system technology.

Dragan Todorovski, production systems manager at Swiss Steel, sums up the situation: “The enormous machines and the harsh conditions in steel production are not ideal for setting up a reliable radio network.” He therefore made drawings of the halls and marked the transmitter stations first with the support of a specialist.

The drawings were then read into the test program for radio networks, to identify any gaps and to improve the network.

“We measured the signal strengths after setting up the radio system and only had to make minor readjustments,” Mr Todorovski reports. “This considerably reduced the commissioning time and operation was started without any trouble,” he concludes.

Metal composition, weight, location of transport units, and other data are transmitted via wireless communication to the control centre. The control centre then in turn distributes the information to other units. The combination of data collection close to the process and good radio field design ensures reliable wireless communication. MEN

Enquiry No. 1608

The network components have to operate in harsh environments

slag is drawn off and the red-hot melted metal is poured into the foundry ladle, which weighs more than 40 tonnes. In the subsequent ladle furnace treatment and, in some cases, vacuum treatment, the melted steel is heated further, alloyed with additives, and purged with inert gas before the ladle is hung on a rotating tower with a crane.

Wireless ControlAs soon as a process ladle is empty, a new ladle can be swung in and continuously emptied into a distributor through a floor drain. This distributor then distributes the liquid steel into the four channels (chills) by means of a control system. The chill must oscillate constantly during casting to prevent the steel from sticking.

Steel billets run over a discharge line that is fitted with conveyor



Aptly described by Dr Moh Chong Tau, president and CEO of Makino Asia as ‘a key milestone in the

advancement of the company globally’, the IRD will spearhead the company’s drive in machine tool research especially in the fields of medical, engineering, alternate energy and exotic materials cutting.

The investment amount, over the period of five years, includes the initial tranche of approximately S$20 million, where the majority of which would be building costs.

Over the next four years, additional investments of between S$12 to 15 million each, would mainly be in staffing and related research expenses. The facility would occupy an area of about 3,800 sq m, housing workstations, modelling and analytical systems and simulators.

Regional HubSingapore became the only R&D centre outside the company’s headquarters in Japan. The decision to pick the city state

Committed To

was a natural one as Dr Moh explains in his speech to a crowd consisting of delegates from the Singapore Economic Development Board, SPRING Singapore, A*Star, company employees and other distinguished guests.

Says Dr Moh: “Singapore offers compelling value proportion which are numerous and significant. The country is well-renowned for its political stability and strong governance which is especially important when it comes to multi-million dollar investments.”

Continuing, he adds: “The world-class logistics infrastructure, connectivity and supply-chain management allow for efficient access to not just regional but also global markets.”

Signing CeremonyThe crowd witnessed the signing of MOUs and contracts that will see closer cooperation between Makino Asia and government agencies. For instance, the MOU signed with Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech) will see R&D collaboration resulting in the participation of basic and experimental research to develop machine tool and improve reliability.

In addition, the MOU also promotes the R&D of locally manufactured EDM and CNC milling machine, which are used in making high precision components for the aerospace, automotive and medical sectors. MEN

Enquiry No. 1701

DRMakino Asia held a signing ceremony on October 21, 2009 to mark the commencement of a R&D venture. With some S$75 million (US$ 53 million) invested in the International Research and Development (IRD) Centre, the company signals its intent in multi-disciplinary research, development and synergistic collaborations.

&

Makino:

EVENTs&ExhibiTioNs

March 25th-26th, 2010InterContinental HotelShanghai | China

ChinaCommercialAircraftSummit 2010March 25th-26th, 2010InterContinental HotelShanghai | China

email: [email protected]: 86 21 5058 9600

ChinaCommercialAircraftSummit 2010

www.opplandcorp.com/aerotel:+86 21 5058 9600

email: [email protected] NO 009



Held at Jakarta Inter-national Expo, Kemayoran, Manufacturing Indonesia a n d M a c h i n e To o l

Indonesia 2009 attracted 35,301 trade visitors. Covering a total area of 26,711 sq m, this event was held in conjunction with Plastic & Rubber Indonesia and Propak Indonesia which attracted a further 16,703 visitors.

