FABTECH 2011: Forming & Fabricating (Part Two)

FABTECH 2011 exhibited many production technologies and techniques for OEM manufacturers and contract job shops that add value to sheet metal, coil, plate, tube or pipe stock by shaping, bending, forming, punching, welding, cutting, fabricating, assembling, or other processes. Now our Show-in-Print brings some more of that forming and fabricating equipment to you!

Over 35,450 attendees returned to North America’s largest metal forming, fabricating, finishing and welding event in McCormick Place on November 14-17, with over 1,200 exhibitors covering more than 450,000 net sq ft of floor space.

INNOVATIVE WATERJET CUTTING SYSTEM
Flow International Corporation (Kent, WA) will introduce the latest Mach 4 waterjet system with the first public demonstrations of this unique technology. The Mach 4 is the flagship of Flow’s Mach series and the industry’s most advanced waterjet technology.

This newest addition to the Mach 4 line of waterjets offers a variety of features that are unique in the waterjet industry, including an expandable modular design, up to 14 m (48 ft) in length, which allows customers to increase the size of the cutting area as their business grows. The system’s exclusive Roller Pinion system provides fast, accurate cutting with zero backlash. The new Mach 4 is ergonomically designed to improve operator convenience and productivity with lighting to enhance work piece visibility, efficient abrasive removal, and easy access to material and parts with full four-sided accessibility.

The Mach 4 being shown will combine the HyperJet® pump, rated at 94,000 psi, with Dynamic Waterjet® XD, high-precision flat stock and 3D cutting technology. www.FlowWaterjet.com

ELIMINATE DOUBLE-BLANKING PROBLEMS WITH SHEET METAL
The Sheet Seeker® Fanner by Industrial Magnetics, Inc. (Boyne City, MI) helps increase production speeds by magnetically separating oily, sticky or polished sheet stock, thereby eliminating the difficult and time consuming task of trying to manually pry apart sheets in manual applications and preventing “double-blanking” in automated applications. It will be shone in Booth 1526 at the show.

Up to 60 percent lighter than standard sheet fanners of the same fanning strength, the Sheet Seeker’s powerful magnetic circuit forces steel sheets apart and automatically indexes with the stack to ensure optimum fanning down to the last sheet. Capable of fanning from 30 gauge sheets to 12 gauge plate, the Sheet Seeker’s light-weight design and convenient top-mounted carry handle allow for user friendly transport within the facility. IMI also has additional Sheet Fanner models capable of handling both ferrous or non-ferrous sheet stock, in a  wide range of sizes and gauges, utilizing permanent magnet, electromagnetic and air fanning technology.www.magnetics.com

WATERJETS CUT 50 PERCENT FASTER, REDUCE COSTS 40 PERCENT
Jet Edge, Inc. (St. Michael, MN), a leading manufacturer of ultra-high pressure waterjet systems, will showcase several innovative precision waterjet cutting products, including their 90,000 psi (6,200 bar) X-Stream waterjet intensifier pumps and Mid Rail Gantry precisionwater jet cutting machine. Jet Edge technical experts will be available to answer questions aboutwaterjet cutting applications.

Capable of producing complex parts out of virtually any material, the Mid Rail Gantry waterjet cutting machine features an exposed tank that easily accommodates overhead loading. It comes standard with one abrasive jet cutting head; a second cutting head can be added to increase productivity. Optional mirroring capabilities make it possible to cut part cycle time in half.

The Mid Rail Gantry is ball-screw driven for higher accuracy. Its sturdy heavy-wall tubular steel construction eliminates vibration and increases longevity. The Mid Rail Gantry utilizes an industrial PC controller and can be configured so that all three axes are fully programmable (Z optional). It also features direct-couple AC brushless digital servo motors and single or double carriages. Critical bearing components are protected with heavy metal covers with brush seals and positive air pressure. Mid Rail Gantry waterjet machine is available in many sizes, including 5 ft x 5 ft, 5 ft x 13 ft, 8 ft x 5 ft, 8 ft x 13 ft, 13 ft x 13 ft, 21 ft x 5 ft, 21 ft x 13 ft and 24 ft x 13 ft.

