january 2009
New cutting capacity for subcontract
waterjet cutting company
Pumping
productivity
KCUT is a waterjet cutting specialist based
in Morecambe, and can cut virtually any
material, from paper, foam and rubber, to
composites, tool steel, granite and bulletproof
glass. The company has now
purchased a new Calypso waterjet cutting system which includes a KMT
50HP Streamline Plus pump from Wightman Stewart. KCut, having
operated waterjet cutting for three years, had reached the point where the
system was in demand seven days per week - hence investment in a second
machine. Rather than running the two machines separately, KCut has
connected the pumps so that they both supply high-pressure water to both
machines. This means that the machines benefit from a greater cutting
capability than the single machine ever offered. For example, the machines
can be used with multiple cutting heads, and the larger (4x2m) bed on the
Calypso machine enables larger sheets to be loaded and, therefore, larger
components to be cut.
While the new machine was being installed, Kcut fitted a KMT
Boosterline system. This consists of a 1000-litre water tank, pump and
pressure-limiting valve that delivers water at a constant pressure to the two
50HP ultra-high-pressure pumps (intensifiers). This helps to reduce the
wear on the intensifier seals and therefore extends the service intervals. The
new Streamline 50HP pump came with a closed-loop oil/air cooler, and
KCut retrofitted an identical cooler to its existing pump. Compared with
the total-loss water cooling used previously, the closed-loop cooler consumes
virtually no water and therefore reduces the running costs considerably.
Furthermore, the high-efficiency cooling extends the life of the wear parts
in the intensifiers. www.kmt-waterjet.com
Newly developed consumable makes thin plate welding more effective
Joined up thinking
AN important presence in the automotive industry, ESAB invests substantial
resources in developing welding processes, consumables and power sources. The
company, while not itself a supplier of robots to the automotive industry, is an active
partner in supplying robot packages to find optimal solutions for customers. Outside
the automotive industry it sees a growing interest by companies that wish to use small
robot installations, so it developed the AristoMig Robot Package. This is a concept
whereby a complete welding solution can be supplied for any new or existing robot
system - including power source, interface, wire-feed unit and consumables.
This plug and play solution aims to serve the industry with a package that provides
efficiency, productivity and consequently a reduction in welding costs. Consumables
play an important role - for instance the family of metal-cored wire which can be
used in combination with AristoMig provides extra security for welding applications.
Consumables are the subject of ongoing development designed to improve their
welding characteristics. Some of this work focuses on optimising chemical
composition to match the characteristics of the parent material; nowadays, a wide
range of different grades of parent material is used in a car body. Other important
requirements feeding reliability, low spatter levels, low levels of surface impurity on
the weld joints and problem-free welding on zinc-coated or aluminised sheet metal.
The introduction of metal-cored wires in specific applications in the automotive
segment is currently taking place; ESAB’s process know-how and collaboration with
the automotive industry, has prompted a new concept for welding thinner plate; this
concept is now being used successfully by a number of companies supplying parts to
the automotive industry. www.esab.co.uk
Refrigerator specialist installs new laser cutting capacity
Cold cuts
GEORGE Barker, manufacturer of refrigerated display cabinets for
supermarkets and part of leading world refrigeration group Epta has
ordered an LVD Axel 4020 – 5Kw Linear laser cutting system worth £700k.
Purchased as part of a strategic group investment plan the new system will
provide increased productivity and flexibility to George Barker’s UK
manufacturing operations in Bradford - specifically processing of 4.0 by
2.0m sheets within an automated material loading and
unloading system to maximise productivity.
Derek Bower, Work Study Officer at George Barker comments: ‘The new
LVD laser allows us to add more productivity and flexibility to our
manufacturing operations. We started searching the market for a new
punch press originally, but once we started discussing our needs with
potential vendors, we established that a dynamic larger sheet laser cutting
machine was the best solution for our application.’
George Barker’s investigations then concentrated on feasibility studies
with four of the major manufacturers, where time studies, factory visits and
thorough pre-sale investigations were carried out, with LVD being the final
winner of the contract. ‘We felt that the machine offered us the best quality,
accuracy, flexibility and productivity. We also felt that the deal with LVD
represented excellent value for money’. The new machine is due to be
installed and delivered in the first quarter of 2009.
www.Eptarefrigeration.com www.lvdgroup.com
forming & fabrication
MWP
57
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