A total of 1,665 companies from 38 countries exhibited including national and regional groups from Austria, China, Germany, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the UK. Exhibitors were happy with their participation with most companies requesting space at the next event in 2010.

Testimonials From The ExhibitorsThe organisers were able to collect some quotes from exhibitors and gained valuable insights into their thoughts on the show.

“This is our first ever visit to Indonesia and we have been surprised by the number of knowledgeable visitors. We have also noticed that there is a good market here for our German technology from companies that have tried lower cost machines but

realise they will get less material wastage and therefore better long term returns,” said Thomas Piesik, MD, Wikon Thermoform.

“The Austrian Exhibitors are satisfied with their participation and we plan to return with another official Austrian Pavilion next year,” said Yani Sulaiman, marketing officer commercial section, Austrian Embassy, Jakarta.

Finally, Motohito Yoshikawa, regional manager, PT Mori Seiki Indonesia stated that they will continue to participate at Machine Tool Indonesia as the exhibition always delivers good results for them.

Collaboration With IndiaOver the last 30 years, Indian engineering has seen major changes. It is the largest segment in Indian industry and employs about four million skilled and semi-skilled workers.

The growth powered by large investments in power projects and infrastructure development and the growth in India’s manufacturing sector has seen the development of capabilities in product development and a d v a n c e d m a n u f a c t u r i n g technology.

Manufacturing IndonesiaEvent Review:

Indonesia is India’s third largest trading partner in ASEAN and the second largest export destination in ASEAN with a US$20 billion bilateral trade target in the next five years. Engineering export constitutes 29 percent of India’s total export to Indonesia.

Total trade between India and Indonesia has grown significantly to over US$9 billion during 2008 – 09 and engineering exports to Indonesia aggregates to US$554.3 during the same period.

In keeping with the collabora-tion between the two nations on the trade level, Manufacturing Indonesia was held for the first time alongside the Indian Engineering Exhibition, INDEE 2009. A total of 124 Indian companies participated in this event.

Riding on the country’s strong manufacturing sector, Manufacturing Indonesia will be held again on December 1 – 4, 2010.

Jakarta International Expo KemayoranJakarta, IndonesiaDecember 2 – 5, 2009

Enquiry No. 1702

EVENTs&ExhibiTioNs

ENQUIRY NO 025



Wire and Tube South-east Asia 2009 has manifested itself as the region’s wire,

cable, tube and pipe platform. The trade fairs came to a close on an optimistic note, attracting close to 5,000 trade visitors and buyers from 57 countries and economies.

Approximately 30 percent of the visitors came from outside Tha i land . ASEAN v is i tors inclusive of Thailand accounted for about 85 percent of the total visitor attendance, signifying that ASEAN buyers are increasing viewing Thailand as a hub for trade and commerce and gateway for product distribution.

A significant number of visitors came from China, India, Japan, South Korea and the Middle East.

The three-day trade fairs provided a focal point for 305 exhibiting companies from 30 countries including national pavilions and groups from Austria, China, France, Germany, Italy, Singapore and USA to meet their respective customers connected to the wire, cable, spring making, fastener, tube, pipe and related user industries.

Better Than Expected PerformanceDespite the challenging times, many exhibitors have reported a high level of visitor interest in their technological solutions as well as brisk business from both local and overseas buyers.

President of ACIMAF, Ferrucio Bellina said: “At wire South-east Asia 2009, we see a significant number of visitors coming from outside Thailand and they have generated some positive leads.”

He added that although customers are more cautious with their investments, businesses are

still being conducted and purchases are made be it to replenish existing stock levels or for production/process improvements.