Jet Edge will exhibit its 100 hp, 90 ksi X-Stream xP90-100 waterjet intensifier pump. X-Stream pumps are capable of producing 90,000 psi and support 75,000 psi continuous operating pressure. The X-Stream achieves much faster cutting speeds and drastically lowers operating costs compared to traditional 60 ksi water jet pumps, enabling users to increase productivity and reduce part costs.

The X-Stream produces 50 percent more pressure than a 60,000 psi intensifier pump, resulting in a 40 percent to 50 percent increase in productivity for many materials. Compared to a 60,000 psi pump, typical operating pressures of 75,000 psi use 30 percent less water, 30 percent less power, and up to 50 percent less abrasive, resulting in a 40 percent reduction in operating costs. The xP90-100 is capable of producing flow rates of 1.45 gpm and supports up to a .017 in orifice. Fittings and tubing are rated for 100 ksi. The X-Stream is backed by nearly ten years of extensive research and development in hyper-pressure technology. The X-Stream is also available in a 50 hp model. www.jetedge.com

DURABLE DISC MATERIAL STAYS SHARP LONGER
Klingspor Abrasives, Inc. (Hickory, NC) introduces its newest disc material for use in the metalworking, plating, and welding industries. FP 73W is a film-backed product coated with Klingspor’s industry-leading “extra-lube” aluminum oxide stearate. The film backing provides the ultimate in edge wear and tear prevention properties that far surpass those of a regular paper-backed or cloth-backed product.

In addition, because the film is such a smooth substrate, the abrasive grains stand more “upright” and stay sharp longer, therefore offering excellent leveling properties. This new backing combined with long-lasting aluminum oxide grains and a double coating of stearate makes FP 73W one of the most durable non-loading disc products available.

Klingspor also introduces its newest disc and sheet material for use in the metalworking, plating, and welding industries. VP 73W is a full latex-backed product coated with the industry-leading “extra-lube” aluminum oxide stearate. The latex backing provides edge wear prevention properties that far surpass those of a regular paperbacked product. This new backing combined with long-lasting aluminum oxide grains and a double coating of stearate makes the VP 73W one of the most durable non-loading disc and sheet products available. www.klingspor.com

INTEGRATED SOFTWARE OPTIMIZES SHEET METAL MANUFACTURING
Lantek Systems, Inc. (Mason, OH), a world leader in the development and supply of integrated CADCAM and ERP solutions for the sheet metal and fabrication sectors, has extended its catalogue of solutions with the launch of its Manufacturing Execution System Lantek Manager. The new software allows companies to optimize manufacturing processes in their factory from works order to finished product.

As companies grow, manufacturing structures become more complex, requiring increasingly sophisticated systems to optimize production processes and maintain continuous management control. Lantek Manager provides an effective solution, enabling the user to know the status of each order and each component in real time. By increasing visibility in the workshop the software enhances workload planning. It simultaneously considers many factors including delivery date, customer, machinery to be used, material thickness and specification to produce a realistic prediction of shop floor performance.

Karmelo Osa, a product manager at Lantek says, “The new software is the latest step in our strategy for innovation and is a demonstration of our commitment to our customers. We collaborate closely with them to deliver cutting edge solutions which offer real competitive advantages. Lantek Manager has been designed to coordinate and maximize the profitability of key production processes through simplifying and speeding up the tasks, helping companies to closely control costs and deliver on time.”

Lantek Manager is backed by Lantek’s 25+ years of experience in the sheet metal and fabrication market. Quick to implement, powerful and easy to use, and incorporating the latest technology, the software monitors production, simplifies planning tasks, controls plant and equipment and analyses and keeps records of manufacturing performance. Advanced search filters allow users to get a view of production in real time. The status of each product, for example, waiting, being manufactured, nested or finished, can be quickly established using the intuitive graphics. This enables managers to see the current manufacturing situation and take corrective action as necessary.

Managing work priorities is much easier in Lantek Manager. By considering the load on each machine the user can optimize the issuing of works orders to the shop floor and the creation of CADCAM programs. The software can integrate with works orders generated by ERP systems and databases or it can work with works orders for individual components.

