Exhibitor preview: Northern Manufacturing & Electronics

Metrology matters

Metrology specialist Faro UK invites all interested parties at Northern Manufacturing to visit its stand.

The company will be presenting a wide range of cutting-edge metrology products such the Laser ScanArm HD with the lightest laser line probe for non-contact measurements and the Laser Tracker Vantage for large volume measurements.

A relatively new addition to the Faro range, the Array Imager system is a metrology grade non-contact scanner which utilises blue light technology to capture millions of high resolution 3D coordinate measurements in seconds. The smart sensor allows multi-imager array configurations enabling industrial manufacturers to significantly improve productivity.

Faro www.faro.com
Stand: D8

Come clean

Tewkesbury-based aqueous parts washing specialist MecWash Systems is attending show for the third year running to further strengthen its relationships with manufacturers in the North of the country. The company will be highlighting its cleaning expertise on stand F55 and demonstrating its bestselling Duo machine.

A natural progression of the established Solo, the Duo system has the added benefits of rotational flood/immersion washing which provides higher standards of cleaning by full solution contact with all component surfaces.

Duo machines also feature a rotational spray rinse which offers excellent surface finishes by removing detergent residues left by the wash solution. This stage can also be used to apply a longer term corrosion inhibitor for ferrous components, all finished off with a hot air dry.

MecWash managing director John Pattison says: "This will be the third year running we have exhibited at this show and it offers a key opportunity for us to increase our brand profile as well as further develop relationships with northern manufacturers.

“Attendance at such trade shows has resulted in a number of sales for us over recent years, which is why we have decided to attend again this year. The event last year was attended by more than 2,300 people, many of whom are key decision makers, and these are exactly the people we want to meet.

“We know that committing to significant capital investment is a big decision for manufacturers and can often have substantial lead-times so the more opportunities potential customers have to see our cleaning capabilities in action, then the easier it becomes to invest in a MecWash system.

“The Duo is a highly versatile aqueous cleaning system that suits both large components and dense baskets of small parts,” he adds. “Show visitors regularly comment on the relatively small footprint of the Duo, the speed of the complete wash, rinse and drying cycle, and the variety of functions it has to offer, and I am sure it will impress again in Manchester.”

The firm’s precision component washing and degreasing equipment range is already used by some of the world's leading manufacturers – including Rolls-Royce, JCB, Parker Hannifin, Husco and Draeger – all of whom trust MecWash Systems to deliver spotless results in cleaning machined parts.

All MecWash machines are built to the highest standards in the UK and then shipped around the world with installations already completed in more than 25 countries.

MecWash www.mecwash.co.uk
Stand F55

Micro machining expertise

As an industry leader in the micro machine tool and cutting tool technology arena, Rainford Precision will have all its latest innovations on show at Northern Manufacturing.

For manufacturers looking for material specific tooling solutions, Rainford will be showing the Louis Belet range of cutting tools specific for aluminium, brass, stainless steel, titanium and composite materials. The Swiss manufactured range encompasses solid carbide and PCD end mills, drills, circular and hob saws, threading and gear cutting tools as well as a host of special tooling lines.

The Louis Belet brand focuses on material type and application. From decades of expertise, its engineers have perfected the right tool geometries and coatings for specific material types. The approach matches an endless variety of tool grades and coatings with innovative geometries for all applications. Furthermore, as a specialist that works with the Swiss micro manufacturing industry, the majority of Louis Belet product lines are available in diameters starting at 0.1mm. In fact the 370 Expert drills for stainless steel increment in 0.01mm steps between 0.5mm and 1.5 mm, ideal for sliding head machine users.

Also on show will be the Samurai series of end milling cutters from Union Tool SA. This extensive range incorporates a complete line of two, three or four fluted cutters with a square or ball nose variant for machining all material types. The diversity of the solid carbide range provides up to 59 tool types from 1 to 12mm diameter making it ideal for mould and die, aerospace, automotive, medical and general subcontract applications.

Next up are specialist tooling lines from Iwata, Xactform, Hobe and Osawa. Appearing on the stand beside the extensive' micro tooling line will be the handheld or machine mounted high speed spindles from US-based Air Turbine Tools.

The machine mounted spindles can be retrofitted to machine tools to deliver constant high speeds of 30,000, 40,000, 50,000, 65,000, or 75,000rpm. This makes the spindles suitable for a variety of operations with small cutting tools.

Rainford Precision www.precisiondrills.co.uk www.rainfordprecision.com
Stand F80

Northern versatility

XYZ Machine Tools will highlight the versatility and diversity of its machine tool range at the Northern Manufacturing show.

Taking centre stage will be three machines that benefit from XYZ’s ProtoTRAK control system, an XYZ SMX3500 bed mill, an XYZ SLX 355 lathe and the XYZ 2-OP vertical machining centre. These will be accompanied by the Siemens controlled XYZ 710 VMC and CT532 turning centre.

The ProtoTRAK control system on the SMX 3500, SLX 355 and 2-OP provides simplicity and ease of use, thanks to a wide range of conversational cycles, making it ideal for one-off and small batch quantities. The control can be operated without any knowledge of CNC, with operators producing parts with minimal training. Combined with the control the XYZ bed mills and SLX lathes provide a robust machining platform with solid Meehanite cast bases, Turcite-B coated bedways on the mills, and extra wide vee and flat bedways on the SLX lathes.

The XYZ 2-OP is a vertical machining centre which also features the ProtoTRAK control system. It is designed to be portable and allows companies to bring cellular manufacturing to virtually any machine shop. The cycle time savings resulting from using the XYZ 2-OP in this fashion are significant, with the additional benefit of freeing up more expensive machine tool capacity from doing pre- or secondary operation work and the maximisation of available labour hours.

The XYZ 2-OP may be compact and portable, but it still has an impressive specification with axis travels of 355mm x 305mm x 455mm with a table size of 457mm by 381mm, a maximum table load of 250kg, and rapid traverse of 15m/minute in all axes. Performance is enhanced by the use of a 3hp (50 – 6,000rpm) BT30 spindle that is supported by an eight position toolchanger. All of this sits within a footprint of just 1,220mm by 760mm.

For those looking at full CNC equipped machines, XYZ Machine Tools will display an XYZ 710 VMC and a Compact Turn 52 turning centre. Across the XYZ VMC range there is a common feature of high quality manufacture, with features such as solid Meehanite castings and extra wide induction hardened box slideways with Turcite-B coatings adding to rigidity and performance. Standard specification of the VMC range includes an 8,000rpm, 20hp spindle with feed rates up to 20m/minute in all axes.

The Compact Turn 52 may be the smallest turning centre in the XYZ range with a footprint of just 1,700mm by 1,450mm in its standard form. However, it still provides a powerful machining platform through its 5,000rpm/20hp spindle and axis travels of 185mm and 325mm (X and Z), with rapid traverse rates of 20m/minute.

Like all of the machines in the XYZ range, these turning centres benefit from a highly rigid and stable construction, with hardened and ground box slideways and solid meehanite castings for the major components.

XYZ Machine Tools www.xyzmachinetools.com
Stand E14