On the business front, as President of Eder Engineering, Dr Eder gave the feedback that he was happy with the quality of visitors and the enquiries generated. His company has received three orders at the show.

Sales director Johann Jäkel of Rosendahl Maschinen exhibiting within the Austrian pavilion had this to say: “We are present at this exhibition to show our partners and customers that we are with them in good times and in bad. We do see the global economic situation as bottoming out and business is slowly but surely improving. At the event, although we have not met any new customers, we have received enquiries from the existing ones. Overall, we are satisfied with our participation given the current economic situation.”

Positive VoicesAt the German Pavilion, Dr Gerhard Bartz, President of VDKM remarked that despite the economic downturn, it was essential to note that technical development goes on and that

it was necessary to focus on the positives and to build solid and sound relationship with customers worldwide. He viewed innovations and services as the two key ingredients in beating the recession.

On the quality of the visitors, Dr Bartz was impressed with the knowledgeable and specialised visitors at this year’s trade fair. He also observed that it was noticeable that many exhibitors are making use of the exhibition as a platform for interaction, not just with the visitors, but also with their peers and competitors.

Exhibitors at the fair were also satisfied with the quality of visitors. ITA’s executive secretary, Phillip Knight reported that the visitors to their booth were of the right calibre. Mr Knight commented: “Our number of leads exceeded our expectations and we are excited about a potential local representations of the ITA for the Pakistan market.”

BITECBangkok, ThailandOctober 13 –15, 2009

Enquiry No. 1703

Event Review:

Wire & Tube South-east Asia

EVENTs&ExhibiTioNs

ENQUIRY NO 164



Event Review:

JEC Asia2009

The Asian composites market growth is predicted to double by 2015. Asian countr ies have been

increasing their market share in global composites production at a faster rate as compared to the past few years. The continent should represent 50 percent of the total volume of the market by 2015 amounting to 5.15 Mt on a total of 10.30 Mt.

Created in 2008, the second session of JEC Asia was a success with participation in all its programmes. With conferences, forums and new services such as the business meetings and the honorary guests programme, well-established brands and new participants came together from Middle-East, India and Asia Pacific. On a total of 345 participating companies, the event attracted 46 new exhibitors.

Some 7,002 visitors from 55 countries attended this professionals-only event with 86 percent from Asia Pacific. Also, 650 delegates took part in the programme of conferences, forums and technical sales presentations. In total, six forums and conferences were organised, including a new wind energy forum.

An International EventWith 55 countries involved in the event, it is the only international platform for the Asia-Pacific area. The show welcomed all the major delegations (China and Taiwan, Japan, India, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea), ambassadors, honorary guests, decision makers, world renowned speakers and emblematic contributors to the composite

industry as well as journalists from major end-users markets.

The main topics at the event were representative of the Asian markets. Unlike America or Europe, Asia’s main growth drivers are building and construction (equipment phase), automotive (increase of local demand), wind energy (driven by the combination of favourable public regulat ions and the possibility to exploit economically viable wind farms) and aeronautics (with a continuing penetration of composites for lightening issues).

SuntecSingaporeOctober 14 – 16, 2009

Enquiry No. 1704

EVENTs&ExhibiTioNs



89

Event Preview:INAPA 2010

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• Offi cial publication for major trade events in the region, and the only magazine that is fully endorsed by 7 leading industry organisation and associations.

• The most established metalworking journal in the region and the only publication in Asia that is BPA audited.

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INAPA is a professional show ca tered for buyers in the automotive parts & components, automotive

a c c e s s o r i e s , a u t o m o t i v e garage equipment for OEM and aftermarket industry.

Many exhibitors in 2009 saw the event as an opportunity to boost sales and gain exposure as well as meeting with key decision makers and potential buyers.

The event is Indonesia’s largest automotive parts, accessories and vehicle equipment trade show. In 2009, the show attracted 202 companies taking up 7,940 sq m (gross) of exhibition space with a total attendance of 9,770 trade attendees from 21 countries. The event drew praise and support from seminar delegates, exhibitors and visitors for the level of participation and professional

organisation and execution of the show.

