forming & fabrication
Prima compact server
is designed to
integrate with laser cutting
machine’s pallet changer
Right: Finn Power E5 - one
of the latest generation
machines designed to save
power
www.mazaklaser.co.uk
www.uk.trumpf.com
www.lvdgroup.com
www.primaindustrie.com
www.bystronic.com
www.safan.co.uk
www.jmmachinery.co.uk
www.pressandshear.com
www.espritautomation.com
www.tps-fronius.co.uk
on the stand of Bystronic, where the ByVention 3015 took
centre stage. According to Bystronic, the ByVention’s
compact design makes it the smallest laser cutting machine
for full size 3 by 1.5m sheets. Its innovative layout and clever
materials flow enables it to cover 80% of the parts spectrum
required by UK fabrication shops. ByVention was
shortlisted in the MWP Award for Best
Metalforming/Fabrication Equipment, sponsored by
Siemens.
Additionally launched at MACH, the BySpeed 3015 laser
centre can be equipped with a 5.2kW resonator and the allnew
ByTrans automatic load/unload system. Production is
said to increase by up to 50% when a laser is equipped with
ByTrans, with typically only an extra investment of 20%.
The company also sported new press brakes. The Bystronic
Beyeler Xpert boasts an extensive and expandable database
that is available at the touch of a button, while the
Bystronic AFM EP 31-100 features a bending length of
3150mm and a press capacity of 100 tonnes.
Intelligent press brake
Continuing with press brake technology, the automation
theme was arguably nowhere more striking than on the
stand of Safan, where the company’s patented I-Brake
intelligent press brake took centre stage. I-Brake features
two integrated robots that can work in different modes;
simultaneously bending the same product (long parts); one
robot for bending and the other for handling; or
independent working on either side of the machine. I-
Brake features all of the advantages of the servo electronic
concept Safan has on the established E-Brake series. Safan
also used MACH to unveil its E-Brake II, the latest
generation of E-Brake servo mechatronic press brake.
Features include a new back gauge for faster and more
stable operation, and a 17" touch screen control loaded with
Safan’s latest Easy 2D software. E-Brake II can produce a
six-bend fabricated box in 20 seconds.
For those preferring to opt for the speed and automation
of CNC panel benders, the new RAS UpDownBend CNC
sheet metal folding machine on the stand of John Murray
Machinery bends both ways with the part supported on the
back-stop bed. This means there is no need to flip the sheet
when the folding direction changes, reducing cycle time
and eliminating the need for a second operator. The
machine has a working length of 3200mm.
Moving to the latest punching technology, the new
Finn-Power E5 servo-electric turret punch press on the
Press & Shear Machinery stand has a sheet capacity of 2,530
by 1,270mm without repositioning. It is the smallest of
50 MWP july 2008
three punch presses in a new range that complements the
manufacturer’s current E-series. The latest machines
employ regenerative braking to save power. Energy derived
from axis deceleration is stored in capacitors and used to
accelerate the next movement. Power is saved, reducing
electricity bills, and peak power consumption is lower.
Maintenance costs are also lower as a result of centralised
lubrication, cooling of the control cabinet and elimination
of oil filters and valves, while the new machine
additionally sees significant advances in speed. At 1mm
pitch, maximum nibbling speed is now 800 hits per minute
- over 13 strokes per second.
Elsewhere at the show, new plasma technology was
represented by the Lightning HD high definition CNC
plasma cutting system from Esprit, which produces clean,
square, dross-free cuts on virtually all metals.
In from the cold
Fabrication and forming operations are typically followed
by welding. As a proven and established process, new
welding breakthroughs arrive infrequently, which is why
the new cold metal transfer (CMT) process from TPS-
Fronius, captured so much attention at MACH.
The name ‘cold metal transfer’ hints at a crucial
difference from the conventional GMA (gas metal arc)
process: significantly less heat is applied to the metals to be
joined. There are materials and applications that cannot
withstand the constant heat of a welding process. In order
to avoid weld pool drop-through and spatter, and to be
amenable to metallurgical joining, some metals need lower
temperatures. This is now possible using CMT.
Shortlisted in the MWP Award for Best
Metalforming/Fabrication Equipment, CMT enables the
welding of materials as thin as 0.3mm and of widely
different gauges, with minimal spatter and distortion due
to the low heat input of the process. This ‘cold’ process
brings with it significant advantages such as significantly
less thermal delay and rework. CMT also provides the
ability to join aluminium and steel. When combined with
a pulsed arc, the heat input, penetration and weld seam
geometry can be varied from the pure cold CMT process up
to the relatively ‘hot’ pulsed arc process. This combination
of CMT with the pulsed arc process also supports excellent
gap bridging capability (more than 1mm) and leads to
further enhancement in welding speed. With CMT it is
possible to replace TIG manual applications with
mechanised MIG applications. With its high degree of
process flexibility, Fronius has possibly created a new
chapter in the history of welding.
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