The ability to visualize the loading in the workshop helps companies to make the best use of resources including machines, material, and operators, for improved flexibility. Lantek Manager allows managers to assign and reserve materials and give priority to particular jobs, greatly increasing the levels of control. Additionally, the software can link to a variety of data collecting devices in the workshop allowing companies to record actual times and material usage for each nesting or manufacturing operation, generating improved productivity and valuable cost savings.

Comparisons between actual and estimated costs for selected works orders produced by Lantek Manager will make it possible to carry out a detailed assessment of every aspect of the production process and its associated products. The information will help managers to set more competitive prices, be aware of the real production costs, and of any deviations from the budget. Analysis tools within Lantek Manager go a stage further, making it possible to check current production information including the pending material usage, the actual progress of works orders, the current costs incurred and the loading on each resource, while advanced management options further increase manufacturing visibility, adding to the cost savings and profit improvements possible with the software.

Lantek also offers Expert CADCAM software and its Integra ERP system for sheet metal and structural steel applications. Lantek Expert has inbuilt parallel processing technology for high speed operation on the latest multi-core hardware and includes an intuitive and ergonomic interface which seamlessly integrates with all the other productivity software modules the company offers. Technology within the system can drive all types of CNC sheet material cutting machines, allowing the user to optimize manufacturing processes and machine performance.

New features in Lantek Expert include management of sets of parts, making it easy to manufacture kits of parts; nesting configured according to material thickness to maximize material utilization; intuitive tool selection for faster programming; instruction macros which enable a sequence of repetitive operations to be completed with one mouse click; new advanced machine configurations  for machines with multiple cutting technologies; and improved control over common line cutting to provide greater flexibility in cutting methodology.

Lantek provides Flex3d software, which makes it easy to import and unfold 3D data from leading CAD systems including SolidWorks®, Autodesk Inventor®, Solid Edge®, CATIA®, Creo Elements/Pro® and Siemens NX®. The system can unfold tubes, steelwork, and greatly simplifies the programming of cutting machines with 5-axis capability, using the advanced algorithms within the software. The Lantek Integra ERP system is designed for sheet metal and steelwork applications and, in its latest version, is fully web enabled, allowing companies to manage and automate business processes in an Internet or Intranet environment from any location or time zone using the most popular web browsers and mobile devices such as the iPad.

New budgeting tools display a complete project as a tree structure, making it easy to see and manage the stages of manufacture and their associated costs. New tools allow the project structure to be easily modified, along with the associated costs, which are automatically updated. Customer relationship management keeps track of business opportunities and their value, making it easy to track progress such as the value of orders, follow up actions and reasons for success or failure.

The information gathered and analyzed will help companies to optimize customer service and order intake. Subcontracting is now also controlled by Lantek Integra. By managing orders, dispatch and delivery notes, and goods received, companies can ensure that parts are delivered on time and to the agreed cost. www.lanteksms.com

UNATTENDED OPERATION OF TURRET PUNCH PRESSES
LVD Strippit (Akron, NY) introduces a compact material storage and retrieval tower (CT-P) for Strippit turret punch presses, including Strippit V, VT, M and VX-Series models. The space saving CT-P system provides increased productivity by facilitating optimal material flow and unattended operation for uninterrupted punching.

The CT-P system provides full capabilities for loading, unloading, and storage of raw material and finished parts, thus enabling automated production from stored raw material to stacked finished parts, as well as providing increased storage capacity. The unit facilitates unmanned, “lights out” production in a compact cell environment.

The compact tower is offered in two configurations of 6-pallet and 10-pallet units. The system handles workpieces as large as 98.4 in x 48.2 in (2500 mm x 1225 mm) and sheet weights up to 198 lb (90 kg) with a maximum load/unload pallet storage capacity of 5511 lb (2500 kg). Pallet construction is engineered for compact setup and safe forklift manipulation. Spreading magnet, air knife, and peeling cylinder sheet separation devices are used to prevent loading of more than one sheet at a time and effectively separate sheets for automatic loading.