The 2010 instalment of INAPA is expected to attract 400 companies in taking 15,000 sq m of exhibition space and total attendance of 20,000 trade visitors. It will also incorporate some sub events like the Auto Tech Garage (garage), Auto Engineering (machinery and processes), Auto Electronics, Auto Rubber and Car Wash Tech.

Lastly the event will be running concurrently with Inatronics 2010, the Indonesia International Electronics & Components Exhibition 2010 and IIBT 2010, Indonesia International Bus, Truck and Components Exhibition 2010.

JIExpo KemayoranJakarta, IndonesiaMarch 24 – 27, 2010

Enquiry No. 1705

EVENTs&ExhibiTioNs



Baumer: Tightly Packed Distance Measurement

The distance measuring Series IWFM 08 inductive sensors by Baumer come with outer dimension of only 4.7 x 8 x 16 mm. An attribute that characterises the sensor is its robustness. The metal housing prevents damage during installation or operations to a large extent, which positively influences the maintenance costs in the long term.

Due to the high linearity and repeat accuracy, the sensor records linear movements of up to 2 mm with high precision.

Enquiry No. 1801

Ceratizit has deve loped a tool holder with a clamping claw made of solid c a r b i d e f o r

the machining of brake discs. A commonly known p h e n o m e n o n w h e n

machining brake discs using ceramic and CBN is that the claw which holds the insert in its seat wears out early through erosion.

The C-Clamp, thanks to its compact construction (short distance between screw and clamping point) is characterised by a higher stability than conventional claws, which enables an increase of between 10 and 50 percent in the durability of the inserts.

Enquiry No. 1802

Ceratizit: Tool Holder Enhances Durability Of Inserts

Delcam: Feature-Based CAM System

The 2010 version of FeatureCAM, a feature-based machining software by Delcam comes with enhancements across the full range of functionality, from 2D drilling and wire EDM, to five-axis milling and mill-turn operations.

A range of improvements in the 2010 version will make the software even quicker. Most important of these developments is support for multi-threading when generating 3D toolpaths. This allows calculations to be spread across multiple cores in dual- or quad-core computers. Average timesavings are around 25 percent on a dual-core PC.

Enquiry No. 1803

The FD-1665P by FluxData is a camera system capable of collecting video at three linear polarisation orientations simultaneously.

The optical system can identify stress and defects in aircraft assemblies; ‘see’ into the water column in littoral and marine applications; separate specular from diffuse reflectance for material analysis and identification; and automatically detect manmade objects in natural surroundings.

The standard offering for the FD-1665P is 0, 45, and 90 deg linear polarisation filters in front of the three RGB sensors at up to 120 frames per second.

Enquiry No. 1804

FluxData: Compact 3-CCD Polarisation Camera

productfinder

ENQUIRY NO 170



productfinder

Three geometries across two Beyond carbide grades augment Kennametal’s range of face-grooving inserts and tooling for small-diameter internal and external applications.

Available as precision-ground and moulded styles in both flat-edge and full-radius face-grooving geometries, A4-S inserts are the additions to the company’s Beyond line of milling and turning tools.

They are aimed at face grooving on parts from 16 – 58 mm in diameter and groove depths from 12 – 19 mm.

Enquiry No. 1807

Kennametal: Productivity In Small-Diameter Face Grooving

Haas: Drill & Tap Machine

T h e D T - 1 f r o m H a a s Automation is a compact, high-speed drill and tap

mac h i ne w i t h f u l l m i l l i n g c a p a b i l i t i e s . T h e m a c h i n e features a 20” x 16 ” x 15 . 5” work cube and 26” x 15” T-slot t a b l e , w h i l e m a i n t a i n i n g a v e r y s m a l l footprint.

A B T 3 0 t a p e r spindle spins to 15,000 r p m , a nd a l low s

tapping at speeds to 5,000 rpm. The spindle is coupled directly to the motor for smooth, quiet operation and extreme thermal stability. A 15-hp vector drive system provides 46 ft-lb (peak) of cutting torque for milling and boring operations.

Enquiry No. 1805

igus: Chip Protection For Machine Tools

Designers from igus, Cologne have developed a horizontal upper run guiding system called Guidelok. This energy chain solution is suitable for longer travels up to 50 m and unsupported travel in the machining industry.

The system carries the upper run of the energy chain on a swivelling roller bracket which moves away from the moving radius guaranteeing an unhindered ride.

Due to this construction no debris can settle between the sliding surfaces of the upper run and lower run of the energy chain.

Enquiry No. 1806

Makino: Wide Ranging VMC

Targeted at the high mix and low volume segment of the manufacturing sector, Makino’s vertical machining c e n t r e , P S ser ie s provides the capabil ity to meet the r e q u i r e -ments for precision metal cutting industries like aerospace, medical, automotive, general engineering and precision engineering.

Key features that improve productivity and accuracy include core cooling of axis ball screws, large spindle bearings and efficient chip management system.

One chief improvement is the accuracy of machine by controlling of thermal influence in axis motion. Unlike many machines, in this model, diameter 85 mm ball spindle bearings are used to increase rigidity and stability.

Enquiry No. 1808



93

productfinder

Mori Seiki: Direct Drive Rotary Table

A line up of high-speed, high-precision, rotary table DDRT (Direct Drive Rotary Table) has been developed by Mori Seiki. They are the DDRT-200 with 200 mm table diameter, DDRT-300 with 300 mm table diameter, and DDRT-400 with 400 mm table diameter.

The DDRT is equipped with a direct drive motor instead of worm gears. It offers high-speed feed by transmitting the drive power directly without using gears, so it achieves zero backlash. As a result, surface quality for curved machining has improved.

Enquiry No. 1810

Mikron has developed a mini chamfer mill for small diameter ranges. The MiquMill Frontchamfer has relatively high number of teeth – four to six depending on diameter, allowing high cutting speeds.

The tool is suitable for machining of all metals. In case of hard machining over 56 HRC, the maker recommends a special execution with an adapted geometry. Standard execution of the tool has a bevel angle of 90 deg and come with different diameters, lengths or angles are available upon request.

Enquiry No. 1809

Mikron Tool: Deburring In Miniature Machining

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Mastercam X4 is here, delivering dozens of new tools

based on input from users like you. From dramatically

fi ner machine fi nishes and effi cient dynamic milling to fast

multi-core computer processing, Mastercam

X4 provides maximum productivity at a great

value. Find out how the world’s most widely-

used CAM software* can maximise your

shop’s machining.

See Mastercam X4 in action at www.mastercam.com/X4

Mastercam X4 is here, delivering dozens of new tools

based on input from users like you. From dramatically

fi ner machine fi nishes and effi cient dynamic milling to fast

multi-core computer processing, Mastercam

X4 provides maximum productivity at a great

value. Find out how the world’s most widely-

See Mastercam X4 in action at

Techtown Pte Ltdwww.techtown.com.sg • [email protected]: +65 6741 3318 • Fax: +65 6741 0181

CAD/CAM SYSTEMS

*Source: CIMdata, Inc. 2009

恒科商贸（上海）有限公司

上海市徐汇区沪闵路8075号红梅商务大厦613室邮编200233电话: +86 21 5418 4811手机：+86 1360 164 1618

For enquiries, please email: [email protected] • Website: www.henko.com

Micro-Vu Corporation designs and manufactures a broad line of measuring machines including Automated Vision Systems, Manual Video Systems, and Optical Comparators. These non-contact and contact measurement system use video and touch probe inputs to perform high precision 2D and 3D measurements.

BME Industries (M) Sdn BhdD-G-2 & D-1-2Persiaran RelauSungai Ara, 11900Bayan Lepas PenangTel: +604 640 8686Mobile: +6016 440 0618

Henko Machine Tools (Thailand) Co Ltd26/357 Moo 18, Tumbol KlongnuangAmper KlongnuangPathumthani ProvinceThailand 12120Tel: +66 2908 1131Mobile: +66 860 423 383

Henko Machine Tools Pte LtdNo.23 Kaki Bukit Industrial Terrace, Singapore 416103Tel: +65 6846 4666 • Fax: +65 6846 4555

Precision Measurement Equipment Since 1959

Vertex

Matrix

Excel

Vector

Spectra



productfinder

Widia: Face Milling System

In addition to the M1200 face-milling range, Widia has added grades and geometries specifically for machining aluminium and non-ferrous materials.

M1200HF (High Feed) is a tooling solution that accepts standard M1200 HN .09 inserts already available today, but by utilising machining science to incorporate a chip-thinning effect, can achieve good metal removal.

Features and benefits for the system include chip forming and evacuation capabilities, high feed load capability, and good accuracy of insert positioning, allowing for tool life and surface finish.

Enquiry No. 1813

Witte: Flexible Measuring Appliance

Witte Far East’s (Singapore) sandwich plate transforms quickly – manually or automatically – from one measuring fixture to another.

In a defined grid, (eg: 200 mm) the entire plate is equipped with through holes, in which columns are mounted. For positioning a workpiece the columns are set at appropriate positions.

The sandwich plate is available in several variations. One version is a horizontal plate with a rail around the outer edge for mounting mobile measuring arms. In vertical use the sandwich plate can be used on both sides.

Enquiry No. 1814

The Inova Gear from Wenzel Geartec is a gear machine with a compact range of axes but nevertheless, a machine with big measuring ranges. The Z-axis and rotary table of the system are arranged independently from the Y-and X-axis.

High performance servo drives over ball screws in all linear axes guarantees performance whilst ensuring the precision of the system.

Granite guideways, air bearings with emergency operation capacity as well as optimised ball bearings are used in the system.

Enquiry No. 1812

Wenzel GearTec: Compact Measuring Solution

Solido: Desktop 3D Printer

Solido SD300 Pro 3D printer provides a low cost and easy to use option for designers looking to create three dimensional models without leaving their workstation.

Using plastic sheet lamination, the printer produces rugged yet flexible models made of SolidVC, a rigid PVC based plastic. The accuracy, strength and durability of the parts produced by the printer make them suitable for a range of applications at all stages of the design cycle.

Models can be machined, drilled, finished and painted, and they show no distortion over time.

Enquiry No. 1811


Jan-Feb 2010 metalworking equipment news 95

ExhibitionProgrammEs

2010January

21 – 26IMTEX Forming 2010Bangalore Int’l Exhibition CentreBangalore, IndiaIndian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA)[email protected]

FEbruary

9 – 11Composites 2010Mandalay Bay Convention CenterMandalay Bay, Las VegasACMAwww.acmashow.org

march

18 – 19MedTech Manufacturing 2010Suntec [email protected]

24 – 27INAPA 2010JIExpoJakarta, IndonesiaGlobal Expo Managementwww.inapa-exhibition.net/contact_us.phpwww.inapa-exhibition.net

25 – 26China Commercial Aircraft Summit 2010InterContinental Pudong Shanghai Shanghai, [email protected] www.opplandcorp.com/aero/index.htm

aPril

13 – 18SIMTOSKINTEXSeoul, S [email protected]

14 – 17Intermold 2010Intex OsakaOsaka, JapanJapan Die and Mold Industry [email protected]/im/english/index.html

19 – 23Hannover MesseExhibition GroundsHannover, GermanyDeutsche Messewww.hannovermesse.de

21 – 24Japan Int’l Welding Show 2010Tokyo Big SightTokyo, JapanJapan Welding Engineering [email protected]/english

may5 – 9MTA Malaysia 2010Putra World Trade CentreKuala Lumpur, MalaysiaMalaysian Exhibition [email protected]

5 – 9Metaltech 2010Putra World Trade CentreKuala Lumpur, MalaysiaTrade-Link Exhibition [email protected]/metaltech

8 – 11MT DuoTaipei World Trade Center (TWTC) Exhibition HallTaipei, TaiwanTAITRA & [email protected]

JunE

2 – 5Manufacturing Surabaya 2010Grand City Convention & Exhibition CentreSurabaya, IndonesiaPT Pamerindowww.manufacturingsurabaya.com

24 – 27Automotive Manufacturing 2010BITECBangkok, ThailandReed [email protected]

24 – 27Intermold Thailand 2010BITECBangkok, ThailandReed [email protected]

July

6 – 9 MTA Vietnam 2010Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center (SECC)Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam [email protected]

96

4T TECHNOLOGIES PTE LTD 4/5 014

CARL ZEISS PTE LTD 23/43 020/021

DELCAM PLC (INTERNATIONAL DIVISION) 09 090

EXXON MOBIL ASIA PACIFIC 63 089

FARO SINGAPORE PTE LTD 21 026

FRITZ STUDER AG 01 027

HAAS AUTOMATION INC 07 012

HENKO MACHINE TOOLS PTE LTD 93 096

HEXAGON METROLOGY (THAILAND) LTD 30/31 023

HORST WITTE GERATEBAU BARSKAMP E.K 29/69 024/094

HURCO (S.E.ASIA) PTE LTD 11 044

IDI LASER SERVICES PTE LTD 45/59 018/019

IPSEN INTERNATIONAL GMBH 17 005

ISCAR LTD IFC 010

KENNAMETAL INC BC 160

MAGMA ENGINEERING ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD 39 008

MALAYSIAN EXHIBITION SERVICES SDN BHD 91 170

MORI SEIKI SINGAPORE IBC 136

NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS 18/19 013

NEWELL RUBBERMAID (M) SDN BHD 49/67 015/016

OBJET GEOMETRIES ASIA PACIFIC 02/03 004

OPPLAND CORPORATION 83 009

OPTICAL GAGING (S) PTE LTD 37 112

PT GLOBAL EXPO MANAGEMENT 85 025

SINGAPORE PRECISION ENGINEERING & TOOLING ASSOSCIATION

77 029

SUMITOMO ELECTRIC HARDMETAL ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD

13/47 022/053

SUTTON TOOLS PTY LTD 15 011

TECHTOWN PTE LTD 93 017

TORNOS TECHNOLOGIES ASIA LTD 79 006

TRADE-LINK EXHIBITION SERVICES SDN BHD 87 164

UBM ASIA (THAILAND) CO LTD 27 007

WALTER AG SINGAPORE PTE LTD FC 003

WENZEL ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD 33 028

WTC-MAY (S) PTE LTD (DST TECHNOLOGIE GMBH) 40/41 030

YAMAZAKI MAZAK SINGAPORE PTE LTD 25/61 002/001

ADVERTISING SALES OFFICES

Page Enquiry Advertiser No. No.

HEAD OFFICESINGAPORE EASTERN TRADE MEDIA PTE LTD 1100 Lower Delta Road, EPL Building #04-02, Singapore 169206 Tel: 65-6379 2888 Fax: 65-6379 2805/2806 E-mail: [email protected]

FOREIGN REPRESENTATIVES

GERMANY

INTERMEDIA PARTNERS GMBH Tel: 49-202-271 6913 Fax: 49-202-271 6920 E-mail: [email protected]

JAPAN Ted Asoshina EcHo JAPAN coRPoRATIoN Tel: 81-3-3263 5065 Fax: 81-3-3234 2064 E-mail: [email protected]

KOREA Young-Seoh chinn JES MEDIA INTERNATIoNAL Tel: 82-2-481 3411/3 Fax: 82-2-481 3414 E-mail: [email protected]

SWITZERLAND Rene Bachmann MEDIALL SA Tel: 41-56-442 14 40 Fax: 41-56-442 27 77 E-mail: [email protected]

TAIWAN Robert Yu WoRLDWIDE SERvIcES co., LTD Tel: 886-4-2325 1784 Fax: 886-4-2325 2967 E-mail: [email protected]

U. KINGDOM Eddie Kania RoBERT HoRSFIELD INT'L MEDIA REP. Tel: 44-1663-750 242 Fax: 44-1663-750 973 E-mail: [email protected]

The closing date for placing advertisements is not less than FoUR WEEKS before the date of publication. Please contact our nearest advertising office for more details.

This index is provided as an additional service. The publisher does not assume any liability for errors or omissions.

Manufacturers and advertisers that are featured in this issue will send you free information about their products and services. Fill up the Product Enquiry Form on-line at www.equipment-news.com.

ASIA PACIFIC METALWORKING

The Engineering Journal For Manufacturing, Automation & Quality Control


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❑ 309 Grinding

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❑ 324 Inspection/Measuring/Testing

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❑ 319 Die Casting

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❑ 308 Broaching

❑ 311 Plastic Moulding

❑ 314 Pressworking

❑ 317 Automated Assembly

❑ 320 Beading

❑ 323 Electroplating

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❑ 023 Maintenance Engineering

❑ 025 Research & Devt

❑ 028 Testing & Inspection

❑ 030 Sales & Marketing

❑ 022 Production Engineering

❑ 024 Quality Control/Assurance❑ 026 Design Engineering

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JOB FUNCTION (Please be specific)

TYPE OF BUSINESS (Please ✔ ONE box only)Do you use METAL in your production/manufacturing process? ❑ Yes ❑ NoDo you use machine tools and related equipment? ❑ Yes ❑ NoDo you use automation systems & equipment? ❑ Yes ❑ No

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❑ 021 Senior & Middle Management❑ 023 Maintenance Engineering❑ 025 research & Devt

❑ 028 Testing & Inspection❑ 030 Sales & Marketing❑ 027 OThErS (Please specify)

❑ 022 Production Engineering❑ 024 Quality Control/Assurance

❑ 026 Design Engineering❑ 029 Purchasing/Sourcing

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❑ 313 Forging❑ 316 rolling❑ 319 Die Casting❑ 322 Welding❑ 302 Turning❑ 305 Coil Forming

❑ 308 Broaching❑ 311 Plastic Moulding❑ 314 Pressworking❑ 317 Automated Assembly❑ 320 Beading❑ 323 Electroplating

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From turning, holemaking, and indexable milling to solid carbide end milling, solid carbide drilling, and tapping, the most powerful tools in the business now proudly wear WIDIA brands. When you buy WIDIA products, you’re not just purchasing speed, power, and precision, you’re investing in quality and complete satisfaction.

Match the most expansive portfolio of precision-engineered products and custom solution services available today with a global, specialized network of authorized distributor partners and you have the tools you need — and the power that only comes from WIDIA brands. For product information, or to schedule an onsite demonstration, call (65) 6265.9222 or visit www.widia.com.

www.widia.com©2009 Kennametal Inc. l All rights reserved. l A-09-02229

Our complete portfolio.Your complete satisfaction.

• Australia 613.9755.5302 • India 9180.2219.8341 • Japan 813.3820.2855 • Malaysia 603.5569.9080 • Singapore 65.6265.9222 • China 8621.3860.8288 • Indonesia 6281.1148.8217 • Korea 822.2109.6100 • Taiwan 8862.2523.3660 • Thailand 662.642.3455

ENQUIRY NO 160

apmen jan-feb 